Use Drafts to deliver error-free messages
Ever sent a message and wished you could un-send it because you noticed a typo or wanted to rephrase a confusing paragraph?
With “Queue Draft” you can see a campaign in action - live - before the content is actually delivered. Queue Draft allows your complex workflow to run - matching recipients, rendering content, and emulating the campaign’s behavior - without any content being sent. You can see exactly how the message you’ve prepared for a user looks (and check many users for specific personalized content). Think of this as a staging feature: everything works as it normally would, but you can audit the output before it gets sent out in the real world.
How does “Queue Draft” work?
After starting the triggered campaign which contains your “Queued Draft” message(s), a draft will be generated for each and every customer who matches the targeting criteria. You can review these messages under the “Drafts” tab and decide whether to send them or delete them.
Unlike test message, where you pick a specific customer profile to render the test, drafts work with real, live data flowing through your app and into Customer.io. This helps you check both the content and structure (triggers and filters) of your campaign. It’ll be easier to spot any missing personalization fallbacks or find problems with how you’ve built your overall campaign flow.
Say goodbye to those embarrassing apology messages following content or targeting accidents!
FAQ about Queue Draft
I changed the message status to “Send automatically” but drafts aren’t going out!
“Send automatically” only applies to future messages. The drafts already created need to be sent by going to the Drafts tab and pressing the “Send All” button.
If I edit the content after messages start drafting, will the created drafts update too?
Yes, they will. Just go back to the “Workflow” section, update the message that generated the drafts and press “Save”. All the matching drafts will render your new content changes.
I realized my trigger and filters were wrong/needed some tweaking. Do drafts re-evaluate when a trigger or filter is changed?
Triggers and filters are not re-evaluated once a draft has been created. The best solution in most cases is to remove all the existing drafts, adjust your segments and start over. If you don’t want to lose any potential matches or you chose to include “Existing matches” and there’s no turning back, reach out to our support team.
I deleted all the existing drafts, but I don’t see any new ones showing up. What went wrong?
Inside segment triggered campaigns, each customer can only have one delivery for every message in your workflow and this delivery can start off as a draft or be sent out immediately (when using “Send Automatically”). Once deleted, though, there’s no turning back, no new one will be created. If this happened to you, let us know.
Draft sending is slow. Why is that?
Sending out drafts has a lower sending priority on our platform (sending event triggered campaigns with no delay has the highest). We don’t recommend using “Queued Draft” as a permanent message status. Once you’ve verified your campaign configuration and content, switch your messages to “Send Automatically”.
Can I export drafts for further review?
No. It isn’t currently possible to export your drafts.
I want to add an extra touch of personalization. Can I edit each draft separately?
Yes, you can! To do this, go to the “Drafts” tab and click the subject of one of the messages. You’ll be directed to the delivery page where you can edit the content and send it out once you’re done.
Can I segment upon drafts?
No, drafts are primarily meant for testing and, like AB tests, have a temporary status.
Is there an expiry date for drafts?
Yes, drafts are automatically deleted within 30 days of their creation date if no action is taken upon them. This automatic maintenance increases performance and keeps our system running smoothly.
