---
title: Drafts and test emails
sidebarTitle: Drafts & test emails
description: >-
  Save an announcement as a draft, come back to it later, and send yourself a
  test email before anyone else sees it.
audience: luminary
feature: announcements
type: guide
availability: live
last_verified: '2026-10-13'
keywords:
  - save draft
  - test email
  - preview email
  - send test
  - announcement draft
  - proof email
url: >-
  https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/audience/announcements/drafts-and-test-emails
---

# Drafts and test emails

> Save an announcement as a draft, come back to it later, and send yourself a test email before anyone else sees it.

Drafts let you write now and publish later. Preview sends a real copy of the email to any address, so you can check it in an inbox before your audience does.

## When to use this

- You're halfway through and want to finish tomorrow.
- You want a co-worker or friend to proofread the email.
- You want to see how your header, footer and images look on a phone.

## Save a draft

**Step 1: Turn notifications off**

In the editor, switch off Notify members. A draft can't carry a broadcast.

**Step 2: Save it**

Click Save Draft. A title is the only thing you need. You'll see *"Post saved as draft"* and
land back on the list.

**Step 3: Find it later**

Open the Drafts tab on [Audience → Announcements](https://portal.bringsoul.life/announcement).
Click a draft (or Edit Draft in its ⋯ menu) to carry on.

If you click Save Draft with Notify members on, Soul stops you: _"Cannot Save as Draft with Notifications Enabled"_. Choose Disable Notifications & Save Draft to turn notifications off and save, or Go Back.

## Send a test email

**Step 1: Open Preview**

In the editor, click Preview (Preview Email in the ⋮ menu on a phone). Your title and body must
be filled in.

**Step 2: Enter an address**

In *"Send Preview Email"*, type any email address and click Send Preview.

**Step 3: Check your inbox**

You'll see *"Preview email sent successfully"*. The test uses your real header, footer and title
setting, addressed to *"Test User"*.

Previews only go to the address you type. Nobody in your audience gets them, and they don't count in your broadcast numbers.

**Note:** 
Previewing a brand-new announcement saves it as a draft first, so a copy appears on your Drafts
tab. If you then publish from the same editor, you may end up with an extra draft. Delete it from
the Drafts tab.

## Publish a draft

Open the draft and click Publish. In the dialog (_"Would you like to notify your community about this post?"_), Notify members starts on. Pick your audiences and timing and click Publish & Notify, or switch it off and click Publish without notifying. The draft moves to the Published tab. The audiences aren't remembered from before, so choose them again.

## Tips

- Test on your phone. Most people read on mobile.
- Send the preview to a second address you own to see what lands in a normal inbox.
- An address that has bounced or been blocked before can't receive previews. Soul says _"The email address … is suppressed and cannot receive emails."_ Use another address.
- Drafts are private. Nobody sees a draft on your portal, even with its link.

## Related

- [Write an announcement](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/audience/announcements/write-an-announcement)
- [Edit, unpublish or delete an announcement](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/audience/announcements/edit-unpublish-or-delete)
- [Email Settings](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/settings/email-settings)
- [Announcements](https://help.bringsoul.life/luminaries/audience/announcements)