Publishing makes a simulation available to learners through its direct link and embed code. Making it private (unpublishing) stops access through those links right away, but keeps the simulation, its content and its Insights. You can see whether a simulation is published on its card on the Simulations page: the badge reads Live or Private.
Two simulation cards on the Simulations page. The badge LIVE on the first card and PRIVATE on the second card are highlighted.
Publish a simulation
On the Simulations page, click the Publish icon (rocket) on the simulation's card, or open More actions and choose Publish.
On the Live Link tab, click Publish simulation.
The direct link and the embed code appear. Copy the one you need with the copy icon.
The Live Link tab of a private simulation. A lock icon and the text "This simulation is private and cannot be reached through the direct or embed links." are shown above the highlighted Publish simulation button.
Make a simulation private
Open the Publish window of the simulation, on the Live Link tab.
Click Make simulation private.
The Live Link tab of a published simulation. Highlighted: the direct link and embed code fields, each with a copy icon, and the Make simulation private button at the bottom.
What changes when a simulation is published or private
Published: learners can play it through the direct link and wherever it is embedded — a web page, an LMS page, or an authoring tool such as Articulate Storyline, Rise or Lectora. Your edits appear for learners right away; a learner in the middle of the simulation sees them after reloading. Plays are recorded in Insights.
Private: the direct link and every embed stop working. Learners see a "Forbidden" page: "Looks like you do not have a permission to view this page." Anyone signed in to your BranchTrack account can still open it.
Publish again to bring it back. Usually the link stays the same, so existing embeds start working again. Older simulations can have a short link (for example
…/p/ab12cd); when such a simulation is published again, it gets a new, longer link, and you need to replace the old link and embed code everywhere you used them. See Troubleshooting Common Issues.
What is not affected
Play Session links keep working when a simulation is private.
Classes: a simulation added to a Class stays available to the learners of that Class.
Exported packages (SCORM, xAPI, HTML5) work on their own once you upload them to your LMS. Publishing or making the simulation private doesn't change them.