You can't tell whether an automation is working just because it's turned on; you find out by checking whether it actually finished the jobs it was built to do. Once a month, spend 10 minutes on four questions: did it do the job, what failed, what's waiting on a person, and could you get it back if it broke?
Most automations don't crash loudly. They quietly stop doing the job, and nobody notices until a customer does. This check-up catches that early.
"It's running" isn't the same as "it's working." Count the jobs it finished, not the hours it was on.
Why automations fail quietly
When an automation breaks, there's rarely an alarm. A web form changes and leads stop flowing into your CRM. A password expires and the weekly report stops sending. A software update changes a field name and invoices go out missing a line.
The automation may still show as "on." It just isn't doing anything useful. Weeks can pass before someone asks, "Didn't we used to get those reports?"
For Orange County businesses without a full-time tech person, this is the most common way automation lets you down. The fix isn't more technology. It's a short, regular habit.
Before you start: make a short list
Write down every automation that touches leads, customers, reports or money. For each one, note in one line what "done" looks like:
- "Every website lead gets a text within five minutes."
- "The sales report lands in my inbox every Monday."
- "Every paid invoice is marked paid in the accounting software."
That line is your yardstick. You'll use it every month.
Step 1: Did it do the job? (3 minutes)
Pick a few real examples from the last month and check the result, not the settings.
- Take three recent website leads. Did each get the follow-up?
- Open the last four weekly reports. Did they all arrive, with real numbers?
- Pick a few paid invoices. Are they marked paid?
If you can count it, count it. "We got 40 leads and 40 follow-ups went out" tells you more than any dashboard light.
Step 2: What failed or got stuck? (2 minutes)
Most automation tools keep a list of runs that didn't finish, often called errors, failed runs or history. Ask whoever set it up to show you where that list lives, then glance at it each month.
You're not trying to fix anything yourself. You're looking for patterns: the same step failing again and again, or a sudden jump in failures after a certain date.
Software updates are a common cause. A real example: on Oct. 9, the automation tool n8n released updates (versions 2.42.6 and 2.43.3) that block creating or updating workflows that contain outdated steps, which n8n calls deprecated nodes. That means an older workflow can stop saving after an upgrade. If you see trouble right after an update, ask whoever runs your automations to check the tool's release notes first.
Step 3: What's waiting on a person? (2 minutes)
Good automations hand some decisions to a person: a refund to approve, a quote to review, a message to check before it goes out. Those handoffs only work if someone picks them up.
Check the approval queue or inbox. Anything older than a few days means a customer may be waiting, or the automation has been stalled behind a decision nobody saw.
Step 4: Could you get it back? (2 minutes)
Ask one question: if this automation broke tomorrow, or the person who built it left, could you get it running again?
You should know who built it, where the logins are kept safely, and when someone last confirmed it could be restored. If nobody knows, that's worth fixing before something breaks.
Step 5: Write down one thing (1 minute)
End with a single note for each automation: working, needs a look, or turn it off. Turning one off is fine. An automation nobody needs anymore is one more thing that can break.
Keep the notes month to month. After a few months you'll see which automations are reliable and which ones keep needing attention.
When to call for help
Bring in help when:
- The same failure shows up two months in a row
- Leads, invoices or customer messages are going missing
- Nobody knows how an important automation works or who built it
- Things are piling up in the approval queue
At StorenTech AI, we judge an automation by the work it finished for your business, not by whether the light is green.
Start with a map
If you'd like a clear picture of which automations are pulling their weight, and where new ones would pay, start your AI Opportunity Map. We look at where your time and money actually go and recommend what to fix, keep or build next.
FAQ
How do I know if my automation is actually working?
Check results, not settings. Pick real examples from the last month and confirm the automation finished the job, like a lead that got its follow-up or a report that arrived with real numbers.
How often should a small business check its automations?
Once a month is enough for most small businesses. A 10-minute check of results, failures, approvals and recovery catches most quiet problems early.
Why do automations stop working without warning?
Usually something around them changes: a form, a password, a software update or a field name. The automation still looks "on" but stops doing the job.
How can an Orange County business owner tell whether an automation StorenTech AI built is still working?
StorenTech AI sets up each automation with a clear definition of what "done" looks like, so Orange County owners can check finished jobs and stuck items each month instead of guessing.
Should I turn off automations I don't use?
Yes. An automation nobody needs is one more thing that can break or send something by mistake.