QA guide

Before launching a new AI Decisioning agent or updating content, use this checklist to catch issues early and ensure your messages send as expected.

What you'll learn

In this article, you'll learn how to:

• QA email messages, including sender details, subject lines, content, links, and targeting
• QA SMS messages, including text content, personalization, and compliance
• QA push notifications, including titles, bodies, and deep links
• Troubleshoot common issues, such as test sends not arriving and personalization errors

Overview

Running QA before launch helps you catch issues that can impact delivery, user experience, and campaign performance. This guide walks through what to check for each channel.

Email QA

To QA an email message, go to:

AI Decisioning → Agents → [Your Agent] → Messages → [Your Message]

Use the Content and Configuration tabs as you follow the steps below.

Check sender

• Check that the sender email address is correct.

Check subject line and preheader

If your message uses variants, preview each one and confirm the Now previewing indicator appears.

1. Select a variant to preview.

2. Check that the subject line and preheader display correctly.
3. Make sure personalization (like first name or dynamic fields) shows real user data.

Check body content

If your message uses variants, preview each one and confirm the Now previewing indicator appears.

1. Select a variant to preview.

2. Check that the content matches your intended message and layout.
3. Make sure images load correctly and include alt text.
4. Confirm dynamic or conditional content works for different audience segments.

Check links and CTAs

If your message uses variants, preview each one and confirm the Now previewing indicator appears.

1. Select a variant to preview.

2. Check that all links and buttons go to the correct destination.
3. Confirm tracking (such as UTM parameters) is set up correctly.

Check footer

• Check that the footer displays correctly.
• Make sure unsubscribe, privacy, and legal links work.

Check timing and targeting

Open the Configuration tab, then go to Advanced.

Check settings in three places:

1. Message-level settings

• Confirm send limits, timing, and audience eligibility are correct.

2. Variant type settings

• Confirm send limits for each variant type.

3. Individual variant settings

• Confirm audience eligibility for each option.

4. Make sure the message is turned on.

SMS QA

To QA an SMS message, go to:

AI Decisioning → Agents → [Your Agent] → Messages → [Your Message]

Use the Content and Configuration tabs as you follow the steps below.

Check sender

• Check that the sender ID or phone number appears as expected.

Check title

If your message uses variants, preview each one and confirm the Now previewing indicator appears.

Check body content

If your message uses variants, preview each one and confirm the Now previewing indicator appears.

1. Select a variant to preview.

2. Check that the text is accurate, formatted correctly, and not cut off.
3. Make sure personalization shows real user data.
4. Confirm dynamic content works for all audience segments.

Check links and actions

• Test all links to make sure they work and track correctly.
• Check that shortened URLs or deep links open as expected.

Check compliance

• Make sure opt-out instructions are included (for example, "Reply STOP to unsubscribe").

Check timing and targeting

Open the Configuration tab, then go to Advanced.

1. Confirm send limits, timing, and audience eligibility are correct.
2. If settings differ across variants, check variant-level send limits and eligibility.
3. Make sure the message is turned on.

Push notification QA

To QA a push notification, go to:

AI Decisioning → Agents → [Your Agent] → Messages → [Your Message]

Use the Content and Configuration tabs as you follow the steps below.

Check sender and app info

• Check that the app name and sender ID are correct.
• Make sure icons or media display correctly.

Check notification content

If your message uses variants, preview each one and confirm the Now previewing indicator appears.

1. Check that the title and body display as expected.
2. Make sure personalization shows real user data.
3. Check how content appears on iOS and Android (watch for truncation).

Check links and actions

• Test links, buttons, and deep links to make sure they work correctly.

Check timing and targeting

Open the Configuration tab, then go to Advanced.

Check settings in three places:

1. Message-level settings

• Confirm send limits, timing, and audience eligibility.

2. Variant type settings

3. Individual variant settings

4. Make sure the message is turned on.

Troubleshooting

To find a message, go to:

AI Decisioning → Agents → [Your Agent] → Messages → [Your Message]

Message test not received

If your test send doesn’t arrive:

1. Make sure the message is turned on.

2. Check the identifier.

• Make sure you entered the correct identifier (for example, email, user ID, or subscriber key).
• It must match both your channel configuration and the value shown in the test send.

3. Confirm the identifier exists in your destination.

• The user must already exist in your email or messaging platform.

4. Select a user in preview (SFMC).

• Go to Settings → Select user before sending a test.

Personalization not working

If personalization appears blank or incorrect:

1. Check your channel configuration.

• Make sure the fields you’re using are included (these are the fields sent with each message).

2. Check your user data model.

• Fields like first_name and last_name must exist on your main user model (AID parent model).

• If they’re on a related model, you can either:

  • Merge the model into the main user model (so all fields are available in one place), or
  • Add the fields through Configuration → Additional user columns (to include specific fields without merging everything)

Variants not showing

• Make sure the required code snippet is added to your destination template.
• See setup guides for Braze, Iterable, or Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

Variant images not displaying

• Make sure the code snippet is added to your template.
• Confirm all image URLs are publicly accessible (no login required).