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Contacts routing to the wrong branch
Review the condition operators
Open the if/else step in your workflow builder and verify the operator for each condition. Common mistakes include using equals when you need contains, or is when you need is not empty.
Check the condition values
Ensure the value you are comparing against matches exactly, including capitalization and spacing. For example, if you are checking a tag called
VIP Customer, the condition must match that exact string — vip customer will not match with the equals operator.Verify AND vs OR logic
If your branch has multiple conditions, check whether they are joined by AND (all must be true) or OR (any must be true). Click the logic toggle between conditions to switch.
Empty field handling
| Operator | Behavior with empty field |
|---|---|
| Equals | Evaluates to false — contact goes to Else |
| Is not empty | Evaluates to false — contact goes to Else |
| Is empty | Evaluates to true — contact stays on the If branch |
| Contains | Evaluates to false — contact goes to Else |
| Does not contain | May evaluate to true depending on the platform’s null handling |
Nested conditions not evaluating correctly
Flatten complex logic when possible
Deeply nested if/else steps can be difficult to debug. If you have more than three levels of nesting, consider restructuring your workflow to use separate branches or multiple if/else steps in sequence.
Check each level independently
Start from the outermost if/else and verify the condition works on its own. Then move inward, testing each nested level. This isolates which specific condition is failing.
Execution logs show which branch a contact followed at each if/else step, along with the field values evaluated at that moment. This is the fastest way to diagnose nested condition issues.
Custom field type mismatches
Custom fields have specific data types that affect how conditions are evaluated. A mismatch between the field type and the condition operator will cause unexpected results.| Field type | Works with | Does not work with |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Equals, Contains, Is empty | Greater than, Less than |
| Number | Equals, Greater than, Less than | Contains |
| Dropdown | Equals, Is not empty | Contains, Greater than |
| Date | Is before, Is after, Is empty | Contains, Equals (use date-specific operators) |
| Checkbox | Is true, Is false | Equals, Contains |
Confirm the field type
Go to Settings > Custom Fields and check the data type of the field used in your condition. Make sure the condition operator is compatible with that type.
Update the condition operator
If you are using an incompatible operator, open the if/else step and change the operator to one that matches the field type. For example, change Contains to Equals for dropdown fields.
Best practices
- Use descriptive branch names (e.g., “Has email — send nurture” instead of “Branch 1”) so the logic is clear at a glance
- Add an Else catch-all branch that logs or tags contacts who do not match any condition, so you can identify gaps
- Document complex condition logic in the workflow’s internal notes
- Test every branch path before publishing
FAQs
Can I use custom values or formulas in if/else conditions?
Can I use custom values or formulas in if/else conditions?
If/else conditions support custom field values and contact properties, but not calculated formulas. If you need computed logic, use a webhook to an external service or set a custom field value in a prior workflow step.
Why does my date condition not match even though the dates look the same?
Why does my date condition not match even though the dates look the same?
Date fields include time components. If your condition checks for a specific date, the contact’s field may include a time that causes a mismatch. Use Is after and Is before operators with date ranges instead of Equals.
Is there a limit to the number of conditions in a single if/else step?
Is there a limit to the number of conditions in a single if/else step?
There is no hard limit, but performance and readability degrade with more than 10 conditions in a single step. Break complex logic into multiple sequential if/else steps for clarity.