> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.autommate.com/userguide/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.autommate.com/userguide/operate-and-troubleshoot/trace-a-failed-run-to-a-401-unauthorized-action.md).

# Trace a failed run to a 401 Unauthorized action

Locate the REST action that returned 401 Unauthorized and investigate its authentication safely.

Trace a failed Hyperflow from its execution summary to the action that returned the error. This worked example uses a 12 October 2026 Xurrent AI Agent RAG execution and a nested RESTful Web Service action reporting 401 Unauthorized.

### What the execution record shows

| Field                  | Observed value                                                        |
| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Hyper Flow             | Xurrent AI Agent RAG                                                  |
| Trigger type           | Api                                                                   |
| Run status             | Failed                                                                |
| Run by                 | Administrator                                                         |
| Started / ended        | 12 October 2026, 12:10:02 / 12:10:03, as displayed in the environment |
| Total elapsed time     | 1.47 sec                                                              |
| Number of Transactions | 15                                                                    |
| Failing action         | RESTful Web Service — GET Method                                      |
| Action elapsed time    | 0.79 sec                                                              |
| Reported action error  | Status Code: 401 — Unauthorized                                       |

The displayed timestamps do not include a time zone; retain the environment's time context when correlating them with another system. Elapsed time provides the more precise duration here. **Number of Transactions** is the execution-summary label; this record does not define billing, price, or chargeable consumption.

### Find the underlying action

1. Open **Operate → Monitoring** and select **Execution History**.
2. Use **Advanced Search** to filter for **Failed** executions. Find the intended flow and time, rather than assuming the first failure is the relevant run.
3. Open its log details to see **Logs Summary**.
4. Under **Action Error Details**, use the right-arrow shortcut beside the failing action to inspect its error.
5. Alternatively, select **View All Logs** and follow the nested condition/grouping entries until you reach the error action. Open its quick-info/details view.

*Figure 1. The summary reports the operation failure and identifies the RESTful Web Service action. The right arrow provides a direct route to the reported action error.*

<figure><img src="https://3857940684-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJcSHU5jP5GABQrGmWvW2%2Fuploads%2FvzUkXixisWtq73d3zje5%2Ferror-401-summary.png?alt=media&amp;token=539f3500-b3a2-4c38-9f71-46ee97e25208" alt="Logs Summary reports a failed Xurrent AI Agent RAG run and identifies the RESTful Web Service GET action."><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% code collapsedlinecount="10" %}

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    A["Monitoring: Failed execution"] --> B["Logs Summary"]
    B --> C["Action Error Details: right-arrow shortcut"]
    B --> D["View All Logs"]
    D --> E["Expand nested condition/grouping entries"]
    C --> F["GET action details: 401 Unauthorized"]
    E --> F
    F --> G["Verify request and authentication configuration"]
    G --> H["Review prior effects and retry safety before retesting"]
```

{% endcode %}

In this run, the nested path includes a knowledge-article flow and **Condition — Else If**. The condition row is marked **ERROR**; the nested **RESTful Web Service — GET Method** is marked **SYSTEM ERROR** and contains the 401 message. The enclosing condition identifies where the error surfaced. It does not establish that the condition expression itself caused the authentication failure.

Figure 2. The action details show the 401 response beneath the enclosing condition. Open Action in Hyper Flow and Fetch Input/Output Values help an authorized operator inspect the action and its data. Keep credentials redacted.

<figure><img src="https://3857940684-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJcSHU5jP5GABQrGmWvW2%2Fuploads%2FXJHZOkHs6S8fpB16WzTW%2Ferror-401-detail.png?alt=media&amp;token=cc347f50-3777-445c-b558-58aa5914d4ac" alt="Nested RESTful Web Service GET action reports Status Code 401 Unauthorized beneath Condition Else If."><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Investigate the authentication failure

A 401 response identifies an unauthorized request. It does not identify the cause by itself. Check the action’s request and destination requirements before changing a token, connection or permission.

Use the action's actual request and the destination API's authentication requirements to investigate:

* Confirm the intended endpoint, environment, and HTTP method.
* Check which authorized connection or authentication configuration the action uses.
* Compare the required authentication scheme and request fields with that configuration.
* If permitted, inspect the relevant request/response evidence using **Fetch Input/Output Values**. Redact secrets before sharing it.
* Use the destination system's own diagnostic information where available to establish the cause.

Check destination authentication even when the credential record is marked active.

### Retest without duplicating work

Before rerunning the whole flow, inspect what earlier steps may already have done. A failed run does not guarantee that all prior operations were undone. The presence of GET at the failing step does not establish that every other step in the flow is read-only.

After the cause is verified and corrected by the authorized owner, prefer a controlled test of the affected read operation where supported. Retry the whole flow only after checking its side effects and idempotency. Then confirm both the execution status and the intended result; a completed label alone is not business verification.

### A concise incident summary

“The Xurrent AI Agent RAG execution failed at 12:10:02–12:10:03 on 12 October, as displayed in Monitoring. The nested RESTful Web Service GET action returned 401 Unauthorized. Next, the connection owner will check the request and destination authentication requirements before a controlled retest.”
