> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.userlane.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.userlane.com/best-practices/go-live-how-to-prepare-for-launch.md).

# Go-live: how to prepare for launch

What to check before turning Userlane on for end users, in the order that prevents the most common launch-day problems.

Going live means turning on the Assistant[^1] for end users. What they experience from that point depends on decisions made before launch: the right URLs set, branding matched, audiences working, content tested. This checklist covers those decisions in the order they matter.

## How it works

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Confirm the implementation is complete

The implementation is the foundation. If it is incomplete, nothing else in this checklist works.

* **Application URLs are set.** Every URL where end users work must be listed. Missing URLs mean the Assistant will not appear on those pages and HEART data will not be collected. See [Set up the application URL](/getting-started/first-steps-in-the-portal/set-up-the-application-url.md).
* **Display rules are configured.** Exclude pages where the Assistant should not appear, such as login pages and internal admin screens.
* **The Userlane implementation loads in the correct order.** The `identify` and language [commands](/developer-reference/quick-reference-of-commands.md) must run before the initialization call. If the order is wrong, user counts inflate and translations do not load.
* **Iframes are covered.** If the application uses iframes, confirm the Userlane implementation is present inside each iframe where content needs to appear.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Google Tag Manager (GTM) users.** If the implementation runs through GTM, confirm that GTM is not blocking or delaying the initialization. This is a common cause of "the Assistant does not appear" issues.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Check SSO and access

If single sign-on (SSO) is set up, confirm it works before launch. SSO problems are one of the most common go-live blockers, and most stem from the same mistakes:

* **Entry point URL vs. metadata URL.** These are different values. The entry point URL is where users log in. The metadata Extensible Markup Language (XML) URL points to the identity provider's configuration file. Swapping them causes SSO to fail silently.
* **Certificate expiry.** Certificates have an expiry date. If the certificate expires after launch, SSO will break and users will lose access. Note the expiry date and set a reminder.
* **Entity ID mismatch.** After a certificate rotation, the entity ID must still match between Userlane and the identity provider. A mismatch after rotation is a common cause of "SSO stopped working" tickets.
* **Invitation expiry.** Portal invitations expire. If team members were invited weeks ago, confirm they can still log in before go-live.

See [Portal authentication](/administration/sign-in-and-permissions/portal-authentication.md) and [End-user SSO](/deployment/rollout/end-user-single-sign-on.md) for setup details.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Style the Assistant to match the application

End users should not feel like they have landed in a different product. Before launch, check these settings:

* **Color.** Set the primary color to match the application or the organization's brand.
* **Default text.** Review the default text strings (welcome message, search placeholder, empty states). Replace generic text with language that matches the organization.
* **Avatar.** Upload a branded avatar or the organization's logo.
* **Welcome slide.** If a welcome slide introduces the Assistant, review its content and confirm it is current.
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Set up languages

If end users work in more than one language, confirm all translations are complete and published, the correct [languages](/assistance/content-operations/languages.md) are enabled in the portal, and [language detection](/developer-reference/userlane-language-detection.md) works. To test detection, switch the application language and confirm the Assistant follows. A guide that shows untranslated text in production erodes trust immediately.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Review content readiness

Test everything built in the [Editor](/assistance/a-tour-of-the-editor.md) before end users see it.

* **Guides tested on every page where they are visible.** A guide that works on one page may break on another if the layout differs or elements load at different speeds.
* **Audiences applied.** Confirm every guide, tooltip, and announcement targets the right audience. Content without an audience is visible to everyone.
* **Display rules applied.** Confirm content appears only on the intended pages.
* **Validators, tasks, and tags in place.** If the content plan includes validators[^2], tasks[^3], or tags, confirm they target the correct fields.
* **Contextual Actions tested.** If content triggers automatically, test each condition. A Contextual Action that fires on the wrong page is worse than no automation.
* **Test content removed.** Delete or unpublish placeholder guides and test announcements created during setup.
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Set up end-user support

Make it easy for end users to get help when the Assistant does not answer their question:

* **Support contact or help center link.** Configure a support link so end users can reach the help desk directly.
* **Search integration.** If the organization uses a knowledge base, [connect it](/assistance/the-assistant/connections/knowledge-connectors.md) so end users can search for answers inside the Assistant.
* **Alert notifications.** Turn these on so the team is notified when a guide step fails repeatedly.
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Announce the rollout to end users

End users who do not know the Assistant exists will not use it. Before activation, send a short message through the organization's usual channels (email, intranet, team meeting, or chat) explaining three things: what Userlane is, where to find the Assistant in the application, and who to contact if something does not work as expected. Keep it brief. One paragraph or a short slide is enough. Teams that announce the rollout see noticeably higher first-week engagement than teams that activate silently.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Activate with the Customer Value Manager

Run through this checklist with the Customer Value Manager (CVM) before you activate. The CVM has seen many launches and can spot gaps that are easy to miss from inside the project. After the CVM confirms readiness, activate the Assistant for end users.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## How to know it is working

In the first two weeks after launch, check three things:

1. **Are end users seeing the Assistant?** Check the user count in the portal. If the number is significantly lower than expected, the implementation may be missing from some pages, or the display rules may be too narrow.
2. **Are guides being started and finished?** Check guide analytics for the first-priority guides. If start rates are low, the content may not be visible to the right audience. If completion rates are low, check step-level drop-off to see where users stop.
3. **Are any guides breaking?** Check alert notifications. A spike in step errors in the first week usually means an application page behaves differently from the page the guide was tested on.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Caveat.** User counts take time to stabilize. Do not draw conclusions from the first day. Wait at least a week before comparing against expectations.
{% endhint %}

## Relevant articles

{% content-ref url="/pages/LVC0rs3ix4QBbAUObkax" %}
[Rollout](/deployment/rollout.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/xrl3g8ZSEVCM0qRA7ZCH" %}
[Content planning: how to structure a content set that scales](/best-practices/content-planning-how-to-structure-a-content-set-that-scales.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/fsN54CJn1Adx0IhuudPQ" %}
[Set up the application URL](/getting-started/first-steps-in-the-portal/set-up-the-application-url.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/IkbYytjTIP1b0c4ZNCbM" %}
[End-user single sign-on](/deployment/rollout/end-user-single-sign-on.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/CIerDK8LXMzMPa8Zey5u" %}
[Languages](/assistance/content-operations/languages.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## FAQ

<details>

<summary>What if SSO is not set up yet?</summary>

SSO is not required for go-live. Userlane works without it. However, without SSO, user attributes from the identity provider will not be available, which limits audience targeting to behavioral attributes only. If SSO is planned but not ready, go live without it and add it later.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can Userlane go live on one application before others?</summary>

Yes. Each application has its own URL configuration, display rules, audiences, and content. Go live on one application, learn from the first launch, and roll out to additional applications afterward.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What if guides break after go-live?</summary>

Check the alert notification for the affected guide. Open the guide in the Editor and navigate to the failing step. Common causes: the application updated and an element moved, the selector targets a dynamic ID that changes per session, or the page layout differs on smaller screens. Fix the [selector](/assistance/in-app-guidance/creating-selectors.md) or add a skip condition, then republish.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How long should the go-live checklist take?</summary>

For a single application with a small content set (five to ten guides, a few tooltips), the checklist takes one to two days. For applications with complex SSO, multiple languages, and large content sets, allow a full week. The time is in testing, not in configuration.

</details>

[^1]: The Assistant is the end-user-facing panel where guides, search, announcements, and help resources are accessible inside the application.

[^2]: A validator checks input at the field level in three modes: Measure (collects data silently), Visible (shows a message), and Warning (blocks submission). Validators feed the Risk dimension of HEART.

[^3]: A task tracks a multi-step workflow and measures whether end users complete a sequence of actions in order. Tasks feed the Task Success dimension of HEART. Tags, by contrast, track a single interaction and do not feed HEART.


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