Manage Flows

Navigate Flows page in Workflow Studio
Navigate the Flows details page
Understanding the Flow Lifecycle

This article covers three ways to edit an active flow drafting a new flow version on top of an active flow, duplicating a flow and managing experiences via draining or terminating the old flow, and managing flow versions from the Flow details page.

Drafting a new flow version on top of an active flow

This method allows you to work on a new version of a flow, and activate it when ready. Note that experiences in the old versions will continue to run to completion in those versions.

1. Navigate to the Flows page and select the flow you wish to edit by clicking on the edit icon. This opens the Flow Builder page where you can start making your desired changes.
2. Edit, add, or remove nodes as needed. All of these changes are part of the new draft version on top of the active flow. The active version of the flow will continue to trigger and run experiences in the background while you're editing.
   • You can save your working draft at any time by clicking Save draft & exit. You can return to editing your draft at any time by clicking the edit icon on the flow in the flow list.
   • You can activate the new flow version by clicking Activate new version. This activates the flow immediately, and sets the existing active version to Draining status.

You can delete a working draft at any time from the flow details page for the respective flow; click on the 'Drafting' version in the version history tab, then go to More > Delete.

Duplicating and transitioning via draining or terminating

This approach allows for testing changes on a duplicate before affecting the active flow, providing a safety net for extensive modifications. If you want to stop the flow right away before making edits, you can set the flow to Drain or Terminate first, then duplicate when you are ready.

1. For an active flow, Pendula users can click on the Duplicate on the Flow details page. This will create a draft, duplicate version of the flow.
2. You now have the option to either Drain or Terminate the original flow:
   • Draining: Set the original flow to drain in the Flow details page before activating the new version, allowing ongoing experiences to conclude under the original configuration.
   • Terminated: End the original flow immediately by selecting Terminate in the Flow details page.
3. Make the necessary modifications and activate the new flow.

Managing flows from the Flow details page

This method ensures operational clarity by creating a new flow and then systematically terminating the old one.

1. Create a new flow by clicking the plus icon on Flows.
2. Once your new flow is configured and ready, navigate back to the Flows. Locate the older version you're replacing, and open its Flow details by clicking on the view icon.
3. On Flow details, click on More located at the top right corner. From the dropdown menu that appears, you can either choose to Drain or Terminate your flow.
   • Draining: Set the original flow to drain, allowing ongoing experiences to conclude under the original configuration.
   • Terminated: This immediately ends all experiences in the flow, wherever they are in the flow and allows the newly created flow to take full operational precedence.

What happens when someone is halfway through a previous flow version and a new flow version is activated?

By default, when a new flow version is activated, the previous flow version will go into a Draining state.

Consider this flow

1. A recipient triggers the flow by replying Gromit to the Pendula number. The Conversation node sends the recipient an SMS message expecting a reply.

   

2. At this point, the Pendula user goes into the flow and edits the Outbound SMS (thereby creating Flow version 2) by changing the last Outbound SMS node, from the message Flow version 1 to Flow Version 2.

   

3. The recipient replies yes after Flow version 2 has been activated. The recipient receives Flow Version 1 as the SMS reply from the Conversation node.

   Recipients who were already engaged in the flow will continue with the first version. This ensures that all ongoing experiences are allowed to continue under the initial flow configurations. This is known as the Draining state - where the original flow version gradually phases out.

   See Manage individual flows in various states to learn more about Draining state.

   Once the second version of the flow is activated, all new recipients that enter the flow will receive new messages. Users have the option to manually terminate older versions of the flow from Flow details; doing so will immediately discontinue experiences of all active recipients from the flow version 1.

   

Navigate the Flow details page

This article covers the management of individual flows within the Workflow Studio, specifically focusing on the actionable steps depending on a flow's current state.

Understanding flow status and commands

Flows can exist in different states, each permitting distinct actions. This article details each state and its permissible state change commands to facilitate precise flow management.

On the Flows page, the status of a flow determines which commands can be used.

Active

Flows in the Active state are executing according to their predefined configuration, actively engaging with triggers and performing tasks as specified.

Commands available

• Edit: Create a new draft version on top of the current, active version. Learn more about editing active flows here.
• Drain: Stop new experiences, whilst allowing active experiences to continue to completion. Useful for phasing out a flow without disrupting currently active experiences.
• Terminate: Immediately stop all experiences of the flow and prevent it from being restarted. Ideal for when a flow is no longer needed or is being replaced.
• Duplicate: Create an exact copy of the flow. Ideal for testing changes or creating backups without altering the active flow.

Archived

Flows in the Archived state are inactive, preserved for reference or potential future activation, and hidden from the default flow list.

Commands available

• Unarchive: Make the flow visible again in the default list with its Terminated status intact.
• Delete: Permanently remove the flow and all its related data.
• Duplicate: Make a copy of the flow, which can be activated or edited as needed. Useful for reusing previously successful configurations as a template for new flows.

Draft

Flows in the Draft state are saved but not yet activated. This includes -

• A new flow that has not been activated.
• A newly duplicated flow that has not been activated.
• A new draft version of a flow on top of an active flow. This is indicated by a 'Drafting' indicator in the flow list, next to the flow name.

Commands available

• Delete: Permanently remove the flow and all its related data.
  • Delete draft appears when the draft flow on top of an active flow is selected in the version history menu.
• Duplicate: Make a copy of the flow. Ideal for experimenting with variations of a flow without modifying the original draft.

Draining

Flows in the Draining state are in the process of being phased out, finishing active experiences without initiating new ones. This step is final, a drained flow cannot be reactivated.

Commands available

• Duplicate: Make a copy of the flow. Useful for archival purposed or to make adjustments for new use cases.
• Terminate: Stop a draining flow to finalise its cessation, leaving the active version unaffected and still running.

Error

Flows in the Error state have encountered operational issues either during active execution or while draining.

Commands available

• Duplicate: Make a copy of the flow. Useful for preserving the current state of the flow before attempting any corrective measures.
• Terminate: Ends the flow's operation. Following termination, the flow can be archived for reference or deleted to remove it from the system entirely. Ideal for managing flows that cannot be corrected or are no longer needed.

Terminated

Flows in the Terminated state have been halted and are no longer active. They cannot be reactivated but remain visible for reference.

Commands available

• Archive: Hide the flow from the main list to reduce clutter while keeping data accessible. To view archived flows, navigate to Flows and filter by Archived status.
• Delete: Completely remove the flow from the system, including its historical data.
• Duplicate: Make a copy of the flow. Useful for archival purposed or to make adjustments for new use cases.

How to manage flows

1. Go to the Flows and click on the view icon beside the active flow to access its details.
2. In the Flow details page, find and select 'More' in the upper right corner to reveal a dropdown menu presenting options like Archive, Unarchive, Delete, Duplicate, Drain, and Terminate. These options are enabled based on the flow's current state.
   • Archive: Use this option to store the flow while keeping its data intact, removing it from the active list.
   • Unarchive: If you've archived a flow, you can make it visible again in the main list, maintaining its Terminated status.
   • Delete: Permanently delete the flow from the Workflow Studio when it's no longer needed or relevant.
   • Duplicate: Create an exact copy of the flow. This is especially useful for testing changes or creating backups.
   • Drain: Prepare the flow to be phased out by stopping the initiation of new experiences while allowing active ones to complete.
   • Terminate: Cease all activities of the flow immediately, effectively ending its active state.

Manage individual flows in various states

This article provides a structured overview of the lifecycle stages that a flow undergoes within the Workflow Studio, from its inception as a draft to its potential termination. Understanding these stages is crucial for managing the flow's lifecycle effectively, ensuring that flows are updated, archived, or terminated as per operational requirements.

Beginning with Draft state

A flow's journey begins in the Draft state. Here, the flow is being designed and configured but hasn't been activated yet. This stage allows for comprehensive planning and testing, ensuring the flow meets its intended objectives before going live.

If you decide not to use this flow, it can be deleted at this stage, ending the flow’s lifecycle.

Transition to Active

After the drafting phase is complete, the flow can be activated, transitioning it into the Active state. In this state, the flow engages with its triggers and systematically executes its tasks and processes as configured.

You can create a draft version on top of an active flow at any time by clicking edit flow.
Learn more about editing active flows here.

Managing flows with Draining

When an active flow requires updates or modifications, a new version of the flow is created and activated. This transition places the previously active version into a Draining state. The draining process is designed to ensure a smooth transition, allowing ongoing experiences to conclude while preventing the initiation of new experiences.

Recipients engaged with a flow when a new version is activated will not experience any interruption. Their interaction continues as per the version they initiated with, ensuring consistency and reliability in the user experience despite the transition from Active to Draining in the backend.

Termination of a Flow

A flow may reach the end of its lifecycle and enter the Terminated state. In this state, the flow is no longer active and cannot be restarted. However, it remains within the system for reference.

A flow that is active or draining can be terminated by a user.

Flows cannot be deleted unless they are already in the Terminated state.

Addressing errors

During its lifecycle, a flow might transition into an Error state, signalling operational disruptions either in its Active phase or while Draining. This state highlights issues that interrupt the flow's proper execution and necessitate remedial action. The first step in troubleshooting errors is to edit the active flow and save a new version. If this does not resolve the errors, further investigation is required.

Archive for future reference

Archiving serves as a method to preserve flows that are not in active use. While archived flows are removed from the immediate view in the flow list, they remain accessible for future needs via status filter, ensuring that valuable data and configurations are retained without cluttering the operational interface.

Archived flows can be managed by unarchiving (maintaining their terminated status), duplicating for reuse or adjustments, or permanently deleting them from the system.

Deleting a Flow

Deleting a flow removes a flow and all its associated details, marking the end of its lifecycle.