Flow States

Every conversational flow exists in one of three states that determine editing capabilities and execution behavior. Understanding these states is essential for managing your flows effectively.

DRAFT

The DRAFT state is the default state for new flows and indicates a flow that is being developed.

Characteristics

• Full editing capabilities - All modifications are allowed
• Autosave enabled - Changes are automatically saved
• Not in production - The flow is not serving real users

Autosave Behavior

When in DRAFT state, the system automatically saves your changes:

• Trigger: Activates after 5 seconds of inactivity
• What is saved: Nodes, connections (edges), and variables
• Purpose: Prevents data loss during editing sessions

The autosave indicator in the builder shows when changes are being saved.

ACTIVE

The ACTIVE state indicates a published flow that is live and serving users in production.

Characteristics

• Flow is live - Real users are interacting with this flow
• Editing restrictions - Some modifications may require confirmation
• Version tracking - Changes create new versions

Publishing a Flow

To move a flow from DRAFT to ACTIVE:

1. Ensure all validation rules pass
2. Review the flow structure
3. Publish the flow through the builder interface

Editing Active Flows

When editing an ACTIVE flow, be aware that:

• Changes may affect ongoing conversations
• The system may prompt for confirmation on significant changes
• Autosave behavior changes (may be paused or require explicit save)

ARCHIVED

The ARCHIVED state represents deactivated flows that are no longer in use but are preserved for reference.

Characteristics

• Not serving users - The flow is inactive
• Preserved for reference - Historical data is maintained
• Requires restore - Cannot be edited directly

Archiving a Flow

Archiving is useful when:

• A flow is no longer needed but should be kept for records
• You want to temporarily disable a flow
• You're replacing a flow with a new version

Restoration Process

To reactivate an archived flow:

1. Locate the flow in your archived flows list
2. Select the restore option
3. The flow returns to DRAFT state for review
4. Publish again when ready

State Transitions

Flows can transition between states following specific rules:

Note: Direct transition from ARCHIVED to ACTIVE is not allowed. You must restore to DRAFT first, review, and then publish.