Publish and go live
Publish a version of your flow, activate its trigger, and check the first real conversations.
On this page
Draft versus published
A draft lets you edit and test without changing the version used by live triggers. Publishing saves a version that active triggers can run. You also need a connected account with automation available and an active trigger pointing at the flow; publishing does not turn a paused trigger on.
Editing a published flow doesn’t change what’s live. Your changes wait as “unpublished changes” until you publish again — and if you ever want it offline, pause it from the Flows list and it returns to draft with nothing lost.
Clear the publish checks
Publishing runs stricter validation than saving a draft. Blockers include missing required connections, invalid message content, and steps that need more setup. Warnings flag issues worth reviewing, such as a long delay or a comment opening that needs a response before delivery. A warning does not block publishing, but it can still explain why a particular live run would not send.
- 1Open the flow and check the toolbar — it counts any publish blockers and warnings.
- 2Work through the blockers one by one — each names the node and rule that need attention.
- 3When the blockers hit zero and you have reviewed the warnings, select Publish.
- 4Open Automations → Triggers. Confirm the trigger points at this flow, watches the right account and content, and is Active.
Guardrails, on by default
Ravela checks sending eligibility throughout a run. These checks help keep your automation within the supported messaging rules:
- Messaging windows — a comment can receive one eligible opening private reply; further messages need the person’s response and an open DM window.
- Send pacing — busy periods can delay delivery. A queued message still needs a valid window and account connection when it is sent.
- Opt-outs honored — a contact who sends STOP stops receiving automation immediately, until they opt back in.
Watch the first runs
The proof arrives on the flow’s Runs page: every run with its contact, status, duration, and — if something went sideways — the reason why. Open any run for a step-by-step timeline of exactly which nodes fired.
The Analytics tab watches the bigger picture over time: events, link clicks, and how your flow performs across the days after launch. Give it a day, then look for the pattern — that’s where your first improvement idea comes from.