Hiding Activity Tags

Hiding Activity Tags is a powerful feature that allows you to declutter your tag selection lists while preserving all historical data and connections to activities. This is particularly useful for managing seasonal training phases, deprecated tags, or maintaining a clean interface without losing valuable training history.

What Does Hiding a Tag Do?

Visibility Changes

Hidden from Selection:

Hidden tags don't appear in the tag selection dropdown when editing activities
They're not shown in the main tag filter on the Activities page
Tag creation dialogs won't suggest hidden tag names

Still Visible Where Applied:

Activities that already have the hidden tag will continue to display it
Hidden tags appear in activity detail views and tag lists
They're shown with a visual indicator (typically dimmed or with an icon)

Preserved Functionality:

All tag connections to activities remain intact
Hidden tags can still be used in advanced filters
Historical data analysis includes hidden tag data

[Screenshot placeholder: Activity view showing hidden tag still displayed on activities but dimmed]

When to Hide Tags Instead of Deleting

Seasonal Training Phases

Hide tags for training phases that are currently inactive but will return:

Base Phase during racing season
Peak Phase during off-season
Indoor Training during summer months
Outdoor Training during winter months

Deprecated Training Methods

When you've moved away from certain training approaches but want to keep historical data:

Old periodization systems
Replaced training terminology
Equipment-specific tags for gear you no longer use

Experimental Tags

For tags you created to test new organizational systems:

Trial categorization methods
Temporary event-specific tags
A/B testing different naming conventions

Clutter Reduction

To maintain a clean, focused tag list while preserving options:

Rarely used but still valid tags
Very specific tags for occasional use
Legacy tags with good historical value

[Screenshot placeholder: Activity Tags management showing mix of visible and hidden tags]

How to Hide Personal Activity Tags

Step 1: Access Tag Settings

Navigate to Settings > Activity Tags
Locate the Personal tag you want to hide
Click the Edit button (pencil icon) next to the tag

Step 2: Toggle Visibility

In the edit dialog, find the "Hidden" toggle or checkbox
Enable the hidden setting
Optionally, update the description to note why it's hidden
Click "Update Tag" to save changes

[Screenshot placeholder: Edit tag dialog with "Hidden" toggle highlighted]

Step 3: Verify Hidden Status

After saving:

The tag will show a "hidden" indicator in the tag list
It will disappear from activity tag selection dropdowns
Activities with this tag will still display it (usually dimmed)

Managing Hidden Tags

Viewing Hidden Tags

In Tag Management:

Hidden tags appear in the Activity Tags list with a visual indicator
Usually shown with an eye-slash icon or dimmed appearance
May be in a separate "Hidden Tags" section

On Activities:

Hidden tags still appear on activities where they're applied
Often displayed with reduced opacity or special styling
May include a tooltip indicating the tag is hidden

[Screenshot placeholder: Tag management interface showing hidden tags with visual indicators]

Unhiding Tags

To make a hidden tag visible again:

Find the hidden tag in your Activity Tags list
Click Edit on the hidden tag
Disable the "Hidden" setting
Save the changes
The tag will immediately become available in selection lists again

Bulk Hide Operations

When hiding multiple related tags:

Document your reasoning for future reference
Hide tags one at a time to avoid mistakes
Test the interface to ensure the desired tags are hidden
Verify activities still display correctly

Hidden Tag Behavior in Different Areas

Activity Editing

Tag Selection Dropdown:

✅ Visible tags appear in the list
❌ Hidden tags are excluded from selection
ℹ️ You can still see hidden tags already applied to the activity

Manual Tag Search:

Some interfaces may allow searching for hidden tags
Advanced users can still apply hidden tags if needed
Typically requires typing the exact tag name

Activity Filtering

Standard Filters:

Hidden tags don't appear in the main tag filter dropdown
Prevents accidental filtering by deprecated tags
Keeps filter interface clean and focused

Advanced Filtering:

Hidden tags may be available in advanced search
Useful for analyzing historical data
Allows coaches or analysts to access full tag history

[Screenshot placeholder: Activity filter showing only visible tags in dropdown]

Reports and Analysis

Automatic Inclusion:

Hidden tags are typically included in data exports
Historical analysis includes all tag data regardless of visibility
Comprehensive reporting maintains data integrity

Manual Exclusion Options:

Some reports may offer options to exclude hidden tags
Useful for current-state analysis vs. historical analysis
Helps focus on active training methodologies

Best Practices for Tag Hiding

Strategic Hiding

Seasonal Approach:

Hide off-season tags rather than deleting them
Create a schedule for showing/hiding seasonal tags
Document when tags should be visible vs. hidden

Gradual Deprecation:

Hide old tags before deleting them
Test that hidden tags don't break your workflow
Give yourself time to adjust to the new organization

Documentation

Record Your Decisions:

Note why tags were hidden in tag descriptions
Maintain a list of hidden tags and their purposes
Document when hidden tags should be restored

Team Communication:

If sharing access, communicate tag hiding decisions
Explain the rationale for hiding specific tags
Provide guidance on when to unhide tags

Regular Maintenance

Periodic Review:

Review hidden tags quarterly or seasonally
Assess whether hidden tags should be permanently deleted
Consider unhiding tags that have become relevant again

Clean Up Strategy:

After 1-2 years, consider deleting truly obsolete hidden tags
Keep hidden tags that have seasonal or cyclical relevance
Maintain hidden tags that preserve important historical context

Troubleshooting Hidden Tags

"Tag Not Available" Issues

Problem: Can't find a tag when editing activities Solution: Check if the tag is hidden and unhide if needed

Filter Problems

Problem: Can't filter by a tag you know exists Solution: Verify the tag isn't hidden or use advanced search

Display Inconsistencies

Problem: Hidden tags appearing in some places but not others Solution: Refresh the page or clear browser cache

Accidental Hiding

Problem: Important tag accidentally hidden Solution: Edit the tag and disable the hidden setting immediately

[Screenshot placeholder: Troubleshooting interface showing how to unhide a tag]

Advanced Hidden Tag Strategies

Training Phase Management

Create a system for managing training phases:

Current Phase: All relevant tags visible
Transition Phases: Gradually hide old phase tags
Off-Season: Hide competition-specific tags
Archive Phases: Hide very old training methodologies

Equipment-Based Hiding

Hide tags related to equipment you no longer use:

Tags for sold or broken equipment
Location-specific tags for gyms you no longer attend
Weather-specific tags for seasonal equipment

Coaching and Shared Access

When sharing access with coaches or training partners:

Hide personal/private tags from shared views
Maintain professional tag organization
Hide experimental or testing tags from official analysis

Remember that hiding tags is reversible and preserves all your historical data. Use this feature liberally to maintain a clean, organized tagging system that adapts to your evolving training needs while preserving valuable historical insights.