How to suspend a user account — and what suspension means for their data, assignments, and ability to come back.
Suspension is how you take a user out of Continu without deleting them. A suspended user can't sign in, doesn't receive notifications, and doesn't get new assignments. Their completion history, comments, and profile remain intact. Reinstating a suspended user restores access immediately.
Suspension is the right move when someone leaves the company, changes status (e.g., goes on extended leave), or temporarily loses access for a compliance or HR reason. For permanent removal, suspension is also typically the right answer — Continu doesn't delete user records.
How to Suspend a User
1. Open Admin → Users.
2. Find the user.
3. Open the user's profile.
4. Click Suspend. Confirm on the popup.
The user can no longer sign in. Any pending assignments stay associated with them but won't progress.
How Suspension Happens Automatically
Most suspensions happen automatically via HRIS sync. When a user leaves the active employee list in your HRIS, Continu suspends them on the next sync cycle. This is the cleanest path — your HR record stays authoritative.
If you're suspending manually for a user who's also in HRIS, the next sync may un-suspend them if their HR record is still active. Resolve at the HRIS to avoid loops.
How to Reinstate a Suspended User
1. Open Admin → Users.
2. Filter to Suspended status.
3. Find the user.
4. Open their profile and click Reinstate.
The user can sign in immediately. Their previous completion history, comments, and profile attributes remain.
Bulk Suspension
For suspending many users at once (e.g., a contracted team whose engagement ended), use a bulk import with the suspension column set. See Uploading Your User File (Bulk Import).
What Suspension Does Not Do
Doesn't delete the user. Their record and history are preserved.
Doesn't remove them from reports. Past activity still appears in reports filtered by historical period.
Doesn't free up a license (in some plans). License counts depend on your contract terms. Check with your Customer Success Manager if license-counting matters for your plan.
See Also
- User Management — strategic frame on lifecycle.
- What is an Inactive user and how can I reinstate it? — the Inactive-state variant.
- Provisioning and Sync — how HRIS drives auto-suspension.
- "This account is no longer active" Error — what suspended users see when they try to sign in.
Suspend from the user profile. Reinstate from the Suspended filter. HRIS sync handles most suspensions automatically. Suspension preserves data; doesn't delete.