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 (possibly with breaking changes) while it's in use.

To edit a deployed processed 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 that you deploy a new version of a process flow, the previously deployed version is saved as an inactive version for future reference and, if required, future use.

For any process flow, there's always one draft version, one deployed version, and any number of inactive versions.

Version types summary

At any given time, a process flow can be associated with one of the following version types:

Version	Is set when...	Can edit?	Can be deleted?	Transitions
Draft The process flow is being built.	A new process flow is added A deployed version is copied to draft An inactive version is copied to draft	yes	no	Deploy
Deployed The process flow is currently in use, or ready for use.	A draft version is deployed An inactive version is deployed	no	no	Copy to draft
Inactive The process flow was previously deployed but superseded by a later deployment.	A draft process flow is deployed An inactive process flow is deployed	no	yes	Copy to draft Deploy Deleted

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 change the process flow name.

Any trigger shape settings defined for a draft version are ignored - draft versions are never triggered to run automatically.

When you're working with a draft version of a process flow, you can take the following actions:

• Enable/disable the process flow. 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 its trigger shape settings.
• Run manually. Use this option to run the draft process flow immediately.
• Deploy. When you deploy a draft version, it becomes the currently deployed version and stays as the current draft - the previously deployed version becomes a new inactive version.

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 it's 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 the name. The only actions that you can take with a deployed version of a process flow are:

• Enable/disable the process flow. Just because a process flow version is deployed, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be triggered to run automatically as per trigger shape settings. For this to happen, a process flow must be both deployed AND enabled.
• Run manually. Use this option to run the process flow immediately.
• Copy to draft. When you do this, the process flow remains deployed and an exact copy is taken as the current draft version, ready for you to edit - the existing draft version is discarded. This is a good solution if you've been editing a draft but reached the point where you need to restart from a known sound point.

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 the name. The only actions that you can take with an inactive version of a are:

• Enable/disable the process flow. 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 its trigger shape settings.
• Run manually. Whilst you can use this option to run the process flow immediately, it's not recommended.
• Copy to draft. When you copy an inactive version to draft, an exact copy is taken as the current draft version, ready for you to edit (the existing draft version is discarded). There's no impact on the deployed version.
• Deploy. When you deploy an inactive version, it becomes the currently deployed version. The previously deployed version becomes a new inactive version, and the existing draft is not affected.
• Delete 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, having lots of process flows with lots of inactive versions can be detrimental to system performance. In this case, deleting older inactive versions can be useful.

If you run an inactive version of a process flow manually, the inactive version runs and any target connections will be updated.

Working with versions

• Accessing process flow versions
• Understanding which version you're viewing
• Switching between versions
• Deploying a draft or inactive version
• Copying to draft
• Deleting an inactive version

Accessing process flow versions

You can view all versions of a process flow via the settings panel.

The steps

Step 1 Log in to the Patchworks dashboard, then select process flows > process flows to access the manage process flows page.

Step 2 Select the required process flow.

Step 3 Click the 'cog' icon to access settings:

Step 4 Check the versions panel at the bottom of the settings panel - for example:

Understanding which version you're viewing

When you access a process flow, the version being viewed is noted in the title bar. If you are viewing a deployed or inactive version, you'll see a message advising that edits cannot be made, and the version number is displayed beneath the title.

The version number is not the same as the version id.

The steps

Step 1 Log in to the Patchworks dashboard, then select process flows and open the required process flow.

Step 2 Select the required process flow.

Step 3 Check the title bar at the top of the canvas - for example:

Switching between versions

To switch between different versions of a process flow, access the versions list and select the required entry.

The steps

Step 1 Log in to the Patchworks dashboard, then select process flows and open the required process flow.

Step 2 Move down to the versions panel and click anywhere on the version that you want to view on the canvas - for example:

Step 3 The canvas updates with your selected version.

Deploying a draft or inactive version

Deploying the draft version of a process flow - or deploying an inactive version without editing it as a draft first - is a simple one-click operation from the versions list.

The steps (method 1)

Step 1 Log in to the Patchworks dashboard, then select process flows and open the required process flow.

Step 2 Move down to the versions panel and click anywhere on the draft or inactive version that you want to deploy - notice that the canvas updates with this version, so you can check that it's the right one.

Step 3 Click the deploy button - for example:

Step 4 The draft version transitions to deployed (and the previously deployed version transitions to a new inactive version). If the process flow is enabled, it becomes active immediately and will run as per defined trigger shape settings.

The steps (method 2)

Step 1 Log in to the Patchworks dashboard, then select process flows and open the required process flow.

Step 2 Move down to the versions panel and click anywhere on the draft or inactive version that you want to deploy - notice that the canvas updates with this version, so you can check that it's the right one.

Step 3 Click the ellipses associated with the draft or inactive version that you want to deploy, then select the deploy option - for example:

Step 4 The draft version transitions to deployed (and the previously deployed version transitions to a new inactive version). If the process flow is enabled, it becomes active immediately and will run as per defined trigger shape settings.

Copying to draft

If you want to edit the currently deployed version of a process flow - or an inactive version - you must first copy it to draft. The existing draft version is replaced by the version you copy.

The steps

Step 1 Log in to the Patchworks dashboard, then select process flows and open the required process flow.

Step 2 Move down to the versions panel and click anywhere on the deployed or inactive version you want to edit - notice that the canvas updates with this version, so you can check that it's the right one.

Step 3 Click the ellipses associated with the deployed or inactive version that you want to edit, then select the copy to draft option - for example:

Step 4 The existing draft version is replaced with the version you copied, ready to edit. The deployed or inactive version that you copied are not affected.

Deleting an inactive 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, you may wish to remove older, inactive versions.

The steps

Step 1 Log in to the Patchworks dashboard, then select process flows and open the required process flow.

Step 2 Move down to the versions panel and click anywhere on the inactive version you want to remove - notice that the canvas updates with this version, so you can check that it's the right one.

Step 3 Click the ellipses associated with this version, then select the delete option - for example:

Step 4 The existing draft version is replaced with the version you copied, ready to edit. The deployed or inactive version that you copied are not affected.