Scheduled Documents

Scheduled Documents allow you to automate when content becomes available to Smart Assistant users. By setting activation and deactivation dates, you can plan content releases in advance, manage seasonal information, and ensure time-sensitive content is automatically published and removed without manual intervention.

This powerful feature enables content teams to:

• Pre-plan product launches and campaigns
• Automate seasonal content updates
• Schedule limited-time promotions
• Manage event-based information
• Coordinate content releases across timezones

Understanding Document Scheduling #

What is a Scheduled Document? #

A document becomes SCHEDULED when:

1. It is saved with status “Ready” (or is already in Ready status)
2. AND a future activation date is set

The system automatically assigns the SCHEDULED status - you don’t need to manually select it. Once the activation date arrives (at 00:00:00 UTC), the document automatically transitions to PUBLISHED status during the next system check.

Publication States Explained #

The Five Document States #

1. DRAFT - Work in progress, excluded from publication
2. READY - Finalized, ready to publish immediately (no future activation date)
3. SCHEDULED - Finalized with future activation date, waiting for that date to arrive
4. PUBLISHED - Currently active and used to answer user questions
5. UNPUBLISHED - Was published but has been deactivated (reached deactivation date)

State Transition Flow #

• Creating New Document: DRAFT → (add future activation date + save as Ready) → SCHEDULED → (date arrives) → PUBLISHED
• Without Activation Date: DRAFT → (save as Ready) → READY → (publish action) → PUBLISHED
• With Deactivation Date: PUBLISHED → (deactivation date arrives) → UNPUBLISHED
• Editing Published Document: PUBLISHED → (modify content + save) → READY → (publish action) → PUBLISHED

Activation Dates #

How Activation Dates Work #

Activation Date determines when a document becomes active and usable by Smart Assistant to answer user questions.

Key Characteristics:

• Must be a future date when setting
• Time is automatically set to 00:00:00 UTC
• Document won’t be used before this date, even if published
• Cannot be changed once document is published
• Remains empty if not set (immediate activation upon publication)

Setting Activation Dates #

When Creating a Document:

1. Fill in all required fields (Title, Content)
2. Set the Activation Date to a future date
3. Click “Save as Ready”
4. Status automatically becomes SCHEDULED
5. Publish immediately (or with other changes)
6. Document will activate on the specified date

Important Restriction:

Why Activation Dates Lock #

The activation date locks after publication to ensure:

• Timeline Integrity: Prevents retroactive changes to when content was “live”
• Audit Trail: Maintains accurate records of content availability
• Consistency: Users and systems can trust the activation history
• Prevents Confusion: Avoids situations where published content has a future activation date

If you need to change an activation date:

1. If document is still DRAFT or READY - change freely
2. If document is SCHEDULED but not yet published - change freely
3. If document is PUBLISHED - you cannot change it (delete and recreate if absolutely necessary)

Deactivation Dates #

How Deactivation Dates Work #

Deactivation Date determines when a document becomes inactive and is no longer used by Smart Assistant.

Key Characteristics:

• Must be a future date when setting
• Time is automatically set to 00:00:00 UTC
• Document automatically transitions to UNPUBLISHED when date arrives
• Can be edited at any time - even for published documents
• Remains empty if not set (document stays active indefinitely)

Setting Deactivation Dates #

During Creation or Editing:

1. Set the Deactivation Date to a future date
2. Must be later than Activation Date (if set)
3. Save the document
4. The system will automatically deactivate on that date

Flexibility: Unlike activation dates, deactivation dates can always be modified:

• Extend availability - Move date forward
• Shorten availability - Move date closer
• Remove expiration - Clear the deactivation date entirely
• Add expiration - Set a deactivation date on existing published documents

What Happens on Deactivation #

When a document reaches its deactivation date:

1. Status automatically changes to UNPUBLISHED
2. Document is removed from Smart Assistant’s active knowledge base
3. It will no longer be used to answer user questions
4. Document remains in Document Manager for reference/reactivation
5. Can be edited and republished later if needed

Date Validation Rules #

Format and Timezone #

• Format: YYYY-MM-DD (date picker ensures correct format)
• Timezone: All dates use UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)
• Precision: Day-level (time is always 00:00:00)
• Calendar: Standard Gregorian calendar

Validation Constraints #

The system enforces these rules:

1. Both dates are optional - You can leave both blank
2. Dates must be in the future - Cannot set past dates
3. Activation must precede deactivation - If both are set, activation must be earlier
4. No same-day scheduling - Activation and deactivation cannot be the same date
5. Activation locks after publication - Cannot change once document is published
6. Deactivation always editable - Can change anytime, even for published documents

Timezone Considerations #

Since all dates use UTC, consider your local timezone when setting dates:

Example Scenarios:

• New York (EST/EDT): UTC -5/-4 hours

  • Setting activation for “January 1” means January 1 at 00:00 UTC
  • In New York, this is December 31 at 19:00 EST (7 PM previous day)

• Tokyo (JST): UTC +9 hours

  • Setting activation for “January 1” means January 1 at 00:00 UTC
  • In Tokyo, this is January 1 at 09:00 JST (9 AM same day)

Use Cases and Examples #

1. Seasonal Content #

Scenario: Holiday shopping guide that should be available from November 15 to December 31.

Setup:

• Create document in October
• Set Activation Date: November 15, 2024
• Set Deactivation Date: January 1, 2025
• Save as Ready and publish immediately
• Status: SCHEDULED

Timeline:

• Oct 15: Document created, status SCHEDULED
• Nov 15, 00:00 UTC: Automatically becomes PUBLISHED
• Dec 31, 23:59 UTC: Still PUBLISHED
• Jan 1, 00:00 UTC: Automatically becomes UNPUBLISHED

2. Product Launch #

Scenario: New product information that should go live exactly at midnight on launch day.

Setup:

• Create document weeks in advance
• Set Activation Date: Launch day (e.g., March 1, 2024)
• No Deactivation Date (permanent content)
• Save as Ready and publish
• Status: SCHEDULED

Benefits:

• Content is reviewed and ready well before launch
• No need to manually publish at midnight
• Guaranteed simultaneous activation
• Marketing team can focus on other tasks

3. Limited-Time Promotion #

Scenario: Black Friday sale information, available only during the event.

Setup:

• Create document in advance
• Set Activation Date: November 24, 2024 (Black Friday)
• Set Deactivation Date: November 28, 2024 (Monday after)
• Save as Ready and publish
• Status: SCHEDULED

Timeline:

• Document activates automatically Friday morning
• Users can ask about Black Friday deals all weekend
• Monday morning, automatically deactivates
• No manual cleanup needed

4. Event Information #

Scenario: Conference schedule that’s relevant for one month before and during event.

Setup:

• Create document 2 months before conference
• Set Activation Date: One month before conference
• Set Deactivation Date: One day after conference ends
• Save as Ready and publish
• Status: SCHEDULED

Benefits:

• Information becomes available when users start planning
• Automatically removes after event concludes
• No outdated info lingering in knowledge base

5. Policy Updates #

Scenario: New return policy takes effect on January 1, old policy should be removed.

Two-Document Strategy:

1. Old Policy Document:

• Already published
• Add Deactivation Date: January 1, 2025
• Will automatically unpublish at year end

2. New Policy Document:

• Create in advance
• Set Activation Date: January 1, 2025
• Publish immediately
• Status: SCHEDULED
• Will activate when old one deactivates

Result: Seamless transition with no gap in information

Content Calendar Planning #

Planning Workflow #

Step 1: Quarterly Content Review

• Identify upcoming events, launches, seasons
• List all time-sensitive content needs
• Note activation and deactivation dates

Step 2: Batch Document Creation

• Create all documents in DRAFT status
• Write and review content thoroughly
• Set appropriate activation/deactivation dates
• Save as Ready when finalized

Step 3: Schedule Review

• Check Document List for all SCHEDULED items
• Verify dates are correct
• Ensure no conflicts or overlaps
• Publish all at once

Step 4: Monitor Activations

• Set calendar reminders for activation dates
• Check that content activated correctly
• Monitor assistant responses
• Adjust deactivation dates if needed

Example Content Calendar #

Q4 2024 Content Schedule:
November:
- Nov 1: Fall collection deactivation
- Nov 15: Holiday gift guide activation
- Nov 20: Black Friday prep guide activation
- Nov 24: Black Friday sale info activation

December:
- Dec 1: Holiday shipping deadlines activation
- Dec 15: Last-minute gift ideas activation
- Dec 26: After-Christmas sale activation
- Dec 31: Holiday content deactivation

January 2025:
- Jan 1: New Year sale activation
- Jan 1: New return policy activation
- Jan 15: Winter clearance activation
- Jan 31: Holiday remnants deactivation

Managing Scheduled Documents #

Viewing Scheduled Documents #

In the Document List:

• Scheduled documents show SCHEDULED status badge (purple)
• You can filter or sort by status
• Activation/deactivation dates visible in document details
• “Changes?” column shows if manually edited after import

Editing Scheduled Documents #

Before Activation:

• All fields editable, including activation date
• Can change from SCHEDULED back to DRAFT
• Can modify content without triggering re-publication
• Activation date remains changeable

After Activation (PUBLISHED):

• Content editable (creates READY status)
• Activation date locked (grayed out)
• Deactivation date still editable
• Must republish for changes to take effect

Canceling Scheduled Activations #

Option 1: Change to Draft

• Open the scheduled document
• Click “Save as Draft”
• Document removed from publication queue
• Won’t activate on scheduled date

Option 2: Delete Document

• Use if you no longer need the content
• Permanent action - cannot be undone
• Removes from publication queue immediately

Option 3: Push Activation Date

• If document not yet published, edit activation date
• Move to further in future
• Keeps document scheduled, just for later