To indicate that a Package has been distributed select Distributed from the Package Maintenance Window toolbar or context (right click) menu of the selected Package.

A package can only be flagged as distributed after it has been built.

When a dependent package is built the parent package is automatically released.

Distributing a package means that it is now available for automatic download from a Just in Time server.  This is also an indication that the package should not be rebuilt without careful consideration of any subsequent Version or Patches in this Application.  If the package is rebuilt the new set of GUIDs generated will be incompatible with subsequent Patches.