Problem Description
A number of subscribed accounts are being marked as churned and I'm not sure why that's happening.
Potential Reasons for the Issue
Lifecycle Tracking Rules Update: Changes to lifecycle tracking rules can inadvertently mark accounts as churned.
Data Sync Limitations: Vitally does not automatically un-churn accounts when lifecycle rules are updated, as this avoids unintended data changes for historical accounts.
Trait Dependency: Traits from integration platforms (e.g., Stripe, Intercom) may not align with lifecycle rules, causing miscategorization.
Data Inconsistencies: Examples include subscribed accounts with $0 subscriptions or misconfigured subscription cancellations.5. Cascading Effects Between Groups and Locations: If a Group churns, all its linked Locations will also be marked as churned, regardless of individual Location criteria.
Subscription-Based Churn Overrides: Accounts may remain churned unless they meet specific subscription requirements, such as having valid revenue metrics like ARR or MRR.
Step-by-Step Solutions
Check Lifecycle Tracking Churn Rules
Navigate to your Settings (⚙️) by selecting your Account Logo on the top left and under Vitally Objects select Accounts or Organizations
Then select Churn Configuration (or via Quick Jump Mac:
⌘ + jWindows:Alt + j).Verify that your unexpectedly churned accounts do not match your configured churn rules.
Adjust the rules if necessary:
Avoid relying on “is none of” logic, which may cause empty fields to return incorrect values
Repeat the steps for Revenue & Subscription Configuration rules to verify that unexpectedly churned accounts match your subscribed rules and proceed to the next step. 6. Verify Group-Location Hierarchies
Ensure that no Group's churn status is cascading to related Locations. Update the Group's status if necessary to reflect accurate lifecycle tracking.
Confirm Subscription Requirements
Ensure accounts marked as churned meet all criteria for active status, such as possessing valid revenue-tracking data (e.g., Total ARR).
Reprocess Lifecycle Tracking
After verifying the churned and subscribed lifecycle rules, check the Reprocess all using new configuration button and select Submit to apply the changes.
Monitor progress as accounts transition from churned to subscribed
Allow up to 2 hours for updates to take effect
Investigate Remaining Issues
Identify accounts still marked as churned that you expect to be subscribed:
Check its associated traits referenced in your churned and subscribed lifecycle tracking rules (e.g., Stripe subscription)
For accounts unexpectedly marked as churned due to old subscriptions, correct its subscription information in your source of truth. This will sync to Vitally and move the account from churned to subscribed.
Trigger a Manual Sync
Update a trait on the accounts in your source of truth (e.g., Stripe or HubSpot) to trigger a sync to Vitally.
Allow up to 2 hours for updates to take effect.
Additional Tips
Wait at least two hours before making additional changes to your subscribed and churn rules during investigations
Allow Vitally to automatically update accounts to reflect their correct lifecycle statuses instead of manually overwriting the account's status.
When making changes to your lifecycle tracking rules, keep a log of the updates and steps taken for easier troubleshooting in the future.- Regularly audit Group-Location status hierarchies to identify and resolve cascading churn behaviors early.
FAQ
1. Why are accounts not automatically un-churned after lifecycle rule updates? Vitally avoids automatic un-churning to prevent historical data inconsistencies, ensuring changes align with evolving business logic.2. How does Group-Location cascading behavior affect churn statuses? When a parent Group is marked as churned, all its associated Locations will inherit this churn status, regardless of their individual criteria.
2. How can I force a specific account to sync? You cannot force a one-off sync directly in Vitally, but updating the account’s traits in the source of truth (e.g., Stripe or HubSpot) often triggers a sync.3. What subscription requirements must an account meet to be un-churned? For an account to transition out of churned status, it must meet all configured subscription criteria, such as valid ARR or MRR metrics.
4. How long does it take for accounts to transition after lifecycle updates?
Changes typically take 1-2 hours to reflect in Vitally.
5. What if accounts remain churned due to incorrect lifecycle rules?
Revisit your rules and ensure your unexpectedly churned accounts are correctly categorized using traits from your source of truth.