Best Practices for Adding Messages to an Automated Program

When adding Program Messages to an Automated Programs, here are a few best practices: 

• Program Messages are triggered messages that live as a unique message within the Program. If you use a Sent, Template, or Draft Message to create a Program Message then the Program Message is now separate from the Sent, Template, or Draft Message it was created from. ie: If you edit the Draft Message that you used to create a Program Message, the Program Message will not reflect the changes made to the Draft.
• If you are using a branch step to send an message a second time with a different subject line, it is best practice to first create the message as a Draft or Template outside of the Automated Program. Then, when adding the Program Messages, you can add the one Draft or Template to the AP twice, and edit the subject line within the Program Messages. ie: Create a Draft for Program Email 1, then within the AP go to Program Messages and click +, add the Program Email 1 from drafts. Repeat this step and then edit each Program Message, so that they are Program Email 1 Subject 1 and Program Email 1 Subject 2 which can be used in the engagement branch email steps if the Email 1 Subject 1 wasn't opened or clicked. 
• You cannot edit an Automated Program when it is running, but you can edit the Program Messages without turning the program off. To do this, go to Outbound > Other Messages > Triggered Messages > Program Messages > find the Program Message in question and select Edit. You can then make any changes are updates. Once saved, any contact who passes through the step in the workflow where that Program Message is used will receive the updated version of the Program Message. 
• You are able to add Program Messages from another Automated Program to a new program, but the Program Message you want to use must be tied to a step within the other Automated Program. It is not possible to copy or duplicate a Program Message unless it has been assigned to a workflow step.