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Exception Dates

Exclude specific dates from your recurrence pattern without changing the pattern itself.

What Are Exception Dates?​

Exception dates are specific dates that should be skipped even though they match the recurrence pattern. They're perfect for:

  • Holidays: Skip Christmas, New Year's, etc.
  • Venue closures: Building maintenance, renovation periods
  • Conflicts: Dates when another event takes priority
  • Cancellations: One-time cancellations without changing the pattern

Adding Exception Dates​

Quick Add​

In the Recurrence Settings metabox:

  1. Ensure recurrence is enabled
  2. Find the Exception Dates section
  3. Click Manage Exclusions

Manage Exclusions Button

Exclusions Modal​

The modal shows all calculated occurrences:

Exclusions Modal

Features:

  • Search: Find specific dates quickly
  • Pagination: Navigate through many occurrences
  • Checkboxes: Select dates to exclude
  • Selected count: See how many dates are excluded

Steps to Exclude Dates​

  1. Open the Manage Exclusions modal
  2. Browse or search for the date(s) to exclude
  3. Check the checkbox next to each date
  4. Click Save Changes

Viewing Excluded Dates​

Excluded dates appear in the metabox with a strikethrough or badge indicating they're excluded.

Removing Exceptions​

To restore an excluded date:

  1. Open Manage Exclusions
  2. Uncheck the date
  3. Save changes

The date will resume appearing in the recurrence.

Exception Dates vs. Pattern Changes​

ScenarioUse Exception DatesChange Pattern
Skip one holiday✅❌
Event permanently moves to different day❌✅
Skip multiple specific dates✅❌
Reduce frequency permanently❌✅

Technical Notes​

  • Exception dates are stored as an array in post meta (_lre_exception_dates)
  • Maximum exceptions limited by the 375 occurrence cap
  • Exceptions are checked during occurrence calculation
  • Cache is cleared when exceptions change