> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.coupler.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.coupler.io/functionality/flow-settings/notifications-and-failure-alerts.md).

# Notifications and failure alerts

Coupler.io automatically emails you when a scheduled data flow keeps failing. This article covers exactly what triggers a notification, how automatic retries work, and what to do next.

{% hint style="info" %}
*Looking for help with a specific error message? Check the* [*Troubleshooting*](https://docs.coupler.io/troubleshooting/) *section instead. This article covers Coupler.io's built-in failure notifications, not individual error types.*
{% endhint %}

### When Coupler.io sends a notification

A single failed run doesn't trigger an email. Coupler.io retries automatically first, since some failures are a direct slow response from the source, or a brief connection issue. These type of issues tend to be resolve on their own. 

Only when a scheduled data flow fails **5 times in a row** does Coupler.io:

* Stop retrying
* Turn off the data flow's automatic schedule
* Send an email notification

**Until you turn the schedule back on, the data flow won't run automatically**, even after the original problem is fixed.

### How the retry sequence works

Each failed run triggers an automatic retry, with longer waits between each attempt:

| Consecutive failed attempt | What happens                                                                 |
| -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1st                        | Retries after 15 minutes                                                     |
| 2nd                        | Retries after 15 minutes                                                     |
| 3rd                        | Retries after 30 minutes                                                     |
| 4th                        | Retries after 1 hour                                                         |
| 5th                        | No further retry. The automatic schedule turns off and you receive an email. |

### How retries interact with your regular schedule

If your next scheduled run is due before a retry would happen, Coupler.io runs the data flow at its regular scheduled time instead of waiting for the retry.

**Example:**

* Schedule: every hour
* Last failed attempt: 3:35 PM
* Retry would normally happen: 4:15 PM
* Next scheduled run: 4:00 PM

Since 4:00 PM comes first, Coupler.io runs the data flow then, rather than waiting until 4:15 PM.

### Who receives the notification

The email goes to the mailbox of the user that owns the data flow. Currently, there's currently no way to add teammates or other recipients, even within a shared workspace.

### What to do after you get the notification

1. **Check the run history** for the data flow to see the specific error.
2. **Fix the underlying issue**, based on what the error tells you.
3. **Turn the automatic run schedule back on** from the data flow's settings. Coupler.io won't re-enable it automatically, even once the problem is fixed.

### What's not available yet

Coupler.io doesn't currently support:

* Notification rules you configure yourself
* Custom failure thresholds 
* Configurable notification frequency
* Configurable notification recipients
* Sending the failure email to more than one person

### Using webhooks for more flexibility

If you want other systems to react automatically to Coupler.io activity - for example, posting to a Slack channel - outgoing webhooks are available on higher-tier plans. You can add up to 3 outgoing webhooks per data flow from its settings; each one notifies an external service when a run completes.

Outgoing webhooks aren't a replacement for the failure notification above. They're a general-purpose way to connect Coupler.io to your own tools, not a configurable alerting system.\
\
To learn more about webhooks and how to configue please check our documentation: [Webhooks Support](https://docs.coupler.io/functionality/flow-settings/webhooks-support)

***

If you need further support, [contact our team](mailto:contact@coupler.io), and we'll help you review all your settings and notifications.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.coupler.io/functionality/flow-settings/notifications-and-failure-alerts.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.