Publishing Workflows

This guide explains how to manage the lifecycle of your workflows, from initial draft to published production version, and how to handle version history and archiving.

Workflow States

Every workflow exists in one of three states:

Understanding these states is essential for managing your workflows effectively.

DRAFT State

When you create a new workflow or click "Create Draft" on an existing workflow, it enters the DRAFT state.

Characteristics:

• Full editing capabilities: add, remove, and configure tasks
• Connect and disconnect nodes freely
• Modify variables, rules, and scorecards
• Test executions available for validation
• Changes are saved but not deployed to production
• Autosave triggers every 2 seconds when changes are detected

ACTIVE State

A workflow becomes ACTIVE after publishing. This is the production-ready version that can be executed by your applications and users.

Characteristics:

• Immutable: no changes allowed to the workflow structure
• Available for production execution via API or UI
• Tracked for audit and compliance purposes
• Only one ACTIVE version exists per workflow alias at a time

ARCHIVED State

Workflows that are no longer needed can be archived. This removes them from active use while preserving their history.

Characteristics:

• Cannot be executed
• Cannot be edited directly
• Preserved for audit trail and compliance
• Can be restored by creating a draft from the archived version

Publishing a Draft

When your workflow is ready for production use, follow these steps to publish it.

Pre-Publishing Checklist

Before publishing, ensure your workflow meets these requirements:

1. All tasks are configured: Every task node must have its required fields completed
2. Connections are valid: All tasks must be properly connected with no orphaned nodes
3. Input mappings are complete: Required inputs for each task must be mapped to valid sources
4. No validation errors: The canvas should show no red error indicators on any node
5. Testing complete: Run test executions to verify the workflow behaves as expected

Publishing Steps

1. Verify workflow state: Ensure you are viewing the DRAFT version of the workflow
2. Check for unsaved changes: Save any pending modifications using Cmd+S (Mac) or Ctrl+S (Windows)
3. Click the Publish button: Located in the top toolbar
4. Review the confirmation dialog: The dialog shows:
   • Current version number
   • New version number that will be assigned
   • Summary of changes since the last published version
5. Add version notes (optional): Document what changed in this version for future reference
6. Confirm publication: Click "Publish" to deploy the workflow

After Publishing

Once published:

• The workflow transitions from DRAFT to ACTIVE
• A new version number is assigned automatically
• The previous ACTIVE version (if any) becomes part of the version history
• The workflow is available for production execution

Creating a Draft from Active

You cannot edit an ACTIVE workflow directly. To make changes, you must create a new draft.

Why This Restriction Exists

Preventing direct edits to ACTIVE workflows ensures:

• Production stability: running workflows are never modified mid-execution
• Audit compliance: each published version is immutable and traceable
• Safe iteration: test changes thoroughly before deploying

Creating a Draft

1. Open the ACTIVE workflow: Navigate to the workflow you want to modify
2. Click "Create Draft": Located in the top toolbar or version dropdown
3. Edit the draft: Make your desired changes to the workflow
4. Test thoroughly: Validate your changes with test executions
5. Publish when ready: Follow the publishing steps above to deploy your changes

Version History

Every time you publish a workflow, a new version is created. The version history provides a complete audit trail of all changes.

Accessing Version History

1. Open any workflow (DRAFT or ACTIVE)
2. Click the version dropdown in the top toolbar
3. Select "View History" or click on a specific version number

Version History Features

The version history panel shows:

• Version number: Sequential identifier for each published version
• Publication date: When this version was deployed
• Published by: The user who published this version
• Version notes: Comments added during publication
• Status: Whether this version is currently ACTIVE, ARCHIVED, or superseded

Comparing Versions

To understand what changed between versions:

1. Open the version history
2. Select two versions to compare
3. The comparison view highlights:
   • Added tasks (green)
   • Removed tasks (red)
   • Modified configurations (yellow)
   • Changed connections

Reverting to Previous Versions

If a published workflow has issues, you can revert to a previous version.

Revert Process

1. Open version history: Access the workflow's version history panel
2. Select the target version: Choose the version you want to restore
3. Click "Create Draft from This Version": This creates a new draft based on the selected version
4. Review the draft: Verify the workflow matches your expectations
5. Publish the draft: Deploy the restored version to production

Best Practices for Reverting

• Always test the reverted draft before publishing
• Document why you reverted in the version notes
• Consider whether additional changes are needed before publishing
• Notify relevant stakeholders about the version change

Archiving Workflows

Archive workflows that are no longer needed but must be retained for compliance or historical purposes.

When to Archive

Consider archiving when:

• A workflow is replaced by a newer implementation
• Business requirements have changed and the workflow is obsolete
• The workflow was created for a temporary or one-time purpose
• Regulatory requirements mandate retention but not active use

Archiving Steps

1. Open the workflow: Navigate to the workflow you want to archive
2. Access workflow settings: Click the gear icon or "Settings" in the workflow menu
3. Select "Archive Workflow": Found in the workflow lifecycle section
4. Confirm archiving: Review the confirmation dialog and confirm

What Happens When Archived

• The workflow status changes to ARCHIVED
• The workflow no longer appears in active workflow lists
• API calls to execute the workflow return an error
• The workflow remains visible in archived workflow lists
• All version history is preserved

Restoring Archived Workflows

To restore an archived workflow:

1. Navigate to the archived workflows list
2. Select the archived workflow
3. Click "Create Draft" to create an editable copy
4. Make any necessary updates
5. Publish to create a new ACTIVE version

Best Practices

Version Management

• Publish incrementally: make small, testable changes between versions
• Write meaningful version notes to document changes
• Review version history before making significant changes
• Keep the number of active drafts minimal to avoid confusion

Testing Before Publishing

• Always run test executions with realistic data
• Test edge cases and error conditions
• Verify input validations work correctly
• Check that all output mappings produce expected results

Communication

• Notify downstream systems before major workflow changes
• Document breaking changes in version notes
• Coordinate publishing with relevant teams during business hours
• Have a rollback plan ready for critical workflows

Next Steps

Now that you understand workflow publishing, explore:

• Building Workflows for design best practices
• Testing and Debugging for validation techniques