Beginner4 min

Draft vs Published

Workflows have two states: Draft (work in progress) and Published (live). This separation lets you make changes safely without affecting running workflows.

Understanding Versions

Draft Version

  • Your working copy
  • Editable at any time
  • Used for testing
  • Not triggered by real events

Published Version

  • The live, active version
  • Responds to real triggers
  • Immutable (can't be directly edited)
  • Replaced when you publish a new draft

The Workflow Lifecycle

Create → Edit Draft → Test → Publish → Live
              ↓
        Make Changes → Test → Publish → Updated Live

Working with Drafts

Creating a Workflow

New workflows start as drafts:

  1. Click New Workflow
  2. Build your workflow
  3. Test using manual execution
  4. Publish when ready

Editing an Existing Workflow

Changes go to the draft:

  1. Open your workflow
  2. Make edits on the canvas
  3. Changes auto-save to draft
  4. Published version unchanged

Testing Drafts

Test your draft before publishing:

  1. Click Test in the toolbar
  2. Provide test data
  3. Verify behavior
  4. Fix any issues

Publishing

When to Publish

Publish when:

  • Testing passes
  • Changes are ready for production
  • You want to activate a new workflow

How to Publish

  1. Open your workflow
  2. Click Publish in the toolbar
  3. Review the changes summary
  4. Confirm publish

What Happens

  • Draft becomes the new published version
  • Previous published version is replaced
  • Live triggers now use new version
  • Draft resets to match published

Version History

View previous versions:

  1. Open your workflow
  2. Click Version History
  3. See all published versions
  4. Compare changes between versions

Rollback

Revert to a previous version:

  1. Find the version to restore
  2. Click Restore
  3. Version becomes new draft
  4. Test, then publish

Active vs Inactive

Separate from draft/published:

Active

  • Workflow responds to triggers
  • Executions are logged
  • Counts toward limits

Inactive

  • Workflow is paused
  • No trigger response
  • Good for maintenance

Toggle in workflow settings or dashboard.

Best Practices

1. Always Test Before Publishing

  • Use manual execution
  • Test edge cases
  • Verify all branches

2. Use Meaningful Publish Messages

When publishing, add a note:

  • "Added email notifications"
  • "Fixed date formatting bug"
  • "Updated API endpoint"

3. Review Changes

Before publishing:

  1. Check the diff view
  2. Verify intended changes
  3. Confirm nothing unexpected

4. Monitor After Publishing

After a publish:

  1. Watch execution logs
  2. Check for errors
  3. Verify expected behavior

Common Questions

Can I edit the published version directly?

No. Edit the draft, then publish.

What if I need to make an urgent fix?

Edit the draft, test quickly, then publish. The published version updates immediately.

How long is version history kept?

Based on your plan:

  • Free: 5 versions
  • Pro: 30 versions
  • Enterprise: Unlimited

Can multiple people edit a draft?

Yes, but changes may conflict. Coordinate with your team.

Next Steps

Tags

workflowsversioningpublishing