Hibernation
With a hibernation, the subscription is interrupted for a planned period, typically for the low season. It is neither a cancellation nor a payment problem: the organization, branches, team, all data and all settings are kept. During the hibernation, the organization is dormant. It is then read-only, accepts no inquiries and sends no messages to customers.
The hibernation is the booked period. Dormant is the state of the organization during this period and for as long afterwards as the payment for the resumption is outstanding.
Only a user with the role "Admin" can book or change a hibernation, and only in the organization itself. Branches follow the hibernation of their organization. All other members see the status on the "License" card.
Opening the hibernation page
- Open the "Management" tab
- In the "Account" segment, tap the organization
- Tap the card in the "License" segment
- On the "Subscriptions" page, tap the pause icon at the top right ("Hibernation settings")
The "Hibernation" page opens. The pause icon only opens this page; it does not pause anything right away. When a hibernation is booked, a ring around the icon shows its status, and the tooltip reads "Hibernation scheduled — open settings" or, while it runs, "Hibernation active — open settings". The help icon at the top right of the "Hibernation" page opens this article directly from the app.
The page shows the current status, a booked hibernation with "First day", "Last day (inclusive)" and "Scheduled resume day", as well as the actions that are currently available. If no booking is possible, the page states the reason. What it means is explained further down in the section Why booking is not possible.
Requirements
- The role "Admin" in the organization itself, not in a branch
- A running subscription with "monthly" billing. With "annual" billing, hibernation is not possible.
- The subscription is paid automatically with the stored payment method and has not been canceled
- No change of tier is pending
While the trial is still running, a hibernation can be booked. However, it starts on the day after the end of the trial at the earliest.
Conversely, the tier cannot be changed while a hibernation is booked or running, nor before its resumption is complete. The "Subscriptions" page then shows the notice "Plan changes are unavailable while a hibernation is open.". Tapping "Upgrade" or "Downgrade" leads to the prompt "Plan change unavailable". "Open Hibernation settings" opens the "Hibernation" page.
Rules for the days
A hibernation covers whole calendar days in the organization's time zone. The first and the last day both count towards the hibernation. The resumption starts on the day after the last day.
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Earliest first day | Tomorrow |
| Latest first day | Twelve months in advance |
| Longest duration | Four calendar months |
| Frequency | A hibernation starts at most once within twelve months |
The twelve months count from the first day of one hibernation to the first day of the next. A hibernation that was canceled before it began does not count, nor does one that could not start.
The date picker in the app only offers days that meet these rules.
Booking a hibernation
- Tap "First day" and choose the first day.
- Tap "Last day (inclusive)" and choose the last day. Only days that fit the selected first day are available. The last day is still part of the hibernation; the resumption starts the day after.
- Under "Estimated hibernation fee", check the estimated amount and the number of days. How the fee comes about is explained in the section Billing.
- Tap "Schedule hibernation".
The app confirms the booking with "Hibernation scheduled". Until the first day, the subscription continues unchanged.
Changing or canceling a scheduled hibernation
Before the first day, both days can be changed. Choose the new days and tap "Save dates". The same rules apply as for booking.
To cancel, tap "Cancel scheduled hibernation" and confirm the prompt "Cancel hibernation?" with "Continue". A canceled hibernation does not count towards the rule “once within twelve months”. No fee is charged.
During the hibernation
Changing the last day
Once the hibernation has begun, the first day is fixed. The last day can still be moved, earlier or later, as long as the longest duration is respected. A day before today is not possible. To get back to work right away, end the hibernation early.
Ending early
Tap "End early" and confirm the prompt "Request early resumption?" with "Continue".
This starts the resumption immediately. Write access does not return immediately, however, but only once the invoice for the resumption has been paid. See the section Resumption. Ending early lowers the fee, because fewer days are charged.
The "End early" button also appears in the bar at the bottom of the "Subscriptions" page. There it only opens the "Hibernation" page. The hibernation ends only after the prompt on that page.
What applies while the organization is dormant
| Kept | Not possible |
|---|---|
| All data: bookings, customers, capacities, price models, invoices | Creating, changing or deleting data |
| All settings and message templates | New inquiries via Connect |
| Branches with their data, also read-only | Emails and text messages to customers, including automatic reminders |
| The team and its roles | A change of tier |
All data remains visible and can be looked up. Messages that would have been due during the hibernation are not made up for. They are not sent in a batch after the hibernation.
Some administrative tasks for the role "Admin" remain available, for example managing the team, changing the organization's name or editing integrations.
On the "Subscriptions" page, a bar with the notice "Hibernating · read-only" and the resumption day stays visible at the bottom during the hibernation.
Billing
At the start of the hibernation
From the first day, billing of the regular base price is paused. At that point, everything incurred up to then is billed:
- Text messages sent before the hibernation are billed.
- The part of the current month that was already paid but not used is credited. The credit is offset against the invoice for the resumption.
This is why hibernation is only possible with "monthly" billing.
The hibernation fee
Hibernation is not free of charge. A fee is charged for every day of the hibernation: one tenth of the monthly base price per 30 days. With a base price of €30.00 per month, that is €0.10 per day, so for 120 days €12.00.
- The days from the first day up to, but not including, the resumption day are counted.
- The basis is the regular monthly base price without discounts and without usage such as text messages.
- The fee is taxed like the subscription.
The "Hibernation" page shows, under "Estimated hibernation fee", an estimate for the selected days. It assumes the current price and that the hibernation runs until the last day. It is not a fixed bill. The actual days are what count: if the hibernation is ended early, the fee goes down.
When the fee is charged
The fee is charged neither at booking nor with the invoice for the resumption. It is only determined after a successful resumption and appears as a separate line item on the next regular invoice of the subscription.
If the resumption does not succeed, no fee is charged. The same applies if the subscription has ended by then.
Resumption
On the resumption day, an attempt to continue the subscription starts automatically. The invoice for the first month is paid with the stored payment method. The new billing period starts on that day.
Only once this invoice has been paid do write access, inquiries via Connect and the sending of messages return. Until then, the organization stays dormant, even after the planned last day. The same applies if the hibernation was ended early.
While the payment is outstanding, the app shows "Resumption and payment pending · still read-only". If there is a problem with the payment, it shows "Resume payment needs attention · still read-only". This is how to fix the problem:
- On the "Subscriptions" page, tap "Manage billing" in the bar at the bottom. Alternatively, "Manage" on the current tier leads to the same place.
- In the payment provider's management page, store a valid payment method and settle the open invoice.
The hibernation then ends and access returns. If the app remains read-only, signing out and in again helps. A payment problem is never solved by a new checkout, as that would create a second subscription.
Status displays
The status is shown on the "Hibernation" page and on the "License" card:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| "Hibernation scheduled" | Booked, the first day has not been reached yet. Changing and canceling are possible |
| "Hibernating · read-only" | The hibernation is running, the organization is dormant |
| "Resumption and payment pending · still read-only" | The last day is over, the payment for the resumption is still outstanding |
| "Resume payment needs attention · still read-only" | The payment for the resumption failed or needs a confirmation |
| "Hibernation could not start" | The hibernation could not start. The subscription continues normally, without read-only mode, and it does not count as used |
| "Hibernation ended" | The hibernation is over and the subscription is running again |
| "Hibernation canceled" | The hibernation was canceled before it began |
Why booking is not possible
If no booking is possible, the "Hibernation" page states the reason:
| Notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| "Only the organization's admins can manage hibernation." | Ask a user with the role "Admin" |
| "Branches follow their parent organization's hibernation." | Book the hibernation in the organization itself |
| "Hibernation is available for monthly billing only." | Only possible with "monthly" billing |
| "Hibernation can start only after the trial ends." | Choose a first day after the end of the trial |
| "A plan change is pending. Complete it before scheduling hibernation." | Wait for the pending change of tier |
| "An active subscription is required." | First take out a subscription or fix a payment problem |
| "This billing setup does not support hibernation." | Contact support |
| "A hibernation is already booked. Edit that booking instead." | Change the booked hibernation instead of booking a new one |
| "A change is in progress. Please try again shortly." | Wait briefly and refresh the page |
| "This hibernation cannot be changed right now." | The hibernation is already in resumption |
If "Schedule hibernation" or "Save dates" is grayed out, a day is still missing, or the selected days already match the booked hibernation. If "No selectable dates are available right now." appears below the days, no last day fits the selected first day. In that case, choose a different first day.
Example
A hibernation from 11/01/2026 to 02/28/2027:
- It lasts 120 days, exactly the longest duration of four calendar months.
- The resumption starts on 03/01/2027.
- With a base price of €30.00 per month, the estimated fee is €12.00. It appears on the invoice that is due one month after the resumption.
- The next hibernation can start on 11/01/2027 at the earliest.
If this hibernation is ended early on 01/31/2027, only the 91 days up to and including 01/30/2027 are counted. The fee then goes down to €9.10.
Frequently asked questions
Are bookings or other data lost? No. All data and settings are kept and remain visible during the hibernation, but read-only.
Can customers send inquiries during the hibernation? No. Connect does not accept inquiries for the organization and its branches.
Can the hibernation be ended early? Yes, a user with the role "Admin" ends it with "End early". The fee goes down accordingly.
Why is the app still read-only after the last day? The payment for the resumption has not been received yet. See the section Resumption.
Is the “paused” status under the license the same thing? No. The message “Paused; resume your subscription to regain access” concerns a subscription that is interrupted because of a missing payment or an expired trial. It is explained under Manage subscription and has nothing to do with a booked hibernation.