Post Status

What is Post Status in WordPress?

Post status is a feature in WordPress that helps users manage and organize their content. It is especially useful for websites with multiple authors or a complicated editorial process.

Post statuses allow users to save posts as drafts, schedule posts for the future, make posts private, and submit posts for review prior to publishing.

There are eight default post statuses in WordPress, and users can also create custom post statuses using themes and plugins. Let’s explore these default post statuses in detail.

The 8 Default Post Statuses in WordPress

1. Published: This status indicates that a post is live on the website and visible to all visitors. When you create a new post and click “Publish,” it is assigned this status.
2. Future: The future post status is assigned to posts scheduled for publication at a later date. Users can set a specific date and time for the post to go live, and WordPress will automatically change its status from “Future” to “Published” at the specified time.
3. Draft: When a user is working on a post but isn’t ready to publish it yet, they can save it as a draft. The draft status allows users to save their work and come back to it later without making it visible on the website.
4. Pending: If a post requires approval from an editor or administrator before it can be published, it is given the pending status. This is particularly useful for multi-author websites, where content submissions must be reviewed before going live.
5. Trash: When a user decides to delete a post, it is moved to the trash. Posts in the trash can be restored within 30 days, after which they are permanently deleted.
6. Auto-draft: The auto-draft status is assigned to posts that are automatically saved by WordPress while a user is working on them. This feature helps prevent loss of work in case of an unexpected issue, such as a browser crash or loss of internet connection.
7. Inherit: The inherit status is used for attachments, such as images and other media files. These items “inherit” the status of the post they are associated with, meaning their visibility is tied to the parent post’s status.
8. New: A post may have a “new” status if it was just created and hasn’t had any previous status.

Custom Post Statuses in WordPress

In addition to the eight default post statuses, WordPress allows users to create custom post statuses for more complex websites. Custom post statuses can be defined by WordPress themes and plugins to suit specific needs.

For example, a news website might require additional post statuses like “Breaking News” or “Fact Check” to better organize its content.

To create a custom post status, you can use the register_post_status() function in your theme or plugin code. Here’s an example of how to create a custom post status called “Archived”:

function my_custom_post_status() {
register_post_status( 'archived', array(
'label' => _x( 'Archived', 'post' ),
'public' => false,
'exclude_from_search' => true,
'show_in_admin_all_list' => false,
'show_in_admin_status_list' => true,
'label_count' => _n_noop( 'Archived <span class="count">(%s)</span>', 'Archived <span class="count">(%s)</span>' ),
) );
}
add_action( 'init', 'my_custom_post_status' );

With this code snippet, you can now assign the “Archived” post status to your content, allowing you to better manage your posts in the admin panel.

Extending Post Status Functionality with Plugins

WordPress offers a vast repository of plugins that can help extend the functionality of post status’. One such plugin is Edit Flow, which provides advanced editorial control and custom post statuses. Edit Flow is designed to enhance the editorial process for websites with multiple authors or complex workflows. Let’s explore some of the features that Edit Flow provides:

Edit Flow Features

1. Custom Post Statuses: Edit Flow allows you to create custom post statuses that better suit your editorial workflow. You can easily define new post statuses and use them to manage your content more effectively.
2. Editorial Comments: This feature enables authors and editors to communicate within the WordPress dashboard. It allows you to leave comments on posts that are only visible to logged-in users with the appropriate permissions.
3. Editorial Metadata: Edit Flow enables you to add custom metadata to posts, such as the target publication date or the assignment of a specific editor. This metadata can help streamline your editorial process and ensure that everyone on your team is on the same page.
4. Notifications: With Edit Flow, you can set up email notifications to alert team members when a post status changes, a new editorial comment is added, or other important updates occur. This helps keep your team informed and reduces the chances of miscommunication.
5. User Groups: Edit Flow allows you to create user groups for better organization and management of your editorial team. You can assign specific roles and responsibilities to different groups, ensuring that everyone knows their tasks and can collaborate more effectively.

Future of Post Status Functionality in WordPress

WordPress is continuously evolving, and future updates are expected to bring more editorial controls to the post status functionality.

These updates may include better management of custom post statuses, enhanced user permissions, and more advanced editorial workflows.

As a website owner or administrator, staying up-to-date with the latest WordPress developments will help you make the most of these new features and ensure that your website remains efficient and well-organized.