"Failed to Start Processing Job" Errors in Journey Execution

Article Overview:

This article will cover how you can achieve the following: 

• Address errors like "Failed to start processing job" during journey execution.
• Implement a workaround to resolve execution issues caused by test data table associations.

Problem Statement:

During the execution of a specific journey, customers experience two main issues:

1. The error "Failed to start processing job" occurs, preventing the journey from running.
2. The journey remains stuck in "Execution in progress" for an extended period.

Despite repeated failures, the journey sometimes executes successfully but inconsistently. The issue occurs only in this specific journey within a suite of executions and works correctly in Live Authoring (LA).

Root Cause:

Engineering investigations revealed a bug caused by the association of the journey with a test data table. Specifically:

• A step using the RandomNumber function (RandomNumber returning $Ref_Number) was incorrectly linked to the test data table attribute (Ref_Number).
• This association created a conflict during execution preparation, resulting in the error.

Solution:

1. Recreate the Problematic Step:

   • Identify the step causing the issue (e.g., RandomNumber returning $Ref_Number).
   • Delete the step and recreate it without any reference to the test data table attribute.

2. Avoid Linking Steps to Test Data Table Attributes Post-Association:

   • The issue arises when a journey is linked to a test data table, and steps reference attributes in the table.
   • To prevent this, ensure that any step referencing test data table attributes is configured correctly before associating the journey with the table.

3. Validate Execution:

   • After recreating the problematic step, execute the journey to confirm that it runs without errors.
   • In the example provided, recreating the step allowed the journey to execute successfully.

4. Monitor for Additional Issues:

   • During testing, ensure there are no secondary issues, such as authentication errors, that could impact execution.

Examples:

• A customer faced consistent execution failures with the error "Failed to start processing job" due to a step referencing a test data table attribute. By recreating the step without the erroneous association, the issue was resolved, and the journey executed successfully.

Notes:

• This issue has been identified as a bug. The workaround involves recreating steps to avoid incorrect associations with test data table attributes.
• For further assistance or to report similar bugs, contact Virtuoso support with detailed logs and journey details.