> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gowindmill.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Expiration and deadlines

> Set how long participants have to respond, and learn what happens when a run closes.

The **expiration** sets how long participants have to respond to each run. Windy uses it to time reminders. When it passes, the run closes and Windmill prepares results for the owners.

## Choose an expiration

You can choose 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 1 week, or 2 weeks.

**No expiration** is available only in **Settings**, when you edit the **Schedule** or the **Expiration**. With no expiration, runs stay open and Windy does not send a deadline reminder.

### Defaults

* **New pulse:** No expiration until you launch it.
* **Send now:** 3 days. Send now requires an expiration.
* **Schedule for later:** 1 day. Choose an expiration before you select **Schedule pulse**.
* **Calendar event, before the event:** There is no expiration setting. Responses close at the **Report delivery time** before the meeting. See [Schedule types](/features/pulse-surveys/scheduling-types).

## How deadlines work for each run

Each participant's deadline starts when their run is sent. For example, with a 3-day expiration, a run sent on Monday at 9 AM closes on Thursday at 9 AM.

With **Local employee time**, people in different time zones get the run at different moments. So their deadlines are also different.

Participants see the deadline as a due date on the web form and in their to-dos.

## When a run closes

* **Reminders stop.** Windy does not send more reminders for that run.
* **Status changes.** People who did not submit show as **Overdue** in the run's participant list. Their to-do shows as past due.
* **Results go to owners.** Windmill prepares a summary and sends it to owners and any other report recipients. See [Notifications](/features/pulse-surveys/notifications).
* **Later runs continue.** For a scheduled pulse, the next run starts at its scheduled time.

### Late answers

Windmill does not block answers after a run closes. Windy still accepts answers in Slack, and people can still submit on the web form. Past-due to-dos stay in the list for 14 days after the deadline.

Reports sent when the run closed do not include answers that arrive later.

### One-time pulses

A one-time pulse changes to **Completed** after its run expires. A completed pulse can no longer be edited. If the pulse has no expiration, it does not complete on its own.

## Close a run early

There is no button to close a run early. You can:

* [Change the expiration](/features/pulse-surveys/change-expiration) for the current runs.
* [Pause the pulse](/features/pulse-surveys/send-again-pause-and-resume) to stop future runs. Pausing does not close runs that are already open.

## FAQs

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can people reply after the deadline?">
    Yes. Windmill does not reject late answers. Windy accepts them in Slack, and the web form still works. Reports sent before the answer arrived do not include it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I extend the deadline of a running pulse?">
    Yes. Go to **Settings** > **Expiration** and select **Edit expiration**. Then choose the runs to update. See [Change expiration](/features/pulse-surveys/change-expiration).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>