When you're automating business processes, collaboration and efficiency are key. With Make.com, one powerful feature that supports this is the ability to export and import blueprints. Whether you want to back up workflows, share them with your team, or replicate a process across projects, understanding how to export, review, and reimport blueprints is essential for keeping things running smoothly.
In this post, we’ll walk through how to export Make blueprints, review them for accuracy, and validate them before reimporting, so you can collaborate more efficiently and ensure your automations work seamlessly.
What Is a Make Blueprint?
In Make, a blueprint is a snapshot of your scenario (workflow) at a specific moment. It captures the structure of the automation, including triggers, actions, and connections between modules. Blueprints are useful for:
Replicating scenarios across different accounts or environments.
Backing up scenarios for safety and version control.
Sharing workflows with team members or external collaborators.
By exporting blueprints, you can create a reusable template that makes it easy to recreate the same workflow wherever you need it.
Why Exporting Blueprints Matters
Exporting blueprints can be an essential part of your workflow strategy for several reasons:
Version Control: If you're constantly improving or tweaking automations, exporting blueprints lets you keep a record of past versions.
Backup: A blueprint provides a safety net if something goes wrong with your current scenario or it needs to be recovered.
Team Collaboration: Sharing blueprints with colleagues ensures everyone is on the same page and can build off a common workflow structure.
Testing & Validation: Before implementing a scenario in a live environment, you can export the blueprint, test it in a development space, and validate it to ensure it performs as expected.
How to Export Blueprints in Make
Exporting a blueprint in Make is straightforward and can be done in a few steps:
Open the Scenario:
Navigate to the specific scenario you want to export.
Access the Export Option:
In the scenario dashboard, click on the three-dot menu (usually located in the top-right corner) and choose the Export blueprint option.
Download the Blueprint:
Make will generate a .json file that you can download. This file contains the entire configuration of the scenario, including the modules, connections, filters, and actions.
Save and Store the File:
Store this .json file in a version control system or file storage service like GitHub, Google Drive, or your internal document management system for safekeeping and easy access.
How to Review and Validate Exported Blueprints
Once you’ve exported your blueprint, the next step is to review and validate it to ensure everything will work as expected when re-imported. Here's how:
1. Review the JSON File
Open the .json file in a text editor like Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, or Notepad++.
Look at the structure to ensure that all necessary modules, triggers, actions, and connections are present. Pay attention to:
Module configurations: Are the correct connectors in place?
Filters and conditions: Are they correctly set to reflect the workflow logic?
Variables and constants: Ensure that any variables used within the workflow are defined correctly and correspond with the intended logic.
Note: If you have custom Apps which are used you can find and replace the link here to re point to test apps without having to manually update each module.
2. Test in a Sandbox or Development Environment
Before implementing the workflow in a production environment, test it in a sandbox environment.
Import the blueprint into the sandbox account, configure any connectors, and run the scenario using test data to ensure the workflow behaves as expected.
3. Check for Missing Connectors or Credentials
Sometimes, when exporting blueprints, the credentials or API keys required by specific connectors (like Google Sheets, Slack, or Salesforce) are not transferred. Ensure the necessary connectors are authorized before re-running the workflow in a new environment.
4. Run Sample Data Tests
Run the scenario with a variety of test data to make sure it handles all possible inputs and edge cases correctly.
Check error handling mechanisms within the workflow (e.g., notifications when certain actions fail).
5. Log and Track Outputs
Use logging tools to track the outputs at every stage of the workflow. This allows you to verify that data is flowing as intended and outputs are correct.
Make adjustments as needed if the outputs don’t align with expectations.
How to Import and Re-Use Blueprints
Once you've reviewed and validated the blueprint, you can easily import it into another environment or share it with team members.
Go to the Dashboard:
Open Make and navigate to the Scenarios section of your dashboard.
Import the Blueprint:
Click the three-dot menu and select Import blueprint. Choose the .json file you exported earlier.
Configure the Connectors:
After importing, you may need to reconnect some services or configure API keys and credentials for third-party apps like Gmail, Slack, or HubSpot.
Test the Workflow:
Run the workflow with sample data to ensure that it performs correctly in its new environment. If you validated it earlier in a sandbox environment, this should be a smooth process.
Document Changes or Updates:
If you're collaborating with others, make sure to document any changes you make to the scenario after importing it. Use clear naming conventions or internal notes within the workflow for better clarity.
Best Practices for Exporting and Managing Blueprints
Keep Regular Backups:
Set a routine for exporting your most important workflows. This practice will help you avoid any disruptions in case of accidental deletions or unexpected changes.
Use Version Control:
If your organization has multiple versions of a workflow (e.g., one for testing, one for production), keep each version documented and clearly labeled.
Coordinate With Your Team:
If you're working in a team, establish a clear process for sharing and importing blueprints. This will help avoid version conflicts or miscommunication about workflow setups.
Use Descriptive Names and Tags:
When exporting multiple blueprints, ensure that the files are named descriptively so you can easily identify what each scenario does. You can also add tags or internal comments to blueprints for clarity.
Conclusion: Making the Most of Make Blueprints
Exporting and managing blueprints in Make is a powerful feature that helps with workflow replication, collaboration, and backup. By regularly exporting blueprints, reviewing them for accuracy, and validating them in test environments, you can maintain reliable and scalable automations.
Whether you're managing multiple workflows across departments or collaborating with a remote team, blueprints make it easy to stay organized and efficient in your automation efforts.
Start exporting and testing your blueprints today to ensure that your workflows are not only efficient but also resilient and adaptable.