Recovering or Deleting Programs Safely

When Should I Use This?

Use this process when you need to:

• Deactivate a program that is finished (set it to COMPLETE) 

• Delete a program (hide it from program lists and remove applicant access) 

• Recover a program that was deleted (restore visibility and access to program data)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1) Deactivate a Program (Set Status to COMPLETE)

1. Navigate to the program you want to deactivate. 

2. Find the Status dropdown. 

3. Select COMPLETE (the program is complete and has been deactivated). 

4. Click Confirm to finalize the status change.

2) Delete a Program (Process-Admin only)

Before you can delete a program, you must:

• Deactivate the program first (safety requirement), and 

• Have Process-Admin permissions for that specific program.

• Navigate to the program you want to delete. 

• Click Manage Program in the program navigation. 

• Go to Basic Settings. 

• Scroll to the Delete Program button. 

• Click Delete Program, then confirm.

What happens when a program is deleted:

• The program is hidden from all program lists 

• Applications become inaccessible to applicants 

• The program’s phone number is released back to the system 

• Program data is preserved (not permanently deleted)

3) Recover a Deleted Program (Portal Admin only)

Only Portal-Admins (Organization Administrators) can recover deleted programs. 

1. Go to Portal Settings (organization-level settings). 

2. Select Deleted Programs in the left sidebar. 

3. Find the program you want to recover in the list of deleted programs. 

4. Click Recover for that program.

What happens when a program is recovered:

• The program becomes visible again 

• The program is automatically set to Draft status 

• Program data and applications are accessible again 

• The phone number is not automatically restored (you must set up a new phone number) 

• The program is not automatically reactivated (you must configure and activate it)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trying to delete a program before deactivating it (deactivation is required first). 

• Expecting a Portal Admin to delete programs (Portal Admins cannot delete programs). 

• Expecting a Process-Admin to recover programs (Process-Admins cannot recover deleted programs). 

• Assuming the program’s phone number will return after recovery (it will not).

Best Practices for FORWARD Direct Users

• Use program statuses intentionally: ACTIVE programs cannot be edited, and PAUSE is used to make changes to an active program. 

• Treat deletion as a controlled action: Process-Admins can delete programs they manage, while Portal Admins recover programs for the organization. 

• After recovery, plan for re-setup work: the recovered program returns as Draft, needs a new phone number, and must be configured and activated again.

FAQ

Who can delete a program in FORWARD Direct?

Process-Admins (Program Managers) can delete programs they manage, and they must deactivate the program first. 

Who can recover a deleted program?

Only Portal-Admins (Organization Administrators) can recover deleted programs. 

What happens to program data after deletion?

Program data is preserved (it is not permanently deleted). 

What status is a recovered program set to?

Recovered programs are automatically set to Draft. 

Does the program phone number come back after recovery?

No. The phone number is not automatically restored; you will need to set up a new phone number.