# Import, Export and Lifecycle

Import an orchestration as a draft, bind its secret, save a version from the File menu, then export it again.

- Page: https://perceivo.ai/university/orch-03-import-export-lifecycle
- JSON: https://perceivo.ai/registry/film/orch-03-import-export-lifecycle.json
- Kind: film
- Revision: 3 (published 2026-10-18, produced 2026-10-15)
- Previous revision 1 (published 2026-10-07): https://perceivo.ai/registry/film/orch-03-import-export-lifecycle/r1.json
- Previous revision 2 (published 2026-10-12): https://perceivo.ai/registry/film/orch-03-import-export-lifecycle/r2.json
- SDK version: none

## Validation

- SDK: not applicable (UI walkthrough; no component or orchestration is offered for download)
- Platform: not applicable (UI walkthrough; no component or orchestration is offered for download)

## Transcript

[0:00] Introduction to Orchestrations, Episode 3: Import, Export and Lifecycle
[0:06] Every example in this series comes as a single file you can import.
[0:11] In this episode we import an orchestration called Ask an Expert.
[0:15] We'll show you how to bind its secret, and export it again.
[0:20] An import file fully defines the orchestration, every component, and the connections between them.
[0:26] Each component names the secrets it needs, but a secret's value never travels in the file.
[0:34] To import, click Import and choose the file.
[0:37] Ask an Expert calls ChatGPT, so it needs an OpenAI key, and no key is bound yet.
[0:43] The platform tells you exactly what is missing, and offers to import it as a draft.
[0:49] A draft is private to you.
[0:51] Nothing runs until you publish the orchestration.
[0:54] Publishing runs the orchestration through full validation, to ensure it is runnable on the platform.
[1:02] Perceivo does not export or import secret bindings.
[1:06] So one thing you must always do after importing an orchestration, is bind any secrets.
[1:13] At the bottom of the inspector, under Secrets, pick your organization's OpenAI key.
[1:18] The row now reads Bound.
[1:20] The key stays in your organization's vault, and the component reads it at run time.
[1:26] And that is all you need to do before you publish and run it.
[1:39] Now, if you want to share your orchestration, you will want to use the export function.
[1:43] This will be in the File menu, when you have a published orchestration open in the canvas.
[1:49] Export always writes the last saved version, so what you share is exactly what you saved.
[1:56] Your agent can do all of this from code.
[1:58] If your agent develops the orchestration locally, it can use the Perceivo SDK to export the file, and the Perceivo client to upload it to the cloud as a draft, ready for you to review and put into production.
[2:13] Everything in this series is open source.
[2:16] You'll find Ask an Expert, and every example in this series, in the Perceivo SDK repository under examples.
[2:25] Next time, we open up components and the rules for connecting them.
[2:29] See you there.