How to use time-restricted badges

You can add time restrictions to badges if you want readers to have to earn certain badges within a specific timeframe during the overall challenge duration. We do not recommend inputting the challenge start and end dates as a badge's time restrictions, because all of a challenge's badges must already be earned between those dates.

To add time restrictions to your challenge's badges, scroll down to the Badge Time Restrictions section on the badge setup page and select Restricted.

Logging badges

When you add date restrictions to logging badges, logging within that challenge changes from cumulative to episodic. With cumulative, non-restricted logging, logging badges build on each other, i.e., 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, etc.

With time-restricted logging, logging badges are set for the same amount of time over consecutive weeks, i.e., 2 hours between Jan. 1 and Jan. 7, 2 hours between Jan. 8 and Jan. 14, 2 hours between Jan. 15 and Jan. 21, etc.

When using date-restricted logging badges, there should be no overlapping dates or gaps between badges. If there are, this can cause a reader's logged units to count toward two badges or not count toward a badge at all.  

To add time restrictions to a logging badge:

1. Click the Edit button to the right of the badge title.
2. Scroll down to the Time Restrictions section and toggle it to Enabled.
3. Then, add the distinct dates between which you want readers to earn the logging badge. Logging entered on the start date, on the end date, and any day in between those two dates will count toward earning that badge.
4. Click Save and repeat for all other logging badges, remembering to save your challenge before exiting.

Review badges

When you add time restrictions to review badges, only reviews submitted within that timeframe will count toward earning that review badge. Just like with logging badges, adding time restrictions to review badges changes them from cumulative to episodic. If you include overlapping dates or gaps between dates on time-restricted review badges, reader's reviews could count toward two badges or not count toward any badge.

To add time restrictions to review badges:

1. Click the Edit button to the right of the badge title.
2. Scroll down to the Time Restrictions section and toggle it to Enabled.
3. Then, add the distinct dates between which you want readers to earn the review badge. Reviews submitted on the start date, on the end date, and any day in between those two dates will count toward earning that badge.
4. Click Save and repeat for all other review badges, remembering to save your challenge before exiting.

Activity badges

You can add time restrictions to activity badges if you'd like to make certain activities available only at certain times during the challenge. You can create weekly, monthly, or even daily activity badges alongside un-restricted activity badges. And it's OK to have overlapping dates or gaps between the dates on restricted activity badges, unlike with restricted logging badges.

To add time restrictions to activity badges:

1. Click the Edit button to the right of the activity badge title.
2. Scroll down to the question "Would you like to restrict the completion of activities to certain dates?" and toggle it to Enabled.
3. Then, add the dates between which you want readers to complete that badge's activities. Activities will be available to be completed on the start date, on the end date, and any day in between those two dates.
4. Click Save, then click Done on the next page.
5. Repeat for any other activity badges, remembering to save the challenge before exiting.

Points badges

We recommend against using time restrictions with points badges, as it complicates the points-earning structure and can confuse patrons and staff. If you have questions about a points challenge setup, refer to this article or reach out to our helpdesk.