Workflows

Activating and Managing Automations in Velveteen

Updated August 16, 2026

The short answer

Review a draft, preview its read-only effects, and activate it only after its scope and dependencies are clear. Use Delete automation when you no longer want the workflow to appear or run.

Activation stores an immutable version. Pausing is temporary. A paused automation cannot be started manually, and queued work stays on hold until you resume it. Deleting stops future runs, cancels work that is queued or waiting, and preserves the automation's version and run history.

Lifecycle

  1. 1

    Save the draft

    Autosave uses a revision check so a stale tab cannot overwrite newer changes.
  2. 2

    Review

    Inspect the selected artist or label and every possible path. Recipe drafts show the simple review first, while custom drafts open in the full builder.
  3. 3

    Preview

    Preview opens a safe dialog for the current draft. It does not require a matching live event and does not execute any action.
  4. 4

    Activate

    Activation creates an immutable version and enables future matching events. It does not replay history.
  5. 5

    Pause or delete

    Pause when you expect to resume the automation. Queued work stays on hold, and no new manual run can start until you resume. An action already started may finish once, but it will not be repeated after resume. Choose Delete automation when it should no longer appear or start new work.

Frequently asked questions

Can activation run old events?+

No. Activation matches future eligible events only.

What happens when I delete an automation?+

The automation disappears from the normal list and cannot start new runs. Queued and waiting runs are cancelled. A step already in progress may finish, and actions already completed are not undone. Velveteen keeps the version, run history, and audit history.

Related articles

Automations overview

A central workflow hub for release operations, recipes, custom automations, runs, waits, approvals, and recovery.

Custom builder

Create a custom workflow with guided cards, scoped resources, conflict-safe autosave, preview, and activation review.

Runs and recovery

Read a run timeline, approve high-impact steps, reconcile unknown outcomes, and recover without duplicating effects.