Date restrictions on Content in D2L Brightspace

Set the availability dates for content

Start, due, and end dates specify when students can access a content topic.

• Start Date – Students can access the topic in the Content tool.  However, a student cannot click on the topic until the start date. Before the start date, the topic’s title is grayed out (i.e. not a clickable link).
• Due Date – A student can click on the topic to view it any time before or after the due date. After a due date has past, an ‘overdue’ message displays under the topic's title.
• End Date – A student can click on the topic to view it any time before the topic’s end date. If a student is viewing a topic and the end date passes, the student can continue viewing the content topic until they navigate away from the page. After the end date, the topic’s title is grayed out to students (not a clickable link).

Add or edit availability dates for a unit or topic

Important: If you set start, due, end dates for a content unit, those date restrictions also apply to all topics in that unit.

1. Navigate to the Content tool. 
2. Expand the module/unit in the left navigation panel. 
3. Select the module/unit or the topic you want to add dates to. 
4. Select three-dot options menu. 
5. Select Edit. 
6. To add a due date, enter a date in the Due Date field. 
7. To add a start date, expand the Availability Dates & Conditions section. Enter a date in the Start Date field. 
8. To add a end date, expand the Availability Dates & Conditions section. Enter a date in the End Date field. 
9. Optional:
   • To edit dates, click directly on the existing date or time field. Select the new date or time. 
   • To delete a date, click directly on the existing date field. Select Clear. 
10. When ready, select Save and Close. 

I can't edit the dates for an item or activity from Content. What should I do?

In the New Content Experience, you may find that an item or activity does not allow you edit the dates from Content. For example, a checklist item (with a due date) added as a content item does not have an option to edit the due date from Content. 

Generally, these items would include: 

• Checklists with start, due, and/or end dates
• ePortfolio items with start, due, and/or end dates
• Self-Assessments with start, due, and/or end dates
• Surveys with start, due, and/or end dates

In this case, you can remove the item from Content and re-add it to the content module/unit. 

Remove an item from the module/unit and re-add it to Content

1. Navigate to the Content tool. 
2. Expand the module/unit in the left navigation panel. 
3. Select the module/unit or the topic you want to edit the dates for. 
4. Make note of the item's name. You will need this for step 11. 
5. Select three-dot options menu. 
6. Select Delete.
7. In the confirmation window, select the Remove the topic from Content but keep the associated file or activity in the course option. 
8. Select Delete. 
9. Re-add the activity to the module/unit using Add Existing. 
10. Select the Brightspace item type on the page. You may need to select More first. 
11. Select the specific item you want to re-add. 
12. You can reorder the item (using the 8-dot icon to the left of the title) to place it back to the original place in the module/unit. 

If you have many content items that have un-editable dates, please contact the Minnesota State Learning Technologies team and we can help remove those dates for you in bulk. 

Hide or make visible content

As you build your course content, you can set your units as drafts to keep them hidden from your students until they are complete and ready for viewing.

Hide or make visible an entire unit

You can hide a content unit by setting its status as hidden. The hidden status hides the unit and all its topics from students, whereas the visible status makes the topic visible to students.

1. Navigate to the Content tool. 
2. In the left navigation panel, select the module/unit you want to hide or make visible. 
3. Select three-dot options menu. 
4. Select Edit. 
5. Toggle the Visible or Hidden toggle. 
6. When ready, select Save and Close. 

Notes:

• If you add a future start date to a visible module/unit, the unit and its topics' titles will display to students, but they will not be able to review the topics' details until the start date.  
• If you add a start/end/due date to a hidden module/unit, students will not access the module/unit or its topics until you manually set it to visible.  

Hide or make visible a topic

You can hide a content topic by setting the status as hide from users. The hidden status hides the topic from students, whereas the visible status makes the topic visible to students.

1. Navigate to the Content tool. 
2. In the left navigation panel, expand the module/unit containing the topic you want to edit. 
3. Select the topic title. 
4. Select three-dot options menu. 
5. Select Edit. 
6. Toggle the Visible or Hidden toggle. 
7. When ready, select Save and Close. 

Notes:

• If you add a future start date to a visible topic, the topic will display to students, but they will not be able to review the topic's details until the start date.  
• If you add a start/end/due date to a hidden topic, students will not access the topic until you manually set it to visible.