Publishing programs

Publishing a program makes it available for customers to enter the program.

When a program is published, it waits and listens for events. An event can be triggered by any number of things: a customer subscribing to your newsletter, a purchase, a scheduled filter running queries on your database or even a file upload. Program responds to events by creating a program entry into your program. For more information about Program Entries, see Understanding Program Entries.

Note: Accounts created after August 18, 2017 may have up to 75 published programs. This limit does not apply to accounts created before that date.

Before you begin

Before you can publish a program, you must validate it to ensure that it is constructed correctly.

Optionally, you can also test the program to ensure that it runs as expected.

Validating a program

When you attempt to publish a program, Program validates it automatically. You can also validate a program from the Design tab while designing it; this way, you will not have to return to the Design tab to fix errors. To manually validate a program, click Validate in the Design tab.

If validation errors exist when you attempt to publish the program, a message will notify you that all errors must be fixed before the program can be published. To open the Design tab and fix the errors, click Fix on the message.

Objects with validation errors are highlighted on the canvas and the errors are listed in the right pane.

Publishing a program

To publish a program:

  1. On the side navigation bar, click The Programs icon Programs and open the program you want to work with.
  2. Click the Publish tab.
  3. Click Publish.

    An image showing the Publish option

Program validates the program and attempts to publish it. If the program is error free, it is published and a notification message opens. If the program contains errors, you can click Fix on the notification message and resolve the errors before attempting to publish again.

Use the Analyze tab to monitor the program and resolve any blocked program stages. Learn more about analyzing programs.

Modifying a published program

After publishing, you may modify the program. When you modify a published program, Program creates a draft version of it with your changes. Program does not interrupt the published program. You have two options with the draft version:

  • Save it and make changes over time. When you are satisfied with it, you may validate it and publish it, replacing the currently published program.

    Note: This is the best way to swap out campaigns in a program.

  • Abandon your changes by reverting to the published design.

Replacing an active published program with the draft

To replace the published program with your draft version, click Publish. Your draft version is published and begins executing immediately.

Reverting a draft version to the published version

While making changes to your draft version, you can abandon your changes and revert to the published version.

To replace your changes with the currently published version, click Revert.

Unpublishing a program

You do not have to unpublish a program to make changes. You can make changes by simply editing your design, validating the draft, and re-publishing it on top of the executing (published) program.

If you want to stop a running program, you can unpublish it. When you unpublish a program:

  • The system suspends program execution.
  • No program entries progress through your sequence.
  • No new program entries are accepted.

If you later republish the program, the program entries will resume processing and new program entries will be accepted.

After you unpublish a program, you can remove all program entries from all paths in the program.

To unpublish a program:

  1. Click Unpublish.

    The Unpublish dialog opens.

  2. Select the version you want to keep.
  3. Click OK.

    A confirmation message opens.

  4. Click Yes.

    The program is unpublished and a confirmation message opens.

  5. Click OK to close the message.

To remove all program entries:

  1. Unpublish the program.
  2. Click Terminate All.

    A confirmation message opens.

  3. Click Yes.

    The termination process begins and a confirmation message opens.

  4. Click Yes to close the message.

Learn more

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