Run a Draft Execution (Beta)

Draft execution runs the workflow exactly as it is on your canvas, so you can check a change before you deploy it. You send one request and get one result back. Nothing is published or deployed.

Draft execution is a Beta feature and is turned on per user. If you don't see the Run Draft icon in the header, follow Turn on draft execution or ask your administrator to enable it.

Before you begin

• Save the workflow in an application. Draft execution is unavailable for a workflow that is not saved.
• Select the workflow in the application tree. The icon stays disabled until a workflow is selected.
• Prepare sample request values. A draft run executes the workflow's activities in the Development environment, which is the only environment draft execution uses, so use test data.

Turn on draft execution

1. Select Settings in the left toolbar.
2. Select Dev Tools.
3. Turn on Enable Draft Execution.

If you don't see Dev Tools, ask your administrator to enable it for you. The setting takes effect immediately, without a reload.

Run a draft

1. Select the workflow in the application tree.
2. Select the Run Draft icon in the header. Its tooltip reads "Run Draft — execute the live workflow". The Draft Execution drawer opens, and its title shows the workflow name followed by "live".
3. Fill in the request on the Input side. The fields are pre-filled from the workflow's trigger, so you usually only enter values.
   • Headers: a key and value table.
   • Params: Query Params and Path Variables tables. They list only the parameters the trigger declares. If the trigger declares none, you see a short note instead.
   • Body: a JSON editor. It appears only for methods that carry a body, which means every method except GET, HEAD and DELETE.
4. Select Run Test.

A parameter declared as a number or boolean is sent as a number or boolean, so conditions in your workflow evaluate against the right type.

The drawer also has a Configuration view, next to Run Test at the top right. Use it to inspect the configuration of the step you select on the board.

How you know it worked

• The status text beside the run controls changes from Draft Execution to "Draft Execution — running…" and then to "Draft Execution — succeeded".
• The output of the run appears on the Output side, under Draft result.

Run it again

The input stays editable after a run finishes. Change a value and select Run Test again. You don't need to start a new session. Select the + at the top of the left rail to clear the input and start from the pre-filled request.

Because a draft always runs the current canvas, edits you made since the last run, including edits you have not deployed, are included in the next run.

Review past runs

The left rail lists the Runs for this workflow. Select one to reopen it read-only, showing the input it ran with and the output it produced. Past runs make it easy to compare two attempts.

Draft runs are kept in your browser, not on the server, and Studio keeps the newest 25 runs per workflow. Draft runs and debugger runs are stored separately, so each panel lists only its own kind.

When it does not work

What you see	What to check
The Run Draft icon is missing	Draft execution is off. See Turn on draft execution.
The icon is disabled	Select a workflow in the application tree.
Request body must be valid JSON	Correct the Body JSON. The run is blocked until it parses.
Select a saved workflow before running a draft.	Save the workflow in its application, then select it again.
Could not obtain a Development execution token. Check your access to this workspace.	Confirm you have access to the Development environment in this workspace.
The run shows the status "Draft Execution — failed"	Read the message above the input and output panes. It carries the error the engine returned.

Draft execution, the debugger and a test run

You want to	Use
Check a change quickly, with no deployment, and see only the final result	Draft execution (this page)
Pause inside a run, step through activities and edit data mid-run	The Workflow Debugger. It needs a deployed workflow.
Verify the deployed workflow in a chosen environment, save test cases and compare examples	A normal test run

Draft execution has no breakpoints and no pause or step controls. When you need to look inside a run, deploy the workflow and use the debugger.