Program Lifecycle and Visibility
Programs control when families can see and register for your offerings. Understanding how Program dates and Registration dates work together — and how different Program setups appear to families — helps you avoid visibility surprises and keep your seasons running smoothly.
What you'll find in this article
How Programs appear to admins over time on the Manage Programs page
How Program Start and End Dates control the lifecycle
What families need to see before a registration option appears
How visibility works for Open Programs, Invitational Programs, and Grouped Registrations
Common lifecycle patterns and how to choose the right setup
How do Programs appear to admins over time?
The Manage Programs page shows currently active Programs by default, plus any that ended within the last 30 days.
If you need to see older Programs, use the Filters button to change or remove the End Date filter. You can also include removed Programs if you need to review or restore one.
The default sort shows the Program with the furthest out End Date at the top. You can sort by any column to focus on a particular season or Program type.
How do Program dates control the lifecycle?
Programs do not have labeled statuses in the interface, but Start Date and End Date define how they behave at every stage.
Before the Start Date
The Program exists for admins in Manage Programs
Families do not see it yet, even if registrations are already built
Between Start Date and End Date
The Program is considered in season
If at least one Registration is open, the Program will be visible to families on their User Dashboard
After the End Date
Families will not see the Program as a sign-up option
Admins can still view it, use it for reporting, and see historical activity
Program dates also connect to scheduling:
Calendar Events tied to a Program or its teams must fall on or before the Program End Date
You cannot create new future calendar events for that Program after its End Date, although past events remain visible
If you extend or shorten a season, updating the Program dates keeps the lifecycle and scheduling in sync
Why can't families see my Program?
For a registration option to appear to a family, all of the following must be true at the same time:
The Program Start Date is on or before today
The Program End Date is on or after today
At least one Registration within that Program is open, based on its own Registration Start Date and End Date
The player meets the eligibility rules defined in that Registration
If the Program is within its date range but all Registrations inside it are closed, full, or not yet open, families will not see anything to register for.
Visibility works the same on web and in the mobile app.
How does visibility work for Open Programs?
Open Programs allow players to sign up without an invitation, as long as they are eligible.
Eligible options appear in the Open Programs widget on the player or parent dashboard. The widget checks both Program dates and Registration dates, then applies eligibility rules such as age and gender.
When a Program has multiple Registrations, families see only the ones their player qualifies for.
If the Program dates are correct but nothing is showing for families, the most common causes are:
All Registrations in that Program are outside their Registration date ranges
Eligibility rules are set in a way that excludes the player you are testing with
How does visibility work for Invitational Programs with Registration?
Invitational Programs still rely on dates and open Registrations, but they also use invitations to control who sees what.
Admins roster players to a team and send invitations
Each Registration is tied to a specific team or set of teams, so invited families see the correct price and sign-up flow for their team If no teams are assigned to a Registration, the system will show that Registration to all teams
Once an invitation is sent and both the Program and Registration are within their date ranges, the option appears for that family in the Open Programs widget, and an invitation alert banner is shown above the list of players
Important: Ensure that the Program and Registration End Dates are active before sending invitations. If they are not, parents will receive the invitation email but will not be able to see the registration as available to sign up.
Grouped Registrations can also be used with Invitational Programs. For example, a player invited to a club team might see different options for a single season, multiple seasons, or a full year.
How do Grouped Registrations affect what families see?
Grouped Registrations help when a Program has many different registration options, keeping the dashboard clean and guiding families to the right choice step by step.
When Grouped Registrations are enabled:
Players and parents first see the Program name in the Open Programs widget
After clicking into the Program, they see admin-defined folders
Inside each folder, they see the specific Registrations they are eligible for
This structure applies to both Open and Invitational Programs.
The same date and eligibility rules still apply:
The Program must be within its Start and End Dates
At least one Registration inside a folder must be open
The player must meet the eligibility rules for that Registration
What are the most common Program lifecycle patterns?
Most organizations use Programs in one of three repeatable patterns. Choosing the right pattern upfront makes it easier to set appropriate dates and avoid visibility surprises.
Seasonal Programs Examples: a full-year competitive program or a seasonal recreational league where players sign up each season separately
Program dates usually match the season boundary
Registrations might open before the season begins and close once teams are formed
Ongoing Programs Examples: open gyms that run all year, with sign-ups for each individual session
Program dates cover a long span, often many months or a full year
Registrations might open and close repeatedly inside that window for each date or block of sessions
Ad Hoc Programs Examples: camps and clinics offered at specific times of year
Program dates are short and tied to a specific week, break, or weekend
Registrations typically open in advance, then close once the event is full or the date passes
When setting up a Program, start by deciding which pattern you are aiming for. Then choose Start and End Dates that reflect the true life of that Program, and build Registrations that open and close at the right times inside that window.
If you see unexpected behavior — such as a Program not appearing for families or events that cannot be scheduled — the first places to check are the Program dates and the Registration dates.
FAQs
Why can families not see my Program even though I created it?
The Program Start Date must be on or before today, the Program End Date must be on or after today, at least one Registration must be open, and the player must meet the eligibility rules for that Registration.
What happens after the Program End Date passes?
Families will no longer see the Program as a sign-up option, but admins can still view it, use it for reporting, and see historical activity.
Do Program dates affect calendar events?
Yes. Calendar Events tied to a Program or its teams must fall on or before the Program End Date. You cannot create new future events after the End Date has passed, although past events remain visible.
How do Grouped Registrations affect visibility?
When Grouped Registrations are enabled, families first click into the Program, then see folders containing the specific Registrations they are eligible for. The same Program and Registration date rules still apply.