Automation email not sending on the correct dates

[Amy_Dodson]

Hi All,

I am about to rip my hair out (over something that is probably obvious to everyone else!)

I have set up an email automation to be sent to the team when a finance date has passed. However the email is sending whenever a date is entered into the field (not when its overdue) and in the email automation the date doesn’t match what is entered into the field and states that its a month earlier.

This is the automation I have set up at the moment. The second date field is to ensure that if finance approval has been received already a reminder is not sent.

and this is the email that is sent.

However when the email comes through, it gets as soon as I enter any date in the Finance Due field and then the date in the email doesn’t match the date in the field that it is meant to be pulling from. eg, the correct date for this one should have been the 8th September 2021 not the 8th August 2021.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Amy_Dodson]

Sorry, just realised that last paragraph didnt read correctly.

The issue is the email is being sent as soon as any date is inputted into the field not when that date has passed. Eg if the finance is due on the 9th September I want an email to be sent on the 10th September stating that the finance was due on the 9th September.

[augmented]

Hi Amy. Working with automations that have a record conditions trigger is difficult when you’re entering data directly (i.e. not through a form or other automation). I’m not sure, but what’s probably happening is Airtable is seeing your first keystroke in the date field and turning it into its best guess of the date you mean. This date happens to satisfy your trigger condition.

I would check to see if you have the same problem if you use the date picker in the field. If you need to, change your action to something benign for the test.

If I’m right, what you might need to do is either a) change your trigger or b) build a time delay. I have done both and each feels clunky for different reasons. Personally, I use another single select field to control the automation (eg tell it when I’m ready for this record to be considered).

Hope this helps.