Using sandbox in Effivity

Posted By Effivity Team

on Oct 08, 2026

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Using the Sandbox in Effivity

Knowledge Base Article | Sandbox Update and Publishing

Applies to: Effivity users, process owners, and administrators with Sandbox access

ABSTRACT

This guide explains the Sandbox feature in Effivity, a safe, built-in space for testing a new process or changes to an existing process without affecting the live (Main) account. It covers switching to the Sandbox, editing and testing a process, controlling test emails and task assignments, comparing versions, and publishing the tested process to the Main account.

SECTION 1: WHY THE SANDBOX

Step 1: Testing Before and After the Sandbox

Before the Sandbox, testing a new process or an update to an existing process meant using a separate test environment, or testing directly in the production environment. Testing in production required extra precautions, such as disabling notifications, so that other users were not disturbed by test emails and test tasks.

The Sandbox removes this effort. A user with Sandbox access can switch to the Sandbox account inside Effivity, make and test changes freely, and publish them to the Main account only when satisfied.

Area	Earlier approach	With the Sandbox
Where you test	A separate test environment, or the live account	Inside Effivity, in your Sandbox account
Effect on live users	Risk of test emails and tasks reaching colleagues	None until the process is published
Notifications	Disabled manually before testing	Controlled from the process Settings
Going live	Repeat or copy the changes in the live system	One click on Publish

SECTION 2: SWITCHING TO THE SANDBOX

Step 2: Open the Process Screen

1. Open the left navigation panel.

2. Under Administration, click Process.

3. The Process screen opens with the list of processes. A banner at the top reminds you to switch to your Sandbox account before creating or editing processes.

Figure 1: Left navigation panel with the Process option highlighted

Figure 2: Process screen in the Main account with the Switch to Sandbox button

Step 3: Switch to the Sandbox and Confirm

Switching takes one click, and the screen clearly shows when you are working in the Sandbox.

1. Click Switch to Sandbox at the top right of the Process screen.

2. Wait while Effivity prepares your Sandbox workspace.

3. Confirm the switch by checking for a red border around the screen, a SANDBOX label at the top centre, and the Back to Main Account option beside it.

4. Notice the Draft Exists column in the Process list. It shows which processes have changes that are not yet published.

Figure 3: Sandbox mode with the red border, SANDBOX label and Back to Main Account option

NOTE: To return to the live account at any time, click Back to Main Account. When the red border disappears, you are back in the Main account.

SECTION 3: EDITING AND TESTING A PROCESS

Step 4: Open the Process Artifacts

The Process Artifacts screen shows the workflow of the selected process and is where you make and review changes.

1. In the Sandbox, locate the required process in the Process list.

2. Click the sandwich button beside the process.

3. Select Edit to open the Process Artifacts screen.

4. Make the required updates to the process flow or any artifacts.

Figure 4: Sandwich button menu with the Edit option in the Sandbox

Figure 5: Process Artifacts screen with the Settings icon and the Start Testing, Publish and Compare buttons

NOTE: Updates made in the Sandbox are applied to the Workflow Master automatically. They are not synced to the Main account until the process is published.

Step 5: Control Test Emails and Task Assignments

Process Settings let you decide who receives the emails and tasks generated during testing, so that your colleagues are not disturbed.

1. On the Process Artifacts screen, click the Settings icon at the top right.

2. In the Settings window, review the three options under Process Settings.

3. Select the options that suit your test.

4. Click Save.

Figure 6: Settings window with the three Process Settings options

Setting	What it controls
Assign Task to the Current User	Tasks created while you test are assigned to you, so other users do not receive them.
Enable Email Notification	Turns the email notifications of the process on or off during testing.
Send Email to Current User	Emails generated while you test are sent to you instead of the usual recipients.

Step 6: Test the Process with Start Testing

Start Testing takes you directly to the screen of the respective module, so you can begin testing the updated process without searching for it in the menu.

1. Update the process in the Sandbox as required.

2. At the bottom of the Process Artifacts screen, click Start Testing.

3. Effivity opens the screen of the respective module.

4. Create and complete records as a normal user would, and check each step, task and email of the flow.

Figure 7: Start Testing button on the Process Artifacts screen

Figure 8: Module screen opened by Start Testing, shown in Sandbox mode

IMPORTANT: The test records created in the Sandbox are archived once the process is synced to the Main account. They do not carry over as live records.

Step 7: Compare Versions

Compare lets you compare the previous versions of a process with the current version. Use it to review exactly what changed before you publish.

1. At the bottom of the Process Artifacts screen, click Compare.

2. In the Compare Process Artifact window, choose two versions in the Version dropdowns, for example v1 and v2.

3. Use the filters All, Diff Only, Added, Removed or Changed to control what is shown.

4. Review the result. Each version shows its last modified date, and the differences are grouped under headings such as Forms and Workflows.

5. Click Hide Header if you need more room on the screen.

Figure 9: Compare Process Artifact window with the version dropdowns and filters

Figure 10: Comparison result showing added and removed items between two versions

The colour legend in the Compare window explains each difference.

Colour	Meaning
Added (green)	The item exists in the later version but not in the earlier one. The earlier version shows -- Not Present --.
Removed (red)	The item exists in the earlier version but not in the later one. The later version shows -- Removed --.
Changed (amber)	The item exists in both versions but has been modified.

SECTION 4: PUBLISHING TO THE MAIN ACCOUNT

Step 8: Publish the Tested Process

When you are satisfied with the results, publish the process to sync it to the Main account.

1. Open the process on the Process Artifacts screen in the Sandbox.

2. Optionally, click Compare to review the final changes.

3. Click Publish.

4. The updated process is synced to the Main account.

5. Click Back to Main Account to see the updated process live.

Figure 11: Publish button on the Process Artifacts screen

IMPORTANT: Until the process is published, the Main account continues to run the current published version. Once the process is synced, the test records created in the Sandbox are archived.

SUMMARY

The Effivity Sandbox lets users test new and updated processes without disturbing the live account. Users with Sandbox access switch to the Sandbox, edit the process, control test emails and task assignments from Settings, test directly with Start Testing, and review changes with Compare. The process reaches the Main account only when it is published, and the test records are archived once the process is synced.

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