> 1) When I insert datafield in the email, some of the datafields will draw the correct data. Other datafields show up as a blank. I know this will happen as if I put a cursor over the datafield that works then it says Source: (the description of my conditions) and Preview: the resulting correct information. For those that do not work, only the Source information is showing. No preview information is displayed.

> 2) Sometimes the underlying data does not update in the automation. For example, if I change the emails in the record that is to be sent, it updates in the database but not in the preview of the email. Is there a "sync" I need to do to update an automation's data before I run it?

Hm not too sure what's going on with 1, but for 2 you'll need to do a "Test action" for the trigger and all steps that your send email action is using in order for the preview dat to update

> 3) I see various suggestions for addressing the formatting of numbers and dates in an email in the community thread. Some ideas are several years old. What is the current advice for how to have the friendly version of a date appear? What is the advice for having currency formatting show up? In both these cases the formatting is correct in the database but it does not carry over to the email.

Still the same I reckon: make a formula field that'll display the text the way you want it and use the formula field

It worked to go back and test each step of the automation to get the missing fields to show up. 

I have tried creating a duplicate field of the date and picked the fancy date and used in the email, and the formatting did not change. Any other suggestions?

I finally got it to work. Seems like you have to redo the trigger test step every time you make a change.