What is Active Status?
Active status is a state that marks campaigns or communications as ready and visible in calendar and timeline views. Items in active status appear in full color and are included in scheduling views, indicating they're ready for execution.
In the Communicate App, both campaigns and communications default to active status when created. Active items are visible to your team and appear in calendar and timeline views, making them part of your active communication schedule.
Why Does Active Status Matter for Church Communications?
Active status matters because it distinguishes ready-to-execute content from content that's still being prepared. Active status helps:
- Clarify readiness: Clearly indicate which communications are ready to go
- Team visibility: Ensure team members can see what's scheduled and active
- Prevent confusion: Separate active, ready content from draft or archived items
- Track execution: Identify which communications are part of your active schedule
Without clear active status, it can be difficult to distinguish between content that's ready to execute and content that's still in planning or preparation stages.
How Does Active Status Work in Communicate?
In the Communicate App, active status works for both campaigns and communications:
Campaign Active Status:
- Use the toggle at the top of the Campaign Page to set a campaign as "Active"
- When switching from draft to active, you can choose to activate all communications or leave them as drafts
- Active campaigns appear in full color in Timeline and Calendar views
Communication Active Status:
- Communications default to active status when created
- Set communications to active within their details modal
- Active communications appear in full color in Calendar views and are included in scheduling
Visual Indicators:
- Active items appear in their assigned campaign color
- No special labels or indicators (unlike draft items which are grayed out)
- Active items are visible by default in calendar and timeline views
Activating Drafts:
- For campaigns: Switch the toggle from "Draft" to "Active"
- For communications: Open the details modal and switch from draft to active status
- Changes take effect immediately
When Should You Use Active Status?
Use active status for:
- Ready content: Campaigns and communications that are complete and ready to execute
- Team visibility: Items that need to be visible to your team
- Active scheduling: Communications that are part of your current schedule
- Execution phase: Items that are moving from planning to execution
Active status is the default state for new items, making it the standard for content that's ready to be part of your active communication schedule.
Related Terms
- Draft Status - The opposite of active status, for items not yet ready
- Campaign - Can be set to active status
- Communication - Can be set to active status
- Calendar - Where active items are visible by default
- Timeline - Where active campaigns are visible by default
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are new campaigns and communications active by default?
A: Yes, new campaigns and communications default to active status when created. You can change them to draft if needed.
Q: What happens when I activate a draft campaign?
A: When switching a campaign from draft to active, you can choose to activate all associated communications or leave them as drafts for manual activation. This gives you control over when individual communications become active.
Q: Can I see the difference between active and draft items?
A: Yes, active items appear in full color, while draft items appear grayed out with a "Draft" label when the draft toggle is enabled. Active items are visible by default; drafts are hidden unless you enable the draft view.
Q: Can active communications be edited?
A: Yes, you can edit active campaigns and communications at any time. Active status only indicates visibility and readiness, not editability.
Q: What's the difference between active and archived?
A: Active status is for items that are ready and part of your current schedule. Archived status is for items that are complete and no longer needed in active views. Active items are current; archived items are historical.
Q: Can I deactivate an active campaign or communication?
A: Yes, you can switch active items back to draft status at any time. This hides them from active views while preserving the content for future activation.