Skipped Flow Messages in Klaviyo: Causes and Fixes

A flow message that does not go out to everyone is not always a problem. An abandoned cart flow skips plenty by design: everyone who starts checkout enters the flow, and those who end up ordering are skipped. In our view, during BFCM, volume rises and skip reasons multiply: Smart Sending, coupons, stock, consent. This article shows where to read the reason, which ones to watch during the operation, and how to limit duplicates or catch up on skipped profiles.

TL;DR. Every flow message has a Skipped tab that sorts skipped profiles by reason. In our view, some reasons are normal (Smart Sending, flow filters) and others point to a configuration error (coupon, syntax, SMS consent, account limits). To avoid duplicates, Klaviyo offers Smart Sending, additional filters on the message and re-entry criteria. To catch up on skipped profiles, the documentation describes a segment followed by a campaign. In our view, skip reasons should be read every morning of the operation, flow by flow.

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Where to read the reason for a skip

Klaviyo's page on skipped messages describes the path (Klaviyo, troubleshooting why a flow message skipped a profile):

1. Open the flow for editing.
2. Click the message in question.
3. In the right-hand sidebar, under Performance, click View details.
4. Open the Recipient activity tab, then Skipped.
5. In the Type menu, choose a reason to display the profiles concerned.

The page warns that a high number of skips can point to a configuration problem, but not always. Campaign skip reasons differ from flow ones: they are described on a separate page (Klaviyo, troubleshooting skipped profiles in email campaigns).

The reasons, grouped by family

Reasons common to email and SMS

Email-only reasons

They fall into four families:

• Address and suppression: Missing Email, Person Suppressed (unsubscribed or hard bounced), Invalid From Email, Suspicious Email, Email Dropped, Email Cancelled.
• Content: Email Syntax Error (syntax error in the template), Catalog Item Unavailable (a product in the content is out of stock or unavailable).
• Coupons: Unable to Create Coupon, No More Uploaded Coupons Remain, Coupon Doesn't Exist, Coupon Category Unavailable, Error Retrieving External Data.
• Limits: Over Email Limit (account sending limit exceeded), Unable to Send Email (unexpected error at send time).

SMS-only reasons

Missing SMS Consent (required consent absent), Missing Phone Number, Phone Number is Not Valid, Phone Number is in Country Not Supported by SMS, Missing Sending Number, Over Send Limit (account SMS sending limit reached) and Unable to Send SMS.

The ones to watch during BFCM

Coupons. The page says Unable to Create Coupon can come from an error in the coupon itself, or from too many coupons being sent in a short time. It suggests reviewing every element of the coupon or adding codes in advance in a campaign. Coupon Doesn't Exist flags a name that does not match the one created, and the page specifies that names are case-sensitive. No More Uploaded Coupons Remain means the reserve of imported codes is empty. Our article on unique coupon codes details the setup.

Stock. Catalog Item Unavailable is the expected reason when you have set up cancellation of an email whose item is sold out. Our article on out-of-stock products explains how to trigger it on purpose and read it.

SMS consent. Missing SMS Consent is not fixed by resending the message: the person has to be currently subscribed to SMS. See our article on SMS during BFCM.

Account limits. Over Email Limit and Over Send Limit signal that the account has exceeded its sending limit. For SMS, the page points to Billing, Change plan to review or change the plan. In our view, both reasons should be checked before the operation, by comparing the planned volume with the account limit.

Smart Sending. This reason is the expected outcome of a deliberate setting. It becomes an issue when a critical message falls victim to it. Our article on Smart Sending and frequency explains how it interacts with the operation's campaigns.

Preventing a profile from receiving the same message twice

A profile can meet a trigger's conditions several times: several purchases, several products viewed in one session. Klaviyo's page on profiles scheduled multiple times offers three levers (Klaviyo, troubleshooting why a profile is scheduled in a flow multiple times).

Smart Sending

It skips a marketing flow message if the profile recently received a message on the same channel and the window is still open. Default windows are 16 hours for email and 24 hours for SMS, each with its own counter. Smart Sending limits sends, not the number of times someone enters the flow. The page advises keeping it on for messages in flows triggered by frequent behavior, such as viewing a product.

An additional filter on the message

If Smart Sending is off on a message, you can add an additional filter specific to that message. To limit how often a particular email is received, the page gives the structure: What someone has done or not done, Received email, with the condition on the subject, then Zero times in the last X days. It insists on "zero times": the page's screenshot shows "at least once", which would not stop the message from going again to someone who already received it.

Re-entry criteria

On the trigger, Re-entry criteria lets you choose Allow re-entry after a time period with a minimum duration between two entries, or No re-entry. List- and segment-triggered flows default to No re-entry. This setting limits new entries, without removing other messages already scheduled within an existing entry.

Klaviyo's page on flow sending frequency adds two reference points (Klaviyo, how to optimize your flow sending frequency). It proposes recommended delays by flow type (welcome, abandoned cart, browse abandonment, post-purchase, win back, anniversary, sunset), based on the average brand. It also suggests testing different delays with a random sample across two branches. Finally, it says to check the Smart Sending setting message by message rather than assuming it is off.

Catching up on skipped profiles

When an important message was skipped because of a filter or Smart Sending, the documentation describes a catch-up by campaign, for a list-triggered flow (Klaviyo, how to send a campaign to people skipped by a list-triggered flow):

1. Create a segment that mirrors the trigger list and the flow's filters.
2. Add the condition Received Email zero times over all time, with the flow message (or Received SMS for an SMS).
3. Save the flow message as a template (email).
4. Create a campaign to this segment, with Smart Sending turned off.

Two precautions from the page: this method mainly suits a large group or an SMS campaign, and for just a few people, an individual resend is enough. And the absence of the receipt event does not by itself prove that the person entered the flow or was skipped: compare the segment with the message's Skipped activity. Our article on resending a message describes the individual option.

In our view, this catch-up is best kept for welcome or confirmation messages. For a time-limited offer, resending with Smart Sending off in the middle of the operation exposes the same people to a pile-up of messages.

Checklist before BFCM

These points are Deliver's advice.

1. Every live flow is opened, and the Skipped tab of its main messages is read at least once before the operation.
2. Configuration-error reasons (coupon, syntax, consent, account limits) are dealt with before the first volume send.
3. Coupons are tested with the exact name, case included, and the reserve of imported codes is checked.
4. The Smart Sending setting is reviewed message by message in behavior-triggered flows.
5. Re-entry criteria are decided for each flow with a frequent trigger.
6. A morning time slot for reading skip reasons is set during the operation, with a designated person.
7. The campaign catch-up rule is written in advance: which messages, which segment, who approves.

FAQ

Where can I find why a flow message skipped a profile?

In the flow, click the message, then View details under Performance, Recipient activity tab, then Skipped. The Type menu filters by reason.

Does a large number of skips always mean a problem?

No. The page cites the abandoned cart example, which naturally skips those who order.

What is the default Smart Sending window?

16 hours for email and 24 hours for SMS, each channel having its own counter.

What does Catalog Item Unavailable mean?

A product in the email's rendered content is out of stock or unavailable at send time.

Can I resend a flow message to all skipped profiles?

For a list-triggered flow, yes, through a segment and a campaign with Smart Sending turned off. The page invites you to compare the segment with the Skipped activity before sending.

Want an outside look at your flows? We run Q4 readiness audits, or you can talk directly with the Deliver team.