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Troubleshoot

Why was a contact not enrolled?

Troubleshooting Reviewed · not yet fact-checked

In short

Why was a contact not enrolled in Reply?

The import may have skipped the row (duplicate) or rejected it (missing First Name, bad numeric format), the contact may be Opted Out — the one status that blocks moving to another sequence — or they were left in their current sequences because no keep option was chosen. Check the import results notification first, then the contact's statuses.

Symptom

You imported, added, or moved a contact toward a sequence, but they do not appear in its People tab — or they appear but never start. The checks that exclude contacts mostly run silently, so the trail is in the import results, the contact's statuses, and the sequence toggle.

Most likely causes

#CauseWhere to see it
1The import skipped or rejected the row — Skipped are duplicates the system removed during the import; Import Errors are rows with missing mandatory fields (First Name is required) or incorrect formats, such as symbols in a numeric fieldThe import results notification and the full import result file
2The contact has no email address and the import was set to Skip records without emails — or got a generated placeholder address, which email sequences skipThe import options chosen; the contact's email field
3The contact is Opted Out — the only status retained outside sequences; a contact with it cannot be moved to a different sequenceThe contact's statuses — Statuses
4The contact stayed in their current sequence because no keep option was chosen — each add path has an explicit option for contacts already in a sequenceThe add dialog — Contact enrollment
5Enrolled but idle: the contact has the Missing data status — an empty template variable, a missing or invalid LinkedIn URL, an invalid phone number, or an AI variable that includes an empty variableRed toggle notification; the sequence Preview tab
6Enrolled but idle: no sending email account is assigned to the contactAn error notification over the toggle — Mailbox selection
7Enrolled but paused: a team-level contact handling setting paused them after a reply in another sequence or from a colleague at the same organizationSettings, Contact handling — Contact enrollment

Diagnostic checklist

  1. Read the import results notification: Imported, Updated, Skipped, and Import Errors each count different outcomes. If unsure, upload the full import result file and check the per-row details.
  2. Confirm the file met the requirements: CSV UTF-8 format, up to 10,000 rows, First Name filled, and digits only in numeric fields.
  3. Search for the contact on the People page. If they exist, open their statuses — Opted Out blocks any move to another sequence.
  4. Check whether they are in another sequence and which option was used: Add to this one and keep in current (CSV import), Keep contacts in their current sequences and add to new one (Add from existing), or the Keep in other sequences toggle (Move to sequence).
  5. If the contact is in the sequence but idle, open the Preview tab and hover over the red icon to see which variable is missing; also filter the People tab for Unassigned to catch contacts without a sending email.

Resolution

Import errors — fix the rows (fill First Name, strip symbols from numeric fields) and re-import. Skipped duplicates — nothing to do; the contact already exists, and the matched-records option you chose decided whether their profile was updated. Opted Out — respect it; that is compliance working, and the status can only be removed manually and deliberately. Wrong keep option — repeat the add with the keep-in-current option enabled; a prospect can be part of several sequences for the same user at the same time. Missing data — add the data to the contact's field, remove the variable from the step, fill the field in the Preview tab, or upload a CSV with the missing data; once the fields are filled, Reply reactivates the contacts automatically (if the status remains, change it to Active manually). Unassigned contacts — filter the People tab for Unassigned, select them, and link a sending email.

Verification

The contact appears in the sequence's People tab with the Active status and a sending email assigned, and their Current step shows where they will start. After fixing missing data, confirm the Missing data status cleared — automatically or after your manual change — and restart the sequence by turning the toggle off and on to apply changes faster.

Prevention

Prepare imports to the requirements — CSV UTF-8, First Name filled, digits-only numeric fields — and choose a unique contact identifier (Email, Last Name, or Phone) so duplicate handling is deliberate; see Import contacts and Contact deduplication. Check the Preview tab for missing variables before launching, and treat import skips as information rather than noise.

FAQ

Are Skipped rows in the import summary errors?

No. Skipped counts duplicates the system removed during the import — the contact already existed. Import Errors are the real failures: records with missing mandatory fields or incorrect field formats, such as symbols in the Phone field. The full import result file shows which is which per row.

Why can't I add an opted-out contact to a new sequence?

Opted Out is the only status retained for a contact even outside sequences, and a contact with this status cannot be moved to a different sequence. It can be removed manually — but do that only when the contact has genuinely re-consented. See Status transitions.

The contact is enrolled but never started — same problem?

Different rule. Enrollment succeeded; execution is waiting on something — Missing data, an unassigned sending email, a closed schedule, or a limit. Work through Why was an email not sent? and Sequence execution.

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