# The content calendar and the idea backlog

> The calendar lists every planned post and where it stands. The idea backlog keeps autopilot's open slots filled. Subscribe to it in your own calendar.

Source: https://wavefront.adwave.com/help/strategy-and-planning/calendar-and-backlog (updated 2026-10-14)

The calendar is the list of dated posts in your saved plan, with each post's status from not drafted to published. The idea backlog is a strategy's list of ready ideas that autopilot uses to fill open dates on the calendar.

## Where to see the calendar

- **Strategy → Calendar** shows the open strategy's posts. Use **Subscribe** here to add it to your own calendar app.
- **Overview → Up next** shows the next posts from every active strategy, with their drafts. A past post with no draft is marked **Overdue**.
- A strategy filter (**All strategies** or one strategy) narrows a merged view.

The calendar shows the saved plan. Changes you make in the strategist only reach it after you save.

## What each status means

Each post carries a status glyph as well as a color:

| Status | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| Not drafted | Planned, no draft yet |
| Drafting | A draft is being written |
| Needs input | The draft is waiting for your answers |
| Ready for review | A version waits for a decision |
| Changes requested | A reviewer asked for changes |
| Approved | Approved, not yet published |
| Scheduled | Set to publish at a time |
| Published | Live at a destination |
| Missed | Approved, but not published by its date |
| Failed | The draft failed |

A post marked **Refresh** updates an existing page on your site and keeps its URL.

## Change the calendar

- **Draft** a post, or **Draft posts** for the next 7, 14 or 28 days. See [draft your first post](/help/getting-started/your-first-draft).
- Move a post to a new date or remove it from the post's menu. Removing a post keeps its draft in the Library, and **Undo** brings the post back.
- Ask the strategist to add, retitle or reschedule posts, then save.

## The idea backlog

Each strategy can keep a backlog of ideas, stored as a system file named `backlog.json`. When an owner turns on **Fill the calendar from each strategy's idea backlog** in **Settings → Limits and autopilot**, autopilot:

1. Looks at every open slot from today through its days ahead, on the days you picked, at the number of posts per day you set.
2. Gives each open slot the best open idea for that date, using the strategy's [editorial mix](/help/strategy-and-planning/editorial-mix).
3. Replaces a post whose draft failed with the next idea.

Under the autopilot switch, the calendar shows the backlog's state, such as "Backlog: 12 open ideas, 3 used", the cadence, and the next few ideas. **Edit in Documents** opens it. Owners find the raw file under **Documents → System files**.

Ideas come from several places: the strategist's plan, ideas you or an agent add, and new-idea suggestions you approve from search data. Ideas a person adds in the web app are trusted for auto-approve. Ideas an agent or API key adds are not. See [autopilot and auto-approve](/help/strategy-and-planning/autopilot-and-auto-approve).

Ideas can carry a deadline (publish by a date), a window when they're valid, a series and part number, and tags. These decide when an idea goes out, never what the draft says. The full format is in the [API documentation](/docs/api).

## Subscribe in your calendar app

Any member can add the saved calendar to Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar.

1. On **Strategy → Calendar**, choose **Subscribe**.
2. Under **Include**, pick **Every strategy** or only this one, and whether to include **Published posts**.
3. Choose **Create feed URL**, then copy the URL and add it to your calendar app as a subscription.

Each post becomes an all-day event with its format, strategy, status and a link back to Wavefront. Calendar apps refresh it every few hours.

The URL is personal and works without signing in, so treat it like a password. **Regenerate URL** replaces it (calendars on the old URL stop updating) and **Turn off** stops it. When you leave the workspace, your feed stops working.

## If something goes wrong

- **A post is marked Missed.** It was approved but never published. Publish or schedule it from the draft's **Publishing** box, or turn on **Publish approved posts on their calendar date** in autopilot settings.
- **A post is Overdue.** Its date passed without a draft. Draft it now, move it, or remove it.
- **Autopilot isn't filling the calendar.** Check that the strategy is active, that the backlog has open ideas, and that the cadence is set.

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