# Rule Statuses Explained

> Source: https://primemoq.app/help/managing-rules/rule-statuses
> Collection: Managing Rules
> Updated: 2026-08-02

Active, Scheduled, Expired and Deactivated, what each badge really means, and why a rule you set to Active can still show as Deactivated.

**Short answer.** A rule's status badge shows whether it is actually enforcing right now, which can differ from what you last set it to. Prime MOQ computes this effective status from the saved status, the schedule, and whether the rule currently matches any products. A rule matching zero products shows as Deactivated whatever you saved.

## Key takeaways

- The badge is the effective status, not the saved one.
- A rule matching zero products is never enforced, and is shown as Deactivated with a tooltip.
- Calculating is a loading state, not a status. It resolves in seconds on its own.
- Activate and Deactivate live in the page header, not in the Status card, which is read-only.

## The four statuses

A rule's badge in the **Rules** list reflects whether it is *actually* enforcing
right now, which can differ from what you last set it to. Prime MOQ computes this
effective status by combining the saved status, the schedule, and whether the
rule currently matches any products.

| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **Active** (green) | Enforcing at checkout right now |
| **Scheduled** (blue) | Set to Active, but the start date has not arrived |
| **Expired** | Set to Active, but the end date has passed |
| **Deactivated** | Manually deactivated, or matching zero products |

The **Deactivated** label was renamed from "Paused" for clarity. Same meaning,
same badge, clearer wording about what happened to the rule.

## Why a rule shows Deactivated even though you set it to Active

A rule saved as Active but currently matching **zero products**, because of an
empty scope or a collection that has not been populated yet, is never actually
enforced at checkout no matter what its saved status says.

The Rules list shows this case as **Deactivated** with a tooltip explaining why,
instead of a misleading green badge on a rule that is doing nothing. Fix it by
widening the Products scope, or by adding products to the collection, tag or
vendor it targets.

## "Calculating" is a loading state, not a status

Right after saving a rule, or after a bulk activate or deactivate, a row may
briefly show **Calculating** instead of a badge. A background job is still
resolving the rule's exact matching product and variant count. It resolves within
a few seconds, and the Rules list polls in the background and updates the row
without a page refresh.

## The Activate and Deactivate button is in the page header

Activating or deactivating a rule is a single click at the **top of the rule
editor page**, next to the back arrow, not inside the Status card. The Status
card is read-only: it shows the current badge and a one-line explanation for an
at-a-glance check while you scroll.

On an existing rule, the page's primary action is always **Activate rule** or
**Deactivate rule**, whichever direction applies. The click saves the whole rule
immediately with its status flipped, so any other unsaved edit on the page is
saved along with the status change rather than silently lost.

See
[Editing, Duplicating and Deleting a Rule](/help/managing-rules/edit-duplicate-and-delete-rules)
for the full walkthrough, including why an active rule's fields are locked until
you deactivate it.

## Bulk status changes

From the **Rules** list, select several rules to reveal bulk **Activate** and
**Deactivate** actions.

- Including an already-active rule in the selection disables **Activate**, since
  there is nothing to activate, but keeps **Deactivate** available.
- Once every selected rule is deactivated, **Activate** becomes available again
  and **Deactivate** disables.
- **Delete** is only available when none of the selected rules are active.
  Deactivate first.

## FAQ

### Why is my rule not blocking checkout?

Check the badge first. Scheduled or Expired means the schedule, not the rule logic, is the reason. Deactivated with a "no matching products" tooltip means the scope is the reason. Only Active rules enforce.

### What does the Deactivated tooltip about matching products mean?

That the rule's scope currently resolves to zero products, so there is nothing for it to enforce against. Widen the scope, or add products to the collection or tag it targets, and the badge corrects itself.

### Is Deactivated the same as the old Paused label?

Yes. Same behaviour and same badge, renamed to say more clearly what happened to the rule.

### Where is the Activate button, if the Status card does not have one?

In the page header, as the primary action next to Duplicate and Delete. The Status card became read-only, so the button is no longer inside it.

### Why does the status flicker after a bulk action?

The optimistic "Calculating" state paints immediately on click, before the background job confirms the real result. It is expected and settles within seconds.

### Does deactivating a rule delete it?

No. It stops enforcing and stays in the list with all its settings, so it can be reactivated at any time. Deleting is a separate action and is only offered once a rule is not active.

**Best for:** Anyone asking why a rule is not blocking checkout. Check the badge before anything else.

**Applies to:** All limit types