Why Was My Email Tagged to the Wrong Job? Five Things to Check First
When a message lands against the wrong job reference ...
There's a moment every team recognises. An email lands, it's automatically tagged to a job, and something doesn't look quite right. It's easy to assume the system got it wrong.
More often than not, though, the Auto-Tagger has simply interpreted the information and operational context available to it. That's an important distinction. Understanding how the Auto-Tagger reaches its decisions is often the key to understanding the outcome.
In most cases, what appears to be an incorrect tag is the result of perfectly understandable operational circumstances: a reply inheriting an earlier tag, two similar active job references, a missing reference in the subject line, or even a tag applied manually by a colleague.
That's why it's worth taking a few moments to investigate before thinking that something has gone wrong. It not only helps resolve the issue more quickly, but also builds trust in the automation, making it clear that every decision remains visible, explainable, and firmly under the team's control.
Five things to check before contacting Support
Before raising a Sedna support request, here are five quick checks that will usually identify the cause:
1. Check who applied the tag
The first question is whether the tag was applied manually or automatically.
If someone on the team added or changed the tag themselves, the system isn't responsible and the correction is straightforward. It is easily corrected by removing or changing the tag directly.
If no manual action occurred, it's worth continuing through the remaining checks.
2. Check where the email sits in the conversation
Replies and forwarded messages inherit the tag from the original email.
If the discussion has evolved into a different topic, the inherited tag may no longer be appropriate. If that's what's happened here, the fix is simply to update the tag on the reply when the subject changes.
3. Compare the job references
Many mismatches are explained by similarities between job references or inconsistencies in the reference data itself.
Common examples include:
- Placeholder values such as "TBN"
- Multiple active references for the same vessel
- Missing or differently named fields
- Archived references that are no longer considered during tagging
4. Check the subject line
Auto-tagging works from the subject line, not the body of the email.
If key identifiers such as the vessel name, reference number, or status aren't present, there may not be enough information for the system to make the correct association.
5. Look for a pattern
One isolated example can be difficult to diagnose.
Several examples showing the same behaviour often reveal the underlying cause much more quickly, whether that's related to a particular vessel, team, or operational scenario.
Helping Support resolve issues faster
If the issue still appears to be incorrect after these checks, providing the right information upfront dramatically speeds up investigation.
Include:
- Message IDs and subject lines
- The expected and actual tags
- Whether the tag was manual or automatic
- What you found when comparing the job references
- Whether you've identified a broader pattern
Better data. Better automation.
The goal of intelligent automation isn't to remove people from the process. It's to remove the repetitive work that prevents them from applying their expertise where it matters most.
When an unexpected tag appears, it's rarely a mystery. More often, it's the result of the operational context the Auto-Tagger was working with at that moment. Taking the time to understand why a tag was applied not only helps resolve issues more quickly, it also helps teams develop a deeper understanding of how the system works.
That's an important distinction. The most effective automation isn't a black box. It's transparent, explainable, and designed to keep people firmly in control. Every decision should be understandable. Every action should be visible.
That's the philosophy behind Sedna's approach to intelligent automation. By combining operational context with human expertise, we help shipping teams spend less time on repetitive administration and more time making the decisions that keep voyages moving and global trade flowing.
Reach Out to Sedna Support
Email: Support@sedna.com
Support Centre: support.sedna.com
