Campaign dates

Set campaign dates, add visitor messages, and keep touchpoint overrides inside the campaign window.

Decide when your campaign runs and what visitors see before it opens and after it closes. The campaign sets the schedule for everything inside it, and each touchpoint follows that schedule unless you give it a narrower window of its own.

How dates carry down

Campaign dates set the overall period. A touchpoint can run on its own shorter dates, but those dates must stay fully inside the campaign dates.

Campaign dates set the default schedule for every touchpoint. When one touchpoint needs a narrower window, turn on Override Campaign Dates for that touchpoint and set its own start and end dates. You can also override its before and after visitor messages. A touchpoint's dates must always stay inside the campaign dates.

Set campaign dates

Open Build > General > Dates to set the campaign schedule.

At minimum, configure:

  • Start date
  • End date
  • Campaign Timezone

You should also add:

  • a pre-campaign message for visitors who arrive before the campaign starts
  • a post-campaign message for visitors who arrive after the campaign ends

Do not leave visitor messages empty

The pre-campaign and post-campaign messages are part of the publish requirements. If either one is missing, validation blocks publication.

Why timezone matters

Campaign Timezone controls how your campaign dates and schedule are read. Validation also checks whether the campaign timezone differs from your organisation timezone.

A mismatch is not automatically wrong. It can be intentional when the campaign targets a different region. Choose the timezone that matches the audience and reporting you need.

Override dates for a touchpoint

Touchpoints follow the campaign dates by default. When one touchpoint needs a narrower window, open its dates area and turn on Override Campaign Dates.

Use an override when:

  • one touchpoint should start later than the rest of the campaign
  • one touchpoint should end earlier
  • several touchpoints should open in different phases of the same campaign

One rule always holds: a touchpoint cannot start before the campaign starts or end after the campaign ends.

If the touchpoint also needs its own before and after messaging, turn on Override Campaign Messages in the same area.

Stagger touchpoints across the campaign

Date overrides matter most when one campaign holds several touchpoints that should not all open at once. They also suit layouts such as an Advent Calendar, where each touchpoint opens on its own day instead of sharing one launch moment.

The same scheduling applies beyond touchpoints. Reward attribution slots and some event slots also need to stay within the campaign dates.

If something's blocked

A few common reasons a campaign gets stuck at the dates step, and how to fix them:

  • The timezone isn't recognised — open Build > General > Dates and pick a valid timezone from the list.
  • Campaign timezone differs from the organisation timezone — this is a warning, not an error. Confirm the campaign targets a different region, or align both timezones if they should match.
  • End date is before start date — swap the dates so the end date comes after the start date.
  • Pre-campaign message is missing — add a message for anyone who arrives before the campaign opens.
  • Post-campaign message is missing — add a message for anyone who arrives after the campaign ends.
  • A touchpoint override falls outside the campaign window — shorten the touchpoint override or extend the campaign dates.

If validation blocks you, go to Validation & publishing first, then use the issue's explanation and fix path to return to the exact configuration area.

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