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

Add or edit availability dates for a module or topic

Important: If you set start, due, end dates for a content module, those date restrictions also apply to the module’s topics.

1. Navigate to the content module or topic from the Table of Contents panel.
2. Click Add dates and restrictions... or click on the existing dates.
3. Do any of the following:
   • To add dates, click Add start date, Add due date, and/or Add end date. Enter the dates. 
   • To edit dates, click directly on the existing date and/or time fields. Enter the new dates. 
   • To delete a date, click the 'x' Remove icon.
4. Click Update.

Hide or make visible content

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

Hide or make visible an entire module

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

1. Navigate to the content module from the Table of Contents panel.
2. At the top of the module, select the eye icon to change the module’s visibility status to students.
   
3. Toggle the setting to visible or hidden, depending on your needs. 
   
4. Changes are saved automatically. 

Notes:

• If you add a future start date to a visible module, the module 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, students will not access the module 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 module from the Table of Contents panel.
2. Select a module.
3. From the topic's menu, do one of the following:
   • Select hide from users to set as hidden from students.
   • Select make visible to users to set as visible to students.
4. Changes are saved automatically. 

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.