Use automated flow status to modify it, perform tests, and then go live when everything is set. Once an automated flow is running, it can be stopped again to update logic and content before going live again.
Before you start
The status of an automated flow are stopped, paused, or live.
- stopped: this is the edit status. The automated flow has just been created or stopped for an update.
- paused: the automated flow is running, but only for tests.
- live: the automated flow is fully active, new contacts can enter, and those already in the flow continue according to the set logic.
When a contact enters an automated flow, magnews creates a session, which is the journey of a contact within the flow. The session progresses through the automated flow from top to bottom, following the path of connected nodes. The contact's session ends when they exit the automated flow.
Validate an automated flow
As soon as you create a new automated flow, magnews saves it in the “stopped” status (1). This is the phase of building the flow, where nodes are inserted, connected, and content is added to communications.
Nodes that are not yet completed are indicated with a warning icon next to the name (2). You can edit and adjust the configuration.
If you don't notice this before going live, just click Validate (3): magnews will list which nodes still need verification.
- Stopped: Indicates the status of the automated flow, in this case “Stopped”
- Warning icon: indicates that there are issues to fix in the node
- Validate: checks the nodes and reports those that still need completion
- Reactivate: changes the automated flow from stopped to paused or live
- Save: saves the automated flow
How to perform tests
Once the validation has passed successfully, the automated flow is ready to be tested, and you can activate it by clicking Reactivate (4).
Choose which status to set the automated flow to, and select “paused”: the automated flow will only work for conducting tests.
When an automated flow is paused:
- test sessions can be activated
- no other contacts can enter, even if they meet the entry conditions.
Use this status to simulate the path of contacts.
Click the Start test button and:
- select the database of the contact you want to simulate the test for
- choose the contact
- identify the starting node if the automated flow has multiple entry nodes
Magnews creates a test session for the selected contact. To view the session path, click Update. During tests, there's no need to wait for the full time set in wait nodes. Explore how to advance a session in a workflow.
Go live with an automated flow
Use the Reactivate button to change a workflow from paused to live.
A live automated flow allows all contacts that meet the set requirements to enter, initiating them in the flow as new sessions. Furthermore, it advances existing sessions, which proceed from one node to the next.
Pause and stop an automated flow
To update the content or logic of a live automated flow, you must first stop it.
In a “stopped” automated flow, no new contacts enter, and those already present remain stuck at their node until the automated flow execution resumes.
Add or remove nodes, modify connections, update content. Numerous changes are allowed in a stopped automated flow, but remember that once the automated flow resumes, they will be applied to all current sessions.
Note: editing a paused automated flow is also allowed, but only if there are no active sessions.