What this does

Run with context override starts one of your published workflows right now and hands it a few values of your choosing, such as a customer id, an email address or a test flag. It is the quickest way to try a workflow with made-up data without waiting for a real trigger.

It is a real run, not a practice run. Every step in the workflow does its job: emails are sent, texts go out, CRM records are written. So test with addresses and records that belong to you.

Two more things to know before you start:

• The run has no chat and no contact attached. Steps that need a visitor, such as sending a message into a chat, have nobody to talk to. Use your own email address or a test record for steps that send or write something.
• Each run counts toward your plan's workflow runs. See your plan under Billing, Usage Overview.

Run it from the workflow editor

1. Open the workflow and make sure it is published. Draft workflows cannot be run.
2. Under the header, choose Run with context override (advanced).
3. Pick one of the example buttons, or type your own JSON object.
4. Choose Run now with this context. A confirmation appears and the workflow is queued.

The box checks your JSON as you type. Format JSON tidies the text. Leave the box empty to run the workflow with no extra values.

Use the values inside your workflow

Every key you send becomes a workflow variable. Write it as <<workflow.keyName>> in any step that accepts text. After your JSON is valid, the panel lists the exact variable for each key, and you can click one to copy it.

For example, with this JSON:

{
  "testEmail": "you@example.com",
  "firstName": "Pat"
}

• Put <<workflow.testEmail>> in the To field of a Send Email step.
• Put Hi <<workflow.firstName>>, this is a test. in the message.

Numbers and true/false values arrive as text, so true is the text true. In a condition, compare to the text true.

Examples you can click and run

The example buttons change with your workflow's trigger. These three work for almost any workflow.

Send a test to yourself. Use a Send Email step addressed to <<workflow.testEmail>>, then run with:

{
  "testEmail": "you@example.com",
  "firstName": "Pat"
}

You receive the email, and nobody else does.

Pretend to be a customer. Use <<workflow.customerId>> and <<workflow.plan>> in a lookup or a condition, then run with:

{
  "customerId": "12345",
  "plan": "pro"
}

Keep a safety switch. Add a condition early in the workflow that checks whether <<workflow.isTest>> equals true. On the true branch, skip the steps that contact customers or change records. Run with:

{
  "isTest": true,
  "note": "manual run"
}

A normal, real trigger never sends isTest, so the live path is untouched.

Rules for the JSON

• It must be a single object, not a list.
• Values must be text, numbers, true/false or null. Nested objects are not allowed.
• Up to 50 keys and 4 KB in total.

Run it from a script

The simplest way is the Velaro command line tool. It signs in once and then handles the credentials for you, so there is no token to copy:

velaro login
velaro workflow run 123 --context context.json

context.json is a file that holds the same JSON object you would type in the panel. Choose Copy CLI command in the panel to copy both lines, ready to paste.

Your AI tools can do the same with the workflow_run_now action, passing the workflow id and an optional context object.

About the cURL command

Copy as cURL is for developers who want to call the service directly. The command never contains a real credential. $VELARO_TOKEN is only a placeholder: it stands for an access token that you set in your own terminal before you run the command, and nothing is sent anywhere until you run it.

• If you do not already have an access token for this, use the command line tool above instead. It is easier and safer.
• Treat a token like a password. Never paste it into a workflow, a chat, a ticket or a shared document.
• The token only works for your own account. A run can never reach another customer's workflows.
• If a token is shared by mistake, sign out everywhere and contact support@velaro.com.

Need a hand?

Choose the ? button next to the panel title and Moshky will explain it for your workflow.