Understanding Drafts vs. Saved Versions in FloQast Transform
When building and editing agents in FloQast Transform, understanding how your progress is saved is critical to a smooth workflow. Because building an agent can be a complex, multi-step process, Transform uses a version history system—similar to what you might see in a Google Doc.
This guide will explain the difference between a Draft and a Saved Version, and why saving your work frequently provides a necessary "security blanket" for your configurations.
Key Terminology
Before diving into the workflow, let's clarify three specific terms you will encounter while building your agents:
- Publishing a Step: When you are done configuring a specific step within your agent, you will click Finish. Clicking 'Finish' is referred to as publishing that specific step. (Note: The term "publish" is only used in this context, not for the entire agent).
- Draft: An active, fluid state of your agent. Whenever you are making new changes or adding steps that have not yet been locked in via the Save button, you are working in a Draft.
- Saved Version (e.g., V1, V2): A frozen, historical snapshot of your agent. Clicking the green Save button creates a Version.
No! When you "publish" (finish) an individual step, it is automatically saved within your active Draft. You can safely leave FloQast Transform and return the next day; your draft will be exactly how you left it.
You do not need to click the green Save button after every single step (doing so will just clutter your history with excessive versions). Only click Save when you reach a milestone or a "steady state" that you might want to safely revert back to later!
How Drafts and Versions Work Together
It can sometimes be confusing when you open a saved version of an agent (like V1) and start making changes. Here is exactly what happens behind the scenes:
1. Saved Versions are "Frozen"
When you are working on an agent and click the green Save
button in the top right corner, you create V1. This version
is now frozen in time. You cannot accidentally overwrite V1.
2. Edits Create a New Draft
If you open V1 and proceed to make changes—whether that is adding a new step
or editing an existing one—you are not editing V1. The moment
you initiate a change, FloQast Transform automatically creates a new
Draft.
3. Saving a Draft Creates a New Version
Once you are happy with the progress you've made in your Draft, you can click
Save again. This locks in your new changes and creates
V2. V1 preserves the state the agent was in when it was
first saved, and V2 preserves the state the agent was in when it
was saved next.
4. Branching from Any Version
You can initiate changes from any historical version. If you open
V1 and start making changes, a new Draft is created. When you save that Draft,
it becomes V3.
Why You Should Save Frequently (The "Security Blanket")
We highly encourage users to regularly save their agents to build up a version history. Think of the Save button as your security blanket.
The Scenario: Imagine you have an agent that is 20 steps long and working perfectly. You decide you need to edit some logic and add a new step.
- If you saved your 20 steps (V1): You can open V1 and begin experimenting in a new Draft. If things get confusing, your logic isn't working out, or you simply want to start over for the day, you can easily discard your Draft. You just pull up V1 again, knowing your original 20 steps are safe, pristine, and ready for a fresh start.
- If you never hit Save (Remaining in "Draft"): If you open your pending 20-step agent and it still says "Draft," you can definitely still make edits. However, if you run into that same situation where your new logic gets messy and you wish you could just "undo" it, you do not have a version history to refer back to. You will have to manually delete, edit, and redo anything you adjusted to get back to your starting point.