Ironclad launched workflow used a stale template version - 'workflow version mismatch'

TL;DR

A 'workflow version mismatch' means the launcher started the workflow from an older published template version than the one you just edited. Ironclad versions workflow templates on publish, and launch configurations (buttons, links, API calls) can pin or cache the version they were built against. Republish the template, then update the launch configuration to the new version and clear any cached launcher. Verify by checking the version stamp on the newly launched run - it should match the latest published version.

The query

Ironclad launched workflow used a stale template version  -  'workflow version mismatch'

Use this when

• Ironclad reports a workflow version mismatch on launch
• A launched workflow shows old fields, old routing, or old text you already changed in the template
• The template looks right in the editor but launches behave like the previous version

Not for

• Launch failures with missing-field errors - those are field-mapping problems on the current version
• Workflows that will not launch at all - that is a trigger or permissions problem
• Version confusion between environments (staging vs production templates)

Steps

1. Confirm which version the launcher is using

Open the launch configuration (the button, link, or API call definition) and note the template version it references. Compare it to the latest published version in the template's version history. A mismatch here is the whole bug. Expected output: the launcher references version N while the template history shows a newer published version M.

2. Republish the template cleanly

In the template editor, publish the current draft so it becomes the latest version. Check the version history afterward: the new version should be marked published with your changes listed. An unpublished draft is invisible to launchers. Expected output: version history shows your new version as the current published one.

3. Point the launch configuration at the new version

Edit the launcher to reference the newly published version (or to 'latest', if your setup supports floating to latest - but note the tradeoff below). Save and, if the launcher is embedded somewhere, refresh or re-embed it so no cached copy of the old configuration survives. Expected output: the launch configuration references the new version number.

4. Launch a test run and check its version stamp

Start a workflow from the updated launcher and open the run's details to confirm it carries the new version stamp and shows the new fields and routing. Keep one old-version run for comparison if you need to prove the change. Expected output: the test run shows the new version and behaves like the edited template.

Tool compatibility

Ironclad workflow designer and launch configurations (buttons, links, API launch). Versioning behavior is the same across Ironclad environments.

Variant phrasings

• Ironclad launched workflow used a stale template version
• Ironclad workflow version mismatch on launch
• Ironclad launcher using old template version after publish
• Ironclad template changes not reflected in launched workflow

Why it happens

Ironclad snapshots the template at publish time so in-flight workflows are never mutated mid-run - a legal document in progress must not change shape underneath its signers. The cost of that safety is that launchers must explicitly move to the new snapshot. Anything that caches the launch configuration (an embedded button, a saved API payload, a pinned version) keeps launching the old snapshot until updated.

Edge cases / pitfalls

• Floating a launcher to 'latest' removes the mismatch class of bug but means template publishes instantly affect launches - use pinned versions for regulated workflows.
• In-flight runs keep their original version by design; only new launches pick up the republish.
• If two people edit the template, the second publish wins - coordinate publishes or you will chase phantom staleness.
• Clear CDN or browser cache on embedded launchers; the mismatch can live in the page, not in Ironclad.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_ua7v-d1oz3fsW4zd61W2ow