Blocked sequence enrollments

Contacts can get stuck in the "Blocked" status in an enrollment sequence for two main reasons: missing or invalid template variables in sequence emails, or failed Zap steps. This guide covers how to resolve both scenarios.

Blocked due to missing template variables

If a sequence email contains template variables (like {Person First Name}) that cannot be resolved for a contact, Unify will block the enrollment to prevent sending incomplete emails.

Note: The "Blocked" status is specific to individual enrollments and steps, not your mailbox health. Your mailbox can appear healthy while specific steps remain blocked due to template variable issues.

To fix blocked enrollments caused by template variables:

1. Open the blocked enrollment from the Enrollments tab or Outbox.

2. Click "See variables breakdown" to identify which placeholders are unresolved.

3. Edit the email for that enrollment and replace or remove the unresolved placeholder(s).

4. Save your changes. The step will be rescheduled automatically and the Blocked status will clear.

5. If many enrollments are affected by the same template issue, click "Upgrade all enrollments" after fixing the template to apply the fix broadly across all blocked enrollments.

Quick Bulk Fix for Template Variable Blocks:

1. Go to the Enrollments tab for your sequence.

2. Filter or select the blocked enrollments.

3. Click “Refresh template variables” to attempt automatic resolution.

To prevent future blocks:

• Use snippets with fallbacks for dynamic fields like first name, so missing values don't stop emails from sending

• Ensure variables use the correct syntax—avoid double curly braces like {{first_name}} and stray {INSERT ...} text

If template variables appear valid but enrollments remain blocked, try re-authenticating the sending mailbox connected to the sequence, then retry the blocked step.

Blocked due to skipped thread root email

If the first email in a sequence is skipped for an enrollment, subsequent emails configured as replies in that thread will be blocked. This happens because reply emails require the initial thread root email to have been sent first.

To identify if this is the cause:

1. Check if the blocked step is a reply email (not the first email in the sequence)

2. Verify whether the first email in the sequence was skipped for this enrollment

To resolve blocked enrollments caused by skipped thread root emails:

• Skip all remaining email tasks for this enrollment and move on to other contacts

• Unenroll and re-enroll the contact so the sequence starts fresh from step 1

• Send one-off emails outside of the sequence if you still need to reach this contact

Note: There is no way to retroactively fix this for existing enrollments. You must choose one of the resolution options above.

Blocked due to Zap step failures

1. Go to the Enrollments tab for the sequence where contacts are blocked.

2. Before unenrolling contacts, verify in Zapier that the connected Zap still exists and is turned on. If the Zap was deleted or recreated, the sequence may be pointing to an inactive version.

3. Use the filters to show only contacts that are blocked at the specific Zap step.

4. Select all the blocked contacts.

5. Click "Unenroll" to remove them from the sequence.

6. Go back to the Audience or List that feeds into the enrollment sequence.

7. Re-add the contacts you just unenrolled to that Audience/List.

This will re-queue those contacts at the start of the enrollment sequence, allowing them to retry the previously blocked Zap step.

If contacts remain blocked after re-enrollment, ensure the connected Zap is turned on and functioning properly. You may need to edit the Zap settings or recreate the Zap integration.