Overview
Display label: Enable Light Mode for selected user types
Setting ID: Enable_Light_Mode_For_User_Types
Location: Main Settings > General Settings > Dashboard Settings > Light Mode Configuration
What This Setting Does
This setting turns on a simplified, streamlined version of the portal, called Light Mode, for the Student and/or Parent user types. Light Mode is intended for periods of unusually high portal traffic, such as report card or transcript distribution, when a lighter interface with fewer background processes keeps the portal responsive.
Where It Is Used
This setting runs automatically once saved; there is no dedicated screen to preview Light Mode itself. As soon as a Student or Parent whose type is selected here logs in, their session is automatically switched to the streamlined experience for the rest of that session. Which menu items remain available in Light Mode for a given role can be further restricted by defining a substitute Light Mode Role for that Student or Parent role from Main Settings > Roles.
Business Logic / Behavior
- Select Student, Parent, both, or neither. No user type is selected by default, meaning Light Mode is off for everyone until this setting is configured.
- When a user type is selected, Light Mode automatically activates for every user of that type on every login; it is not something end users turn on themselves.
- While Light Mode is active for a user, some processes are skipped to keep the portal responsive; for example, certain supporting document lookups and online re-registration eligibility checks are not performed.
- Administrators can define an alternate Light Mode Role for each Student or Parent role from Main Settings > Roles, which is applied automatically to further restrict menu access while Light Mode is active.
- Which dashboard widgets are hidden while Light Mode is active is controlled separately by Select elements to hide on the Student Dashboard in Light Mode (Hide_Dashboard_Elements_Students_In_Light_Mode in Dashboard Settings > Light Mode Configuration) and Select elements to hide on the Parent Dashboard in Light Mode (Hide_Dashboard_Elements_Parents_In_Light_Mode in Dashboard Settings > Light Mode Configuration).
- Any banner text shown to users while Light Mode is active is controlled separately by Light Mode custom message (Light_Mode_Custom_Message in Dashboard Settings > Light Mode Configuration).
Example(s)
Alpha Institute expects a surge in portal traffic during report card release week, from July 6 to July 10, 2026. Before that week starts, the administrator selects both Student and Parent in this setting. From July 6, every Student and Parent who logs in automatically gets the streamlined Light Mode experience. On July 11, once traffic returns to normal, the administrator removes both user types from the list and the portal reverts to its full-featured experience for everyone.
When to Use
Select the user types most likely to generate heavy simultaneous traffic ahead of high-demand events, such as grade or transcript releases, exam result publication, or online re-registration windows. Remove the selection once the high-traffic period has passed so users regain the full portal experience.
Notes
Prerequisites: to further restrict menu access during Light Mode, a substitute Light Mode Role must first be defined for the relevant Student or Parent role.
- Related settings: Select elements to hide on the Student Dashboard in Light Mode (Hide_Dashboard_Elements_Students_In_Light_Mode in Dashboard Settings > Light Mode Configuration)
- Related settings: Select elements to hide on the Parent Dashboard in Light Mode (Hide_Dashboard_Elements_Parents_In_Light_Mode in Dashboard Settings > Light Mode Configuration)
- Related settings: Light Mode custom message (Light_Mode_Custom_Message in Dashboard Settings > Light Mode Configuration)
- Related configuration: Roles (Main Settings > Roles) – each Student or Parent role can be linked to a substitute Light Mode Role that applies automatically while Light Mode is active for that user.
K-12 vs Higher Education: behaves the same regardless of institution type.
