This is my first time submitting an app to the App Store. I uploaded a build through Xcode a few days ago, but no build is visible in my app record on App Store Connect (nor are any builds listed in the TestFlight tab). I haven't submitted the app for review yet, because I assumed it needs a build attached first. Did I miss a step in uploading the build?
First experience with App Store Connect
Did I miss a step in uploading the build?
Unless you explain what a thing that you so-call 'build' is and where and how you uploaded it, nobody can really give you a definite answer.
When you have one or more binaries for submission, the + button will become visible under the Build section. If you click on it, you will see a list of candidates. If you don't see the plus button or a list of candidates, something must have gone wrong. You can upload another binary with a different build number. Usually, if there is something wrong with the binary you sending, Organizer will show an error.
I opened a support ticket to find out why my builds were not appearing in TestFlight or the Distribution tabs, and after a few days, a support engineer responded. My application included an extension widget. I had inadvertently used an incorrect bundle identifier key (EXExtensionPointIdentifier) instead of NSExtensionPointIdentifier. This caused my upload to fail "plist validations". It appears those validations silently fail. Once I fixed the identifier key and uploaded a new build, all my builds appeared in the list; but now I have 3 or 4 builds sitting in "Pending" status. So for future readers, in case you upload a build and it never appears, maybe randomly check things like plist keys.