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Deleting vs. deactivating

Nearly everything in PBHQ has an "Active" toggle. That's the intended off switch — deleting is often refused, and where it isn't, it's usually the wrong choice.

The rule#

Deactivate to hide something. Delete only for genuine mistakes.

Deactivating removes an item from your booking page immediately while keeping every booking, payment, and report that references it intact. Deleting throws that history away — so PBHQ refuses whenever throwing it away would corrupt your records.

What happens when you try to delete#

Item If it has history
Gear tier Refused: Cannot delete "{name}" — it has existing bookings. Deactivate it instead.
Party package Refused: Cannot delete "{name}" — it has existing bookings. Deactivate it instead.
Add-on Refused: Cannot delete "{name}" — it has existing bookings. Deactivate it instead.
Custom activity Refused: Cannot delete "{name}" — it is still used by: {…}. Deactivate it instead to hide it from your booking page.
Play area Refused if a future published event reserves it. Otherwise allowed, with a warning: {n} upcoming booking(s) are no longer associated with a play area.
Play area group Delete the areas inside it first.
Add-on group Always allowed. Its add-ons survive, just ungrouped: Group "{name}" deleted. Its extras are now ungrouped.
Discount code Always allowed, no guard. Bookings that used it keep their discounted price.
Booking Always allowed, permanently. Removes it from your reports.

Where the guards don't protect you#

Three cases delete without complaint. Think before you click.

Deleting a play area doesn't refuse for ordinary bookings — it just tells you afterwards how many lost their field assignment. Those bookings survive but have no area, and you'll need to sort them out by hand. Deactivate instead if you might want the area back.

Deleting a discount code is unguarded. Untick "Active" instead: the code stops working immediately and stays in your usage history, so your reporting still adds up.

Deleting a booking is permanent and removes it from your reports. Use the "Cancelled" status instead — it frees the gear and the play area, keeps the record, and keeps your cancellation rate honest. Delete is for test bookings you made yourself.

Seasonal work#

Deactivating is how you handle a season change:

  • Winter: untick "Active" on your outdoor play areas and your summer-only packages.
  • Spring: tick them back on. Everything returns exactly as it was — prices, photos, restrictions, allowed days.

Don't delete and rebuild. You'd lose the history, and you'd have to retype everything.

What deactivating actually does#

It does It doesn't
Removes the item from your public booking page Cancel or change existing bookings
Removes it from customer-facing pickers Remove it from reports or history
Keeps every setting for when you switch it back on Free up any gear

Existing bookings on a deactivated item continue exactly as before. Customers who already booked still play; new customers just can't book it.