Debugging Integrations: When Things Go Wrong

Recovering Lost Data

APIs are fragile. Internet connections drop. Keys expire. Even the best setup will eventually face an error. The difference between a minor glitch and a catastrophe is Observability.

The Ultimate Spin Wheel includes a robust Integration Log & Retry System designed to ensure that no lead is ever left behind. This guide walks you through how to investigate errors and recover data.

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1. The Logs Dashboard

This is your “Black Box” flight recorder.

1. Navigate to Spin Wheel > Settings > Integrations.
2. Scroll down to “Delivery Logs”.
3. You will see a chronological list of every attempt the plugin has made to talk to the outside world.

The Status Colors

• 🟢 Success: The API accepted the data. (200 OK).
• 🔴 Failed: The API rejected the data, or the connection failed.
• 🟡 Pending: The system is waiting to try (usually happens during high traffic).

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2. Common Error Codes (and Fixes)

The “Response” column is the most important part of the log. It tells you why it failed.

A. 401 Unauthorized / API Key Invalid

• Meaning: The door is locked. Your API key is wrong.
• Common Cause: You regenerated your key in Mailchimp/Zapier but forgot to update it in the plugin setting.
• Fix: Generate a new key and paste it into the settings.

B. 400 Bad Request / Member Exists

• Meaning: The data is invalid.
• Common Cause: The user is already subscribed to that list. Mailchimp prevents duplicates.
• Fix: Ignore it. This is not an error; it’s a validation. The user is on your list, which is good.

C. 404 Not Found / Invalid Resource

• Meaning: The “List” or “Audience” you are trying to add them to doesn’t exist.
• Common Cause: You deleted the audience in Mailchimp but the plugin is still trying to send to the old ID.
• Fix: Go to settings and re-select the correct list from the dropdown.

D. 500 Server Error / Timeout

• Meaning: Their server is down. Or your server is too slow.
• Fix: Wait 15 minutes and try again.

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3. The Retry Strategy (Manual vs Auto)

We don’t just log errors; we let you fix them.

Single Retry

If you see one red row (maybe a random timeout), click the blue “Retry” button on that row.

• Action: The plugin immediately attempts to resend that specific user’s data.
• Result: If successful, the row turns Green.

Bulk Retry (Manual Sync)

If your API key was wrong for 3 days, you might have 500 failed leads. You don’t want to click “Retry” 500 times.

1. Fix the API Key.
2. Click “Run Manual Sync” (top right of logs).
3. Action: The system grabs ALL “Failed” items and processes them in a batch.
4. Result: Watch as the rows turn green one by one.

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4. Webhook Debugging

Zapier webhooks are tricky because they often fail silently if the “Catch Hook” format changes.

• Test Payload: Use the “Send Test” button in the Zapier integration settings. This sends dummy data (John Doe, [email protected]) to your webhook URL.
• Zapier History: Check your “Zap History” in the Zapier dashboard. If the zap didn’t trigger, the plugin didn’t send IT. If the zap triggered but failed later, the error is in your Zap steps, not the plugin.

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5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Do logs get deleted? 
A: To keep your database fast, successful logs are automatically purged after 30 days. Failed logs are kept for 90 days to give you time to fix them.

Q: Can I export the failed leads? 
A: Yes. In the “Leads” dashboard, you can filter by “Sync Status: Failed” and then click “Export CSV”. This allows you to manually upload them to Mailchimp if the API prevents it.

Q: Why is my log empty? 
A: Logs are only created if an integration is active. If you haven’t enabled Mailchimp or Zapier, nothing is logged because no external calls are made.

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Conclusion

API Error Troubleshooting is part of the job. By checking the logs weekly, you ensure your marketing funnel is watertight.

Need Help?

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