If your Content Genius article stays on Not begun after you click Generate (under Content → Content Genius — What are we writing today?), the generation job was never queued. Follow the steps below to resolve the stall and get your article generating without waiting for support.
⚙️ What the "Not begun" Status Means After Submission
Not begun is the default status assigned to a Content Genius article before generation begins. If the status has not advanced to In progress within approximately 30–60 seconds of clicking Generate, the job likely did not enter the generation queue. Occasional high server load can delay status updates, so a brief wait beyond this window is sometimes normal.
This is a distinct failure mode from a slow-running article (status In progress) or a generation error (status Failed). A stuck Not begun status typically means the process was never triggered — not that it stalled midway. Common causes include a stale browser session, missing required article fields, or an exhausted generation quota.
Note: If you experienced an unexpected page refresh immediately after clicking Generate, your session may have been interrupted by a known editor issue. Re-submit using the steps below and stay on the page to monitor the status change.
🛠️ How to Fix a Content Genius Article Stuck on "Not begun"
- Hard-refresh the page. Press
Ctrl + Shift + R(Windows) orCmd + Shift + R(Mac) to reload without cache, then check whether the status has updated. - Re-submit generation. Open the stuck article, click Generate again, confirm the submission, wait 30–60 seconds, then refresh the article list.
- Verify all required fields are complete. At minimum, the article must have a target keyword and an assigned project. If your workflow uses a Brand Vault, confirm one is selected — missing configuration can prevent queue entry in some setups.
- Clear your browser cache and cookies. A stale or corrupted session can prevent the submission from reaching the server. After clearing, log back in to Search Atlas and re-submit via Generate.
- Try a different browser or an incognito window. Browser extensions or outdated session credentials can interfere with the API call that queues generation.
- Check your Content Genius generation quota. Go to Avatar (top-right) → Billing (Billing) (or your account's quota/usage page) and confirm you have remaining Content Genius generation credits. Exhausted quotas can silently block new submissions — upgrade your plan or contact support to request a quota review if needed.
- Contact Search Atlas support. If none of the steps above resolve the issue, contact support and include your article name, project name, and a screenshot of the Not begun status. Quota issues and account-level blocks may require manual review by the support team.
After each step, wait 30–60 seconds and refresh the article list. A status of In progress or Completed confirms the issue is resolved.
⚠️ When to Contact Search Atlas Support
If the article still shows Not begun after completing every step above, contact the Search Atlas support team. Have the following ready to speed up resolution:
- The article title and the Content Genius project it belongs to
- The date and approximate time of the original Generate submission
- Your browser name and version
- Any error messages or unexpected behavior you observed during submission
- A screenshot of the Not begun status, if available
The support team can inspect the generation queue directly, review quota status, and manually trigger the article if the job was dropped at submission.
🎯 You now know how to diagnose and resolve a Content Genius article stuck on Not begun — confirm your required fields are set, check your generation quota, clear your browser cache, and re-submit via Generate (under Content → Content Genius) to get generation back on track.