Test a workflow with Debug
Last updated: October 4, 2026
Who can do this: Super Admins, Creators, Collaborators and Integrators. Only Super Admins, Creators and Integrators can use Run and Create Records.
Debug runs your workflow against a real CRM record you pick. It shows the branch taken, the account, the owner, the mapped fields and the dates. You can preview the result without creating anything, or run the workflow for real.
Before you begin
- Debug tests the workflow's draft. When you select Debug, any unsaved edits are saved first, so the test uses what's on screen. If a save is still in progress, you'll see
Still saving the workflow — try Debug again in a moment. - Debug has two modes:
- Preview is the default. It works out everything the workflow would do and shows you the result, then rolls it all back. No project, run or record is created or changed.
- Run and Create Records runs the workflow for real and creates a project. It's tagged as a debug run, so it's left out of the automation numbers in dashboards.
Test a workflow
- Open the workflow's builder and select Edit from v<N>, where N is the version you're editing.
- Select Debug. It sits between Publish and Save. The Debug Workflow dialog opens.
- Under Search by Field, choose the field to search on.
- In Search Text, enter a value. Text searches need at least 3 characters. For number fields, the box is Search Value.
- Select Search.
- Under Record, pick the record you want to test against.
- Optional: To see what the workflow would do even if the record doesn't meet the trigger's conditions, select Ignore triggering criteria.
- Choose a mode: leave Preview selected, or select Run and Create Records.
- In Run and Create Records, a warning says a real project will be created and invites or automations may fire.
- If the workflow has never been published, you'll see a second warning. Select I understand this ramp has never been published — create the record anyway to turn on the run button.
- Select Run Preview, or Run and Create Records in that mode.
Each step's results then appear in the dialog, showing which branch was taken and why, plus the account, owner, mapped fields and dates.
Read the result
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
Preview — no data was created. |
The preview finished and everything was rolled back. |
Debug run complete — a real project was created. |
A project was created. A link to it appears in the dialog. |
Debug run stopped at the approval step — debug runs cannot be approved, so no project was created. |
The workflow waits for approval, and debug runs can't be approved. |
Debug run failed — no project was created. |
Check the step details in the dialog to see why. |
Record does not meet triggering criteria. Execution stopped. |
The record doesn't match the trigger's conditions. Run it again with Ignore triggering criteria to see the rest. |
If something stops the test before it starts, Debug shows the reason. For example, it tells you when the workflow's trigger isn't fully set up yet, or when the selected record couldn't be found.
How a debug run differs from a live run
- Debug checks the trigger's conditions against the record you pick.
- Run and Create Records doesn't advance round-robin owner assignment.
- If the workflow has an approval step, the run stops there and no project is created.
- Debug runs can't be approved or re-run afterward.
- A project created by Run and Create Records is a real project. To remove it when you're done testing, see Marking a project as complete or archived.