Every participant in Stax.ai CX has a status: active or inactive. CX normally sets this from the participant's census data — hire and termination dates. But payroll and census files don't always tell the whole story. Termination dates go missing, and some employee types (like contractors or seasonal workers) need special handling. Status overrides let you set a participant's status yourself, one at a time or in bulk, and your choice stays in place until you change or clear it.
Why overrides help
Fix missing termination data. When termination dates aren't in payroll or past census files, mark those employees inactive so they're excluded from counts and reports.
Handle special employee types. Treat contractors or seasonal workers as inactive (or keep them visible as active) regardless of their dates.
Update many people at once. Select a whole group and apply the change in one action instead of opening each record.
Navigate to the participants list
Click Plan Admin in the left sidebar.
Open the participants list for the plan and plan year you want.
Bulk update participant status
In the filter bar, click the More dropdown next to the plan selector.
Click Bulk Actions. Selection mode turns on. Each participant gets a checkbox, and a bulk action bar appears.
Select the participants you want to update: a. Click a checkbox or a participant card to select or clear one participant. b. Hold Shift and click another participant to select everyone in between. c. Watch the selection count update (for example, "3 selected").
In the bulk action bar, choose one:
Override as Inactive — marks the selected participants inactive.
Override as Active — marks them active. They'll always show in the list, even if their dates say otherwise.
Clear Status Override — removes the override, so status is based on hire and termination dates again.
Click Confirm in the confirmation dialog (for example, "Override the status of 5 employee(s) to Inactive?"). A success message appears, the list refreshes, and the updated statuses show — such as an Inactive pill.
To leave selection mode without making changes, click Cancel in the bulk action bar or press Escape.
Update status for one participant
From the participants list, click a participant (when you're not in bulk selection mode). Their detail page opens.
Open the options menu (the three-dots menu) on the participant page.
Click the option you want. You'll only see the options that apply:
Override as Active — shown when there's no override, or the participant is overridden as inactive.
Override as Inactive — shown when there's no override, or the participant is overridden as active.
Clear Status Override — shown only when an override is already in place.
Read the confirmation message, then click Confirm. The participant's status updates.
Show or hide inactive participants
The More menu on the participants list controls whether inactive participants appear:
Show inactive employees — includes participants who are inactive by dates or by override.
Hide inactive employees — excludes them from the list.
Participants with Override as Active always stay visible.
Tip: If someone you just marked inactive disappears from the list, that's this setting at work. Turn on Show inactive employees to see them again.
Best practices
Prefer real data when you have it. If a termination date exists, let it drive the status. Use overrides for gaps and exceptions.
Clear overrides when data catches up. Once the correct dates arrive in census or payroll, use Clear Status Override so status stays automatic.
Check your view before you worry. Most "missing participant" questions are just the hide/show inactive setting.
Troubleshooting
No checkboxes or bulk action bar? Click More, then Bulk Actions to enter selection mode. If you already did, click Bulk Actions again.
An override option is missing on a participant? The menu only shows options that apply. Refresh the page and open the participant again.
The bulk action said some updates failed? The message notes how many. Check that you have permission to edit census for that client and plan, then select the same participants and retry.
Related articles
Plans Overview
Viewing and Managing Participants
Exporting Participant and Plan Data