Why most workflows break after 6–12 months

Most automations don't fail immediately. They work fine at first. Then, somewhere between six and twelve months in, they start breaking — quietly, repeatedly, expensively.

This isn't random. There are patterns.

The API change no one tracked

Third-party tools update constantly. Field names change. Endpoints get deprecated. Rate limits shift. If no one is watching for these, the automation keeps running — until it doesn't.

Most teams don't have a process for monitoring external dependencies. They assume stability. That assumption has a shelf life.

The edge case that became the norm

Automations are often built around the 80% case. The "normal" flow. But over time, exceptions accumulate. A new product type. A different customer segment. A process variation.

Eventually, the edge cases become frequent enough to break the assumptions the system was built on.

Tribal knowledge left the building

The person who built the workflow knows how it works. Everyone else has a rough idea. When that person leaves, gets promoted, or simply forgets — the system becomes a black box.

Without documentation, onboarding someone new to maintain it takes longer than rebuilding it.

How to build workflows that last

• Fewer modules. Each connection is a failure point.
• Clear ownership. Someone is responsible for watching it.
• Written documentation. Not in someone's head.
• Monitoring and alerts. You should know it's broken before your customers do.

Longevity isn't about clever engineering. It's about discipline.