Testing Workflows

Before activating a workflow, you should test it to ensure it behaves as expected. Fanbeam provides testing tools to simulate triggers and verify your conditions and actions work correctly.

Why Test?

Testing helps you:

• Catch errors before they affect real users
• Verify conditions match what you expect
• Preview actions without actually executing them
• Debug complex logic in expressions
• Build confidence before going live

Test Mode

When testing, workflows run in "dry run" mode:

• Triggers are simulated (not real events)
• Conditions are evaluated normally
• Actions are previewed (not executed)
• Results are logged for review

Running a Test

From the Workflow Builder

1. Open your workflow in the Workflow Builder
2. Click Test in the toolbar
3. Select a trigger type to simulate
4. Fill in sample data
5. Click Run Test
6. Review the results

Test Data Form

When testing, you'll provide sample data that simulates a real event:

Comment Trigger:

{
  "comment": {
    "text": "What's the price of this item?",
    "authorId": "12345678",
    "authorName": "test_user",
    "postId": "post_abc123"
  },
  "platform": "instagram",
  "channelId": "ch_xyz789"
}

Mention Trigger:

{
  "mention": {
    "authorId": "12345678",
    "authorName": "test_user",
    "sourceType": "post"
  },
  "platform": "instagram",
  "channelId": "ch_xyz789"
}

DM Trigger:

{
  "message": {
    "text": "Hi, I have a question about your product",
    "senderId": "12345678",
    "conversationId": "conv_abc123"
  },
  "platform": "instagram",
  "channelId": "ch_xyz789"
}

Test Results

After running a test, you'll see:

Execution Path

A visual trace showing:

• Which nodes were executed
• Path taken at each condition
• Order of execution

✓ [Comment Received] - Triggered
✓ [Text Contains: "price"] - YES
✓ [Reply: "Check our pricing..."] - Would execute

Condition Results

For each condition, you'll see:

• Input values
• Evaluation result (Yes/No)
• Why it matched or didn't

Condition: Text Contains
  Field: comment.text
  Keywords: price, cost, how much
  Input: "What's the price of this item?"
  Result: YES ✓
  Matched: "price"

Action Preview

For each action, you'll see:

• What would be executed
• Resolved variables
• Final output

Action: Reply
  Template: "Thanks {{author.name}}! Our prices start at $99."
  Resolved: "Thanks test_user! Our prices start at $99."
  Target: Comment on post_abc123
  Status: Would execute (test mode)

Testing Scenarios

Test Different Paths

Create tests for each path through your workflow:

Scenario 1: Spam detected

Input: "Check my bio for free followers!"
Expected: Comment hidden, no reply

Scenario 2: Pricing question

Input: "How much does this cost?"
Expected: Reply with pricing info

Scenario 3: General comment

Input: "Great post! 🔥"
Expected: No action taken

Edge Cases

Test edge cases that might break your conditions:

• Empty text — Does your workflow handle empty comments?
• Special characters — Do emojis or symbols break regex?
• Very long text — Does truncation work correctly?
• Missing data — What if author name is null?

Debugging Tips

Condition Not Matching

If a condition isn't matching when you expect it to:

1. Check exact text — Copy the test input exactly
2. Review keywords — Are there typos?
3. Test case sensitivity — Is it case-sensitive when it shouldn't be?
4. Verify regex — Use regex101.com to test patterns

Wrong Path Taken

If the workflow takes an unexpected path:

1. Trace each condition — Review what each evaluated to
2. Check AND/OR logic — Is the combinator correct?
3. Review order — Conditions are evaluated in connection order

Action Errors

If an action shows an error in preview:

1. Check platform support — Is this action available on the target platform?
2. Verify permissions — Does your channel have required access?
3. Review variables — Are all variables valid for this trigger type?

Testing Best Practices

Test Early, Test Often

Don't wait until the workflow is complete. Test after adding each node.

Use Realistic Data

Test with real examples from your actual comments/messages:

1. Go to your Inbox
2. Find examples of comments you want to handle
3. Use those exact texts in your tests

Save Test Cases

Keep a document of your test cases:

Test After Changes

Any time you modify a workflow:

1. Run all saved test cases
2. Verify expected behavior
3. Check for regressions

Live Testing (Careful!)

If you need to test with real data:

1. Create a test channel — Use a separate account
2. Limit scope — Filter to only the test channel
3. Use hide not delete — Reversible actions only
4. Monitor closely — Watch the first few executions

Gradual Rollout

For high-traffic accounts:

1. Start with 1 channel
2. Monitor for 24 hours
3. Expand to more channels
4. Full rollout after validation

Common Testing Mistakes

Testing Only Happy Path

Don't just test when things work. Test:

• What happens when conditions don't match
• What happens with unexpected input
• What happens when actions would fail

Ignoring Variable Resolution

Always check that variables resolve correctly:

• {{author.name}} might be empty
• {{comment.text}} might contain special characters
• {{post.url}} format varies by platform

Not Testing Platform Differences

The same workflow might behave differently across platforms:

• Field availability varies
• Action support differs
• Text formatting changes

Moving to Production

When tests pass:

1. Review all paths — Every branch tested
2. Check edge cases — Unusual inputs handled
3. Verify actions — Correct behavior confirmed
4. Enable workflow — Toggle to active
5. Monitor history — Watch first real executions

See Execution History for monitoring your live workflows.