Agents

Agent Lifecycle and Release

Manage Agent changes from draft to live with a structured review and release process.

Overview #

When you make changes to an Agent — such as updating Steps, changing the flow, or adjusting settings — those changes need to go through a controlled process before they affect live Candidates.

Agent Lifecycle and Release describes the stages an Agent goes through from initial creation to going live.

Why This Matters #

A clear release process helps you:

  • Avoid breaking live Journeys with untested changes
  • Keep your team accountable for what changed and when
  • Reduce the risk of errors reaching Candidates
  • Make it easy to undo changes if something goes wrong

How It Works #

  1. Build or update your Agent in draft mode.
  2. Review the changes — check Steps, routing, and messaging.
  3. Test the Journey by running through it as a test Candidate. See Agent Testing and QA.
  4. Get approval from the responsible person on your team.
  5. Release the Agent to make it live.
  6. Monitor Candidate behaviour and system logs after release.

What to Check Before Releasing #

Before making an Agent live, confirm:

  • All Steps are configured correctly
  • Routing and branching logic works as expected
  • Merge Fields display the correct data
  • Integrations (email, SMS, webhook) are connected and tested
  • Completion and Outcome settings are correct
  • Appearance and branding are consistent

Best Practices #

  • Change one thing at a time — avoid releasing multiple major changes together
  • Always have a backup plan — know how to undo changes quickly if needed
  • Test after every release — run through the Journey as a test Candidate
  • Assign an owner — someone should be responsible for watching the system after release
  • Release during low-traffic hours — minimise the impact if something goes wrong

After Release #

After making changes live:

  • Check the Dashboard for unusual activity
  • Review Webhook Logs if integrations are involved
  • Monitor Candidate progress for the first few hours
  • If issues are found, decide quickly whether to fix forward or undo the change

Common Mistakes #

  • Releasing multiple major changes at once
  • Not having a way to undo changes before going live
  • Skipping basic tests after release
  • No clear owner assigned for monitoring

Last updated May 4, 2026