Programs and Applications

Understanding Program Statuses in FORWARD Direct

Understanding program statuses in FORWARD Direct—Draft, Test, Active, Pause, and Complete—and when to use each one.

When Should I Use This?

Use this guide when you need to:

Confirm what each status means before you launch a program
Test functionality and collect test applications before going live
Make changes to a program that is already live (Active)
Deactivate a program that is finished

Step-by-Step Instructions

Open the program you want to update.
Find the Status dropdown.
Select the status you want: Draft, Test, Active, Pause, or Complete.
Click Confirm to apply the status change.

What Each Program Status Means

Draft

Draft is used when a program is still being created and configured. Draft programs are not live.

Test

Test is used to check functionality and collect test applications before the program goes live.

Active

Active means the program is live. The documentation states Active programs are live and cannot be edited.

Pause

Pause is used to make changes to a program that is currently Active. The documentation states Pause can only be applied to programs with Active status.

Complete

Complete means the program is finished and has been deactivated.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Trying to edit a program while it is Active (Active programs cannot be edited).
Trying to set a program to Pause when it is not Active (Pause only applies to programs with Active status).
Skipping Test and going straight from Draft to Active without checking functionality first.

Best Practices for FORWARD Direct Users

Use Test before Active so you can confirm the program works and collect test applications.
If a program is live and needs updates, set it to Pause, make your changes, and then return it to Active when ready.
When a program is finished, set it to Complete to deactivate it.
After selecting a new status, always click Confirm to finalize the change.

FAQ

What status is a new program created in?

New programs start in Draft after they are created and saved.

Can I edit a program after it’s Active?

No. The documentation states an Active program is live and cannot be edited. To make changes, set the program to Pause first.

When should I use Test status?

Use Test to check functionality and collect test applications before setting the program to Active.

What does Complete mean?

Complete means the program is complete and has been deactivated.

How do I apply a program status change?

Select a status from the dropdown and click Confirm to apply the change.