Probably language barrier. That figure of speech is not the easiest for Germans to grasp.

The first thing coming to mind is “we tried to add a checkbox, but failed, it just wouldn’t work”

To my German mind, failing means “trying and not managing it, giving up in the end.”

Failing to so somehing by forgetting doesn’t really make sense. :) How can you fail something you’ve never attempted.

It’s just a figure of speech, I know.