# Enabling & disabling a process flow

## Introduction

Having built or updated a process flow, it must be `deployed` and `enabled` before it runs automatically, according to defined [trigger shape](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/process-flows/building-process-flows/process-flow-shapes/standard-shapes/trigger-shape) settings (or [API requests](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/developer-hub/patchworks-core-api)). How you do this depends on whether the [virtual environments](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/virtual-environments/about-virtual-environments) feature is enabled for your company profile. 

* If yes, you have the option to enable/disable specific deployments of a process flow (bearing in mind that any version of a single flow can be deployed to multiple environments). There are multiple ways to do this - for details, please refer to [Enabling & disabling a flow deployment (with virtual environments)](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/process-flows/managing-process-flows/enabling-and-disabling-a-process-flow/enabling-and-disabling-a-flow-deployment-with-virtual-environments).
* If no, you will only ever have a single deployment for any process flow; therefore, the enable/disable option applies to the flow as a whole. For details, please refer to [Enabling & disabling a flow deployment (without virtual environments)](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/process-flows/managing-process-flows/enabling-and-disabling-a-process-flow/enabling-and-disabling-a-process-flow-without-virtual-enviroments).

## How do I know if virtual environments are enabled?

If you're not sure whether virtual environments are enabled, check the left-hand navigation menu - if you see a `virtual environments` section, this feature is enabled:

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://2440044887-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FLYNcUBVQwSkOMG6KjZfz%2Fuploads%2FOFNhR2oxcMOKFeKuJLID%2Fcheck%20for%20virtual%20envs.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3ddb2ddf-15d2-47d4-8429-a956945c1545" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

## Pages in this section

* [Enabling & disabling a flow deployment (with virtual environments)](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/process-flows/managing-process-flows/enabling-and-disabling-a-process-flow/enabling-and-disabling-a-flow-deployment-with-virtual-environments)
* [Enabling & disabling a flow deployment (without virtual environments)](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/process-flows/managing-process-flows/enabling-and-disabling-a-process-flow/enabling-and-disabling-a-process-flow-without-virtual-enviroments)