Three Switches Before a Feature Turns On: Platform, Plan and Customer
When a feature in our platform is available to an organization, three separate decisions have lined up. The platform as a whole allows the feature. The organization's plan includes it. And the organization itself has chosen to turn it on, where that choice applies. If any of the three says no, the feature stays off.
That layering can sound complicated, but it solves real problems. Here is how each switch works and why we keep them separate.
Switch one: the platform
The platform switch answers a basic question: is this feature available on our platform at all right now? A new module might be switched off platform-wide while it is being finished. An existing feature might be switched off temporarily if a provider has a problem.
When the platform switch is off, nobody gets the feature, regardless of plan. We are careful to read this switch from the right place. A central administrator having broad access is not the same thing as the platform switch being on, and code that confuses the two can quietly expose an unfinished feature.
Switch two: the plan
Plans describe what an organization pays for. Some features are included in some plans and not others. Some come with limits, such as a number of websites, a storage amount or a count of live channels. The plan switch answers: does this organization's plan include the feature, and within what limits?
Plans can also be extended with add-ons for specific capabilities, which are checked the same way.
Switch three: the organization
Some features should not turn on automatically just because a plan includes them. Appointment scheduling, for example, changes how an organization's website and calendar behave, so the organization decides when to switch it on. Internal accounts and pilots may also require an explicit opt-in before a new capability is active for them.
The organization's switch answers: has this organization chosen to use the feature?
Checked on the server, every time
The three switches are checked where the feature runs, not just in the menu. A page refuses to load, an action refuses to run and a background job stops if the feature is not available. Hiding a menu item while leaving the page reachable would be a side door, as we explain in a hidden button is not security.
Explicit disables are respected
When a feature is deliberately switched off at any level, that decision holds. Configuration defaults never quietly override a deliberate "off," and new deployments do not switch features back on without someone choosing to. This is especially important for features that send messages, spend money or connect to outside accounts.
Clear messages when something is off
When an organization tries to use a feature that is not available, the message explains why in plain terms: the feature is not included in their plan, it needs to be turned on in settings or it is not available yet. Each case points to a different next step, so a generic "access denied" would not help anyone.
Pilots start narrow
New capabilities often begin with a pilot: one or two organizations that have agreed to try a feature early. The three switches make that easy. The platform switch is on, the pilot organizations' plans or add-ons include the feature and those organizations have opted in. Everyone else is unaffected until the feature is ready to be included more widely, which is part of how we hold unfinished features back.
Why three switches instead of one
A single on or off switch per organization would be simpler to build and much harder to manage. The platform could not pause a feature for everyone at once. Plans could not include features automatically. Organizations could not choose when to adopt a change. Three switches let each decision be made by the right party at the right level.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a feature in my plan not showing up?
It may need to be turned on in your account's settings, or it may be temporarily unavailable on the platform. The message shown should explain which.
Can a feature be turned off for everyone at once?
Yes. The platform switch can turn a feature off for all organizations, for example while it is being finished or during a provider problem.
Do plan limits apply to add-ons?
Add-ons extend a plan for specific capabilities and are checked the same way as plan features and limits.
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