> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.withessential.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.withessential.com/customers-and-work/scheduling/draft-visits-and-releasing-them-to-the-team.md). # Draft visits and releasing them to the team While you're arranging the schedule you can keep visits as drafts if Draft Visits is enabled in Settings > Scheduling > Features. A draft visit is tentative and not yet released to the team, so technicians don't see it on their side until you release it, which lets you plan a day or week before committing it. When there are drafts in the range you're viewing, a banner at the top of the Scheduling page reads "N draft visits need attention" and lists them by day so you can review them together. To commit a draft, open its details and use Release; to pull a committed visit back, use Revert to Draft. When you ask Essential whether someone is free, it treats a draft as tentative rather than a firm conflict and flags it as not yet released. If Draft Visits is turned off in Settings, Essential releases all current draft visits to technicians and any configured customer reminders for those visits can be scheduled and sent. That change cannot be undone. > **Where to find it:** Scheduling page, the draft visits banner at the top, and a visit's details (Release / Revert to Draft) ## Related guides * [See and manage your schedule](/customers-and-work/scheduling/see-and-manage-your-schedule.md) * [Work with the scheduling backlog](/customers-and-work/scheduling/work-with-the-scheduling-backlog.md) * [Add work orders (visit types) and contacts with reminders to a visit](/customers-and-work/scheduling/add-work-orders-visit-types-and-contacts-with-reminders-to-a-visit.md) * [Create a new visit](/customers-and-work/scheduling/create-a-new-visit.md) * [Deleting a scheduled visit is permanent](/customers-and-work/scheduling/deleting-a-scheduled-visit-is-permanent.md) * [Turn scheduling and GPS features on or off](/administration/settings/turn-scheduling-and-gps-features-on-or-off.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://learn.withessential.com/customers-and-work/scheduling/draft-visits-and-releasing-them-to-the-team.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.