Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to fix them.

Emails Not Arriving

Symptom: API returns success but recipient doesn't receive email.

Likely causes:

• Email in spam folder
• Recipient previously bounced (suppressed)

Fix:

1. Ask recipient to check spam folder
2. Check Activity log for suppression status

"Event not found" Error

Symptom: API returns 404 with "Event not found".

Likely causes:

• Event doesn't exist in dashboard
• Typo in event name
• Wrong environment (sandbox vs production)

Fix:

1. Go to Events in dashboard and verify the event exists
2. Check exact spelling (case-sensitive, use hyphens)
3. Verify your API key matches the environment where the event was created

Related: API Errors → Event not found

"Invalid API key" Error

Symptom: API returns 401 Unauthorized.

Likely causes:

• Typo in API key
• Key was revoked
• Missing Bearer prefix in header

Fix:

1. Copy key directly from dashboard
2. Ensure header is Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KEY
3. Check if key was rotated or deleted

Related: API Errors → Invalid API key

SMS Not Delivered

Symptom: SMS shows as sent but not received.

Likely causes:

• Phone number doesn't exist or is disconnected
• Carrier delivery failure

Fix:

1. Check Activity log for delivery status and error details
2. Confirm the phone number is valid and active
3. Try sending to a different number to rule out carrier issues

Rate Limit Exceeded

Symptom: API returns 429 Too Many Requests.

Likely causes:

• Exceeding 100 req/sec (production) or 10 req/sec (sandbox)
• Burst of requests from your application

Fix:

1. Implement exponential backoff
2. Check Retry-After header for wait time

Related: API Errors → Rate limited

Template Variable Not Rendering

Symptom: Output shows {{name}} instead of actual value.

Likely causes:

• Typo in variable name
• Variable not passed in payload
• Wrong variable path

Fix:

1. Payload fields are available as {{key}} (e.g., {{link}}, {{code}})
2. Contact fields use {{contact.name}} or {{contact.meta.customField}}
3. Check spelling matches exactly (case-sensitive)

Slack Messages Not Sending

Symptom: Slack notifications fail or don't appear.

Likely causes:

• Slack app not installed to workspace
• Private channel without app invite
• Invalid channel name or ID

Fix:

1. Check workspace connection in Channels → Slack
2. Public channels work immediately; for private channels, invite the app first
3. Use #channel-name or channel ID (C12345678)

Contact Meta Fields Missing

Symptom: Template shows empty for {{contact.meta.customField}}.

Likely causes:

• Field was sent as standard field (not stored in meta)
• snake_case not converted to camelCase
• Contact not updated with new data

Fix:

1. Custom fields auto-convert: subscription_tier → subscriptionTier
2. Access as {{contact.meta.subscriptionTier}}
3. Standard fields (email, phone, name) are not in meta

Multi-Language Template Not Used

Symptom: Wrong language template is sent.

Likely causes:

• Template doesn't exist for requested language
• Language code typo
• Fallback to default language

Fix:

1. Create template for the language in dashboard
2. Use ISO 639-1 codes: en, sv, de, fr
3. Check fallback order: requested → app default → en → any

Delivery Stuck in "Queued"

Symptom: Notification stays queued for several minutes.

Likely causes:

• Provider rate limits
• High system load
• Provider outage

Fix:

1. Wait 5 minutes - queues typically clear quickly
2. Check Activity in dashboard for provider errors
3. Contact support if stuck for 10+ minutes

No Template for Channel

Symptom: API returns error when forcing a specific channel.

Likely causes:

• Event has no template for the requested channel
• Template exists but for wrong language
• Wrong environment (sandbox vs production)

Fix:

1. Go to Events in dashboard and add a template for the channel
2. Check language settings match your request
3. Verify your API key matches the environment where the template was created
4. Remove .channel() to let Sendivent auto-select

Related: API Errors → No template for channel

Domain Verification Pending

Symptom: Emails fail or show warnings about unverified sender.

Likely causes:

• DNS records not added yet
• DNS propagation still in progress
• Wrong DNS values

Fix:

1. Add DKIM/SPF records shown in Channels → Email
2. Wait up to 48 hours for DNS propagation
3. Use the "Verify" button to check status

Related: API Errors → Unverified sender

Still Stuck?

1. Check Activity in dashboard for detailed error messages
2. Verify you're in the correct environment (sandbox/production)
3. Review API Errors for error codes and fixes
4. Review Deliveries & Statuses for status meanings
5. Contact support with your delivery ID