Process flow versioning
Introduction
With our process flow versioning system, you can be sure that a process flow that's currently deployed will never be edited while it's in use:

To edit a deployed process flow, you take a copy as a draft and work on that. When you're ready, you can then deploy your draft. Each time you deploy a process flow, the previously deployed version is saved as an inactive version. You can view all versions associated with a process flow in process flow settings.
If virtual environments are in use for your organisation, process flow versioning works differently. Please refer to Understanding flow versioning for virtual environments.
Version types summary
At any given time, a process flow can be associated with one of the following version types:
A new process flow is added
A
deployed
version is copied to draftAn
inactive
version is copied to draft
A
draft
process flow is deployed, replacing an existing deploymentAn
inactive
process flow is deployed, replacing an existing deployment
More about version types
Draft
There is always one draft
version of a process flow. The draft
version can be edited freely without any possibility of changing or breaking the version that's currently deployed. With a draft
version, you can add/update shapes and process flow settings.
Available actions
You can take the following actions with a draft
version of a process flow:
When you deploy a draft
version, it becomes deployed
and a new draft
version is created (the previous deployed
version becomes inactive).
If you enable a process flow when viewing a draft
version, there's no impact on the draft
version. However, the deployed version will start to run automatically as per any trigger shape settings.
Create a new process flow from the selected draft
version. There is no impact on the draft
version.
Use initialise flow or initialise flow (advanced) options to run the process flow immediately.
If you choose to run the draft
version of a process flow manually, the draft
version runs and any target connections will be updated. Where possible, it's always best to use sandbox connections when you're editing and testing draft
process flows.
Deployed
The deployed
version of a process flow is the one that's currently in use (if enabled
) or ready for use (if it's disabled
).
The deployed
version of a process flow cannot be edited - shapes can't be added/updated, and you can't change process flow settings.
Available actions
You can take the following actions with a deployed
version of a process flow:
For a process flow to initialise automatically (as per trigger shape settings) it must be both deployed
AND enabled
.
The process flow remains deployed
and the content is copied to the existing draft version (existing draft
content is discarded). This is a good solution if you're editing a draft
but reach the point where you need to restart from a known, sound point.
Create a new process flow from the selected deployed
version. There is no impact on the deployed
version.
Upload the selected version to your private marketplace (only applicable if the partner features bolt-on is enabled for your company profile).
Use initialise flow or initialise flow (advanced) options to run the process flow immediately.
Inactive
Each time a draft
version of a process flow is deployed, the previously deployed version becomes an inactive
version, so you have a full version history for all deployed versions of a process flow.
An inactive
version of a process cannot be edited - shapes can't be added/updated, and you can't change process flow settings.
Available actions
You can take the following actions with an inactive
version of a process flow:
When you deploy an inactive
version, it becomes the currently deployed
version. The previous deployed
version becomes a new inactive
version, and the existing draft
is not affected.
If you enable a process flow when viewing an inactive
version, there's no impact on the inactive
version. However, the deployed version will start to run automatically (as per any trigger shape settings).
You can use initialise flow or initialise flow (advanced) options to run an inactive
process flow immediately; however, this is not recommended unless you are certain what the impact will be on source/target systems.
The process flow remains inactive
and the content is copied to the existing draft version (existing draft
content is discarded). This is a good solution if you need to revert to an old way of working.
Create a new process flow from the selected deployed
version. There is no impact on the deployed
version.
Whilst it's often useful to refer back to an inactive
version of a flow for a reminder of how things used to be set up, retaining lots of process flows with multiple inactive
versions can be detrimental to system performance. In this case, deleting older inactive
versions is a useful housekeeping task.
If you run an inactive
version of a process flow manually, the inactive
version runs, and any target connections will be updated. Avoid this option unless you are certain what the impact will be on source/target systems.
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