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"

1. **Hard-refresh the page.** Press `Ctrl + Shift + R` (Windows) or `Cmd + Shift + R` (Mac) to reload without cache, then check whether the status has updated.
2. **Re-submit generation.** Open the stuck article, click **Generate** again, confirm the submission, wait 30–60 seconds, then refresh the article list.
3. **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.
4. **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**.
5. **Try a different browser or an incognito window.** Browser extensions or outdated session credentials can interfere with the API call that queues generation.
6. **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.
7. **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.**