added

Signed-off-by: Kenneth Obsequio <k80308392@gmail.com>

_scratch_test_sort.js

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+require('dotenv').config();
+const { Sequelize } = require('sequelize');
+const mdl_Users = require('./models/users/users.mdl');
+const sequelize = require('./config/db.config');
+
+const qg = sequelize.getQueryInterface().queryGenerator;
+
+const order = [[Sequelize.json('personal_info.name.full_name'), 'ASC']];
+
+try {
+  const sql = qg.selectQuery(mdl_Users.getTableName(), {
+    model: mdl_Users,
+    attributes: ['user_id'],
+    order,
+    limit: 10,
+    offset: 0,
+  }, mdl_Users);
+  console.log('SORT SQL:\n', sql);
+} catch (e) {
+  console.error('SORT ERROR:', e.message);
+}
+
+// filter test
+const { Op } = require('sequelize');
+const whereCond = Sequelize.where(Sequelize.json('personal_info.name.full_name'), { [Op.iLike]: '%a%' });
+try {
+  const sql2 = qg.selectQuery(mdl_Users.getTableName(), {
+    model: mdl_Users,
+    attributes: ['user_id'],
+    where: whereCond,
+    limit: 10,
+    offset: 0,
+  }, mdl_Users);
+  console.log('FILTER SQL:\n', sql2);
+} catch (e) {
+  console.error('FILTER ERROR:', e.message);
+}
+process.exit(0);

_scratch_test_sort2.js

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+const { Sequelize } = require('sequelize');
+const mdl_Users = require('./models/users/users.mdl');
+const { mdl_UserGroups, mdl_UserGroupMembers } = require('./models/users/user_groups.mdl');
+const sequelize = require('./config/db.config');
+
+(async () => {
+  try {
+    await sequelize.authenticate();
+    console.log('DB connected OK');
+
+    // Find any group_id to test with
+    const anyGroup = await mdl_UserGroups.findOne({ attributes: ['group_id'], paranoid: false });
+    console.log('sample group_id:', anyGroup?.group_id);
+    const group_id = anyGroup?.group_id;
+
+    const order = [[Sequelize.json('personal_info.name.full_name'), 'ASC']];
+
+    const result = await mdl_Users.findAndCountAll({
+      attributes: ['user_id'],
+      order,
+      limit: 3,
+      offset: 0,
+      include: [{
+        model: mdl_UserGroupMembers,
+        where: { group_id },
+        attributes: [],
+        required: true,
+      }],
+      logging: (sql) => console.log('\n[SQL]', sql),
+    });
+    console.log('SORT+JOIN RESULT COUNT:', result.count, 'rows:', result.rows.length);
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error('ERROR:', e.message);
+  } finally {
+    await sequelize.close();
+  }
+})();

controllers/admin/advertisements.controller.js

@@ -94,10 +94,21 @@ async function applyAdvertisementFields(advertisement, body) {
   // status is intentionally NOT settable here — it's derived via deriveStatus()
   // right before save, based on is_active + start_date/end_date.
 
+  if (body.content_mode !== undefined) {
+    if (!["image", "content"].includes(body.content_mode)) {
+      const err = new Error(`Invalid content_mode. Must be one of: image, content`);
+      err.status = 400;
+      throw err;
+    }
+    advertisement.content_mode = body.content_mode;
+  }
+
   if (body.badge_label  !== undefined) advertisement.badge_label  = body.badge_label;
   if (body.headline     !== undefined) advertisement.headline     = body.headline;
   if (body.description  !== undefined) advertisement.description  = body.description;
   if (body.image_url    !== undefined) advertisement.image_url    = body.image_url;
+  if (body.redirect_link !== undefined) advertisement.redirect_link = body.redirect_link || null;
+  if (body.landing_page  !== undefined) advertisement.landing_page  = body.landing_page  || null;
 
   if (body.image_asset_id !== undefined) {
     if (body.image_asset_id === null) {
@@ -136,8 +147,27 @@ async function applyAdvertisementFields(advertisement, body) {
 
 // ─── GET ALL ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+// Keeps the stored `status` column in sync with deriveStatus() before the
+// filtered query runs — status is otherwise only recomputed on individual
+// row reads, so filtering by status (e.g. "expired") would miss rows whose
+// start_date/end_date lapsed since they were last saved.
+async function syncDerivedStatuses() {
+  await sequelize.query(`
+    UPDATE advertisements
+    SET status = CASE
+      WHEN is_active = false THEN 'draft'
+      WHEN end_date IS NOT NULL AND end_date < NOW() THEN 'expired'
+      WHEN start_date IS NOT NULL AND start_date > NOW() THEN 'scheduled'
+      ELSE 'active'
+    END
+    WHERE "deletedAt" IS NULL
+  `);
+}
+
 exports.getAdvertisements = async (req, res) => {
   try {
+    await syncDerivedStatuses();
+
     const result = await paginate(Advertisement, req, {
       excludeAttributes: adminExclude,
       jsonbSchemas,
@@ -275,10 +305,6 @@ exports.updateAdvertisement = async (req, res) => {
   }
 };
 
-// TODO(ads-7): Once expired (end_date passed), an advertisement should be
-// auto-archived (soft-deleted via the same path as archiveAdvertisement below)
-// instead of just sitting at derived status "expired" indefinitely. Add a
-// cron job — see TODO(ads-7) in new_starr/cron/client.cron.js.
 // ─── ARCHIVE (single) ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 exports.archiveAdvertisement = async (req, res) => {
@@ -382,7 +408,7 @@ exports.getArchivedAdvertisements = async (req, res) => {
       excludeAttributes: adminExclude,
       jsonbSchemas,
       computedAttributes,
-      context: "list",
+      context: "archived",
       auditOptions: { mdl_Users, parentAlias: 'Advertisement' },
       findOptions: { paranoid: false, where: { deletedAt: { [Op.ne]: null } } },
     });

controllers/admin/courses.controller.js

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const { flattenUnits, flattenLessons, nextOrderIndex, reorderJunction } = requir
 const { getFieldValues } = require("../../utils/fieldValues.util");
 const logActivity = require('../../utils/logActivity.util');
 const UserNotification = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 
 // ── Models ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -2174,11 +2174,11 @@ exports.updateAssessment = async (req, res) => {
           where: { course_id: courseId },
           attributes: ['title', 'uuid'],
         });
-        const notify = await renderNotification({ type: 'assessment_updated', data: {
+        const notify = NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.assessment_updated.build({
           assessmentTitle: assessment.title,
           courseTitle:     course?.title ?? null,
           courseUuid:      course?.uuid ?? null,
-        } });
+        });
         const now = new Date();
         await UserNotification.bulkCreate(
           inProgressSessions.map(({ user_id }) => ({

controllers/admin/notification.controller.js

@@ -12,7 +12,44 @@
  * Date Created: Jun. 19, 2026
  ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
 const AdminNotification = require('../../models/notifications/admin_notification.mdl');
+const StickyBannerSetting = require('../../models/notifications/sticky_banner_setting.mdl');
+const mdl_Assets = require('../../models/assets/assets.mdl');
+const mediaToken = require('../../services/mediaToken.service');
 const R = require('../../utils/response.util');
+const { notInFutureOrExpired } = require('../../utils/notificationVisibility.util');
+
+const STICKY_LIMIT = 3;
+const IMAGE_INCLUDE = {
+    model:     mdl_Assets,
+    as:        'image',
+    attributes: ["asset_id", "display_name", "file_url", "thumbnail_url", "storage_provider", "storage_key", "file_type", "mime_type"],
+    required:  false,
+};
+
+// Mirrors controllers/admin/advertisements.controller.js's attachImageStreamToken.
+async function attachImageStreamToken(image, req) {
+    if (!image || image.storage_provider !== 's3' || !mediaToken.SUPPORTED_TYPES.includes(image.file_type)) {
+        return image;
+    }
+    const ip = mediaToken.resolveIp(req);
+    const { token } = await mediaToken.issueForAsset(image, req.user?.user_id, ip);
+    image.stream_token = token;
+    image.file_url = null;
+    image.thumbnail_url = null;
+    delete image.storage_key;
+    return image;
+}
+
+// One shared banner image for the whole rotating sticky bar (see
+// controllers/admin/notificationBroadcasts.controller.js's
+// getStickyBannerSetting/updateStickyBannerSetting) — not per-announcement.
+async function resolveSharedBannerImage(req) {
+    const setting = await StickyBannerSetting.findOne({ where: { id: 1 }, include: [IMAGE_INCLUDE] });
+    if (!setting?.image) return null;
+    const image = setting.toJSON().image;
+    await attachImageStreamToken(image, req);
+    return image;
+}
 
 // ─── GET /admin/notifications ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 async function list(req, res) {
@@ -25,7 +62,7 @@ async function list(req, res) {
             order: [['createdAt', 'DESC']],
             limit,
             offset,
-            where: { show_in_notifications: true },
+            where: { show_in_notifications: true, ...notInFutureOrExpired() },
         });
 
         return R.success(res, 'Notifications fetched.', {
@@ -41,7 +78,7 @@ async function list(req, res) {
 // ─── GET /admin/notifications/unseen ─────────────────────────────────────────
 async function unseenCount(req, res) {
     try {
-        const count = await AdminNotification.count({ where: { seen: false, show_in_notifications: true } });
+        const count = await AdminNotification.count({ where: { seen: false, show_in_notifications: true, ...notInFutureOrExpired() } });
         return R.success(res, 'Unseen count fetched.', { count });
     } catch (err) {
         console.error('[NOTIFICATION] unseenCount error:', err);
@@ -54,16 +91,21 @@ async function unseenCount(req, res) {
 // banner for every admin. Whoever dismisses it first dismisses it for all.
 async function stickyAnnouncement(req, res) {
     try {
-        const notification = await AdminNotification.findOne({
+        const [notifications, bannerImage] = await Promise.all([
+            AdminNotification.findAll({
                 where: {
                     seen: false,
                     show_in_sticky: true,
                     type: 'announcement',
+                    ...notInFutureOrExpired(),
                 },
                 order: [['createdAt', 'DESC']],
-        });
+                limit: STICKY_LIMIT,
+            }),
+            resolveSharedBannerImage(req),
+        ]);
 
-        return R.success(res, 'Sticky announcement fetched.', { announcement: notification });
+        return R.success(res, 'Sticky announcements fetched.', { announcements: notifications, bannerImage });
     } catch (err) {
         console.error('[NOTIFICATION] stickyAnnouncement error:', err);
         return R.error(res, 'Failed to fetch sticky announcement.');

controllers/admin/notificationBroadcasts.controller.js

@@ -4,16 +4,20 @@ const sequelize = require("../../config/db.config");
 const NotificationBroadcast = require("../../models/notifications/notification_broadcast.mdl");
 const AdminNotification = require("../../models/notifications/admin_notification.mdl");
 const UserNotification = require("../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl");
+const StickyBannerSetting = require("../../models/notifications/sticky_banner_setting.mdl");
 const mdl_Users = require('../../models/users/users.mdl');
+const mdl_Assets = require('../../models/assets/assets.mdl');
 const { TaskList } = require('../../models/task/task.mdl');
 const { mdl_UserGroupMembers } = require('../../models/users/user_groups.mdl');
 const { Course } = require('../../models/courses/courses.mdl');
 const mdl_TierPlans = require('../../models/tiers/tier_plans.mdl');
+const mediaToken = require("../../services/mediaToken.service");
 const R = require('../../utils/response.util');
 const { paginate } = require("../../utils/paginate.util");
 const { adminExclude, jsonbSchemas, computedAttributes } = require("../../models/notifications/notification_broadcast.attributes");
 const logActivity = require('../../utils/logActivity.util');
 const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
+const { notInFutureOrExpired } = require('../../utils/notificationVisibility.util');
 const {
   ALLOWED_TARGET_TYPES,
   SCOPED_TARGET_TYPES,
@@ -28,10 +32,58 @@ const { Op } = require('sequelize');
 
 const notDeleted = { deletedAt: null };
 
+// Fields needed off the associated Asset to render the shared sticky banner
+// preview AND (for S3 assets) mint a stream token — mirrors advertisements.controller.js.
+const IMAGE_ATTRIBUTES = ["asset_id", "display_name", "file_url", "thumbnail_url", "storage_provider", "storage_key", "file_type", "mime_type"];
+const IMAGE_INCLUDE = { model: mdl_Assets, as: "image", attributes: IMAGE_ATTRIBUTES, required: false };
+
+// Mirrors controllers/admin/advertisements.controller.js's attachImageStreamToken
+// — kept duplicated rather than shared (same rationale used there).
+async function attachImageStreamToken(image, req) {
+  if (!image || image.storage_provider !== "s3" || !mediaToken.SUPPORTED_TYPES.includes(image.file_type)) {
+    return image;
+  }
+  const ip = mediaToken.resolveIp(req);
+  const { token } = await mediaToken.issueForAsset(image, req.user?.user_id, ip);
+  image.stream_token = token;
+  image.file_url = null;
+  image.thumbnail_url = null;
+  delete image.storage_key;
+  return image;
+}
+
+// "Active sticky" = live in the rotating sticky banner right now: sent,
+// show_in_sticky, not archived, and within its own start/end window. Caps the
+// bar at 3 concurrent slots (see sendBroadcast/updateBroadcast below).
+async function countActiveSticky(excludeId = null) {
+  return NotificationBroadcast.count({
+    where: {
+      status: 'sent',
+      show_in_sticky: true,
+      ...notDeleted,
+      ...notInFutureOrExpired(),
+      ...(excludeId ? { broadcast_id: { [Op.ne]: excludeId } } : {}),
+    },
+  });
+}
+
+const MAX_ACTIVE_STICKY = 3;
+const ACTIVE_STICKY_CAP_MESSAGE = `Maximum of ${MAX_ACTIVE_STICKY} active sticky announcements right now — this stays in Draft until one ends or is archived.`;
+
 async function applyBroadcastFields(broadcast, body) {
   if (body.title   !== undefined) broadcast.title   = body.title;
   if (body.message !== undefined) broadcast.message = body.message;
   if (body.link_url !== undefined) broadcast.link_url = body.link_url?.trim() || null;
+  if (body.link_label !== undefined) broadcast.link_label = body.link_label?.trim() || null;
+  if (body.color !== undefined) broadcast.color = body.color || 'indigo';
+
+  if (body.start_date !== undefined) broadcast.start_date = body.start_date || null;
+  if (body.end_date   !== undefined) broadcast.end_date   = body.end_date   || null;
+  if (broadcast.start_date && broadcast.end_date && new Date(broadcast.start_date) > new Date(broadcast.end_date)) {
+    const err = new Error("Start date must be before end date.");
+    err.status = 400;
+    throw err;
+  }
 
   if (body.show_in_sticky !== undefined) broadcast.show_in_sticky = !!body.show_in_sticky;
   if (body.show_in_notifications !== undefined) broadcast.show_in_notifications = !!body.show_in_notifications;
@@ -161,11 +213,15 @@ exports.createBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
       title,
       message,
       link_url,
+      link_label,
+      color,
       target_type,
       target_id,
       createdBy,
       show_in_sticky,
       show_in_notifications,
+      start_date,
+      end_date,
     } = req.body;
 
     if (!title)   return R.error(res, "title is required.", 400);
@@ -181,6 +237,10 @@ exports.createBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
       return R.error(res, "At least one of show_in_sticky or show_in_notifications must be enabled.", 400);
     }
 
+    if (start_date && end_date && new Date(start_date) > new Date(end_date)) {
+      return R.error(res, "Start date must be before end date.", 400);
+    }
+
     if (SCOPED_TARGET_TYPES.includes(target_type)) await validateTargetId(target_type, target_id);
 
     const t = await sequelize.transaction();
@@ -189,6 +249,10 @@ exports.createBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
         title,
         message,
         link_url: link_url?.trim() || null,
+        link_label: link_label?.trim() || null,
+        color: color || 'indigo',
+        start_date: start_date || null,
+        end_date: end_date || null,
         createdBy,
         status: 'draft',
         target_type,
@@ -222,7 +286,7 @@ exports.updateBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
     const broadcast = await NotificationBroadcast.findOne({ where: { broadcast_id: broadcastId, ...notDeleted } });
     if (!broadcast) return R.error(res, "Notification broadcast not found.", 404);
 
-    if (broadcast.status !== 'draft') return R.error(res, "Only draft broadcasts can be edited.", 400);
+    const wasActiveSticky = broadcast.status === 'sent' && broadcast.show_in_sticky;
 
     const t = await sequelize.transaction();
     try {
@@ -232,8 +296,54 @@ exports.updateBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
         err.status = 400;
         throw err;
       }
+
+      // Editing a live broadcast to newly flip on show_in_sticky is the same
+      // "activate a sticky slot" action as sendBroadcast — must respect the
+      // same 3-slot cap, or it's a trivial bypass.
+      if (broadcast.status === 'sent' && broadcast.show_in_sticky && !wasActiveSticky) {
+        if ((await countActiveSticky(broadcast.broadcast_id)) >= MAX_ACTIVE_STICKY) {
+          const err = new Error(ACTIVE_STICKY_CAP_MESSAGE);
+          err.status = 409;
+          throw err;
+        }
+      }
+
       broadcast.updatedBy = req.body.updatedBy ?? null;
       await broadcast.save({ transaction: t });
+
+      // Already-sent broadcasts have per-recipient rows created at send time
+      // (see sendBroadcast) — propagate content/display edits into them so
+      // changes show up immediately for anyone currently seeing it. Target/
+      // audience fields are deliberately NOT propagated (see plan notes):
+      // recipients were already resolved, and task_list's per-user groupId
+      // deep-link (stored in each row's own `data`) must not be clobbered.
+      if (broadcast.status === 'sent') {
+        const propagated = {
+          title: broadcast.title,
+          message: broadcast.message,
+          color: broadcast.color,
+          show_in_sticky: broadcast.show_in_sticky,
+          show_in_notifications: broadcast.show_in_notifications,
+          start_date: broadcast.start_date,
+          end_date: broadcast.end_date,
+          linkUrl: broadcast.link_url,
+          linkLabel: broadcast.link_label,
+          broadcastId: broadcast.broadcast_id,
+        };
+
+        for (const table of ['admin_notifications', 'user_notifications']) {
+          await sequelize.query(
+            `UPDATE ${table}
+             SET title = :title, message = :message, color = :color,
+                 show_in_sticky = :show_in_sticky, show_in_notifications = :show_in_notifications,
+                 start_date = :start_date, end_date = :end_date,
+                 data = data || jsonb_build_object('linkUrl', :linkUrl, 'linkLabel', :linkLabel)
+             WHERE broadcast_id = :broadcastId`,
+            { replacements: propagated, transaction: t }
+          );
+        }
+      }
+
       await t.commit();
 
       logActivity(req.user?.user_id, 'update_notification_broadcast', { entityType: 'notification_broadcast', entityId: Number(broadcastId) });
@@ -260,6 +370,10 @@ exports.sendBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
     if (!broadcast) return R.error(res, "Announcement not found.", 404);
     if (broadcast.status !== 'draft') return R.error(res, "Only draft broadcasts can be sent.", 400);
 
+    if (broadcast.show_in_sticky && (await countActiveSticky(broadcast.broadcast_id)) >= MAX_ACTIVE_STICKY) {
+      return R.error(res, ACTIVE_STICKY_CAP_MESSAGE, 409);
+    }
+
     const t = await sequelize.transaction();
     try {
       const now        = new Date();
@@ -276,11 +390,12 @@ exports.sendBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
         targetType,
         targetId,
         linkUrl:   broadcast.link_url,
+        linkLabel: broadcast.link_label,
       });
 
       if (targetType === 'admin' || targetType === 'both') {
         await AdminNotification.create(
-          { ...baseNotify, seen: false, show_in_sticky: showInSticky, show_in_notifications: showInNotifications },
+          { ...baseNotify, seen: false, show_in_sticky: showInSticky, show_in_notifications: showInNotifications, color: broadcast.color, start_date: broadcast.start_date, end_date: broadcast.end_date, broadcast_id: broadcast.broadcast_id },
           { transaction: t }
         );
         recipientCount += 1;
@@ -313,6 +428,7 @@ exports.sendBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
                   title: broadcast.title, message: broadcast.message, targetType, targetId,
                   groupId: groupByUser[user_id] ?? null,
                   linkUrl:   broadcast.link_url,
+                  linkLabel: broadcast.link_label,
                 })
               : baseNotify),
             seen:      false,
@@ -320,6 +436,10 @@ exports.sendBroadcast = async (req, res) => {
             updatedAt: now,
             show_in_sticky: showInSticky,
             show_in_notifications: showInNotifications,
+            color: broadcast.color,
+            start_date: broadcast.start_date,
+            end_date: broadcast.end_date,
+            broadcast_id: broadcast.broadcast_id,
           })),
           { validate: false, transaction: t }
         );
@@ -505,3 +625,62 @@ exports.permanentlyDeleteBroadcasts = async (req, res) => {
     return R.error(res, "Could not permanently delete announcements.", 500);
   }
 };
+
+// ─── STICKY BANNER (shared, singleton) ────────────────────────────────────────
+// One image for the whole rotating sticky bar (up to 3 concurrent
+// announcements share it) — not one per announcement. Set from the
+// Announcements list page.
+
+exports.getStickyBannerSetting = async (req, res) => {
+  try {
+    const setting = await StickyBannerSetting.findOne({ where: { id: 1 }, include: [IMAGE_INCLUDE] });
+    if (!setting) return R.success(res, "Sticky banner setting retrieved.", { data: null });
+
+    const json = setting.toJSON();
+    if (json.image) await attachImageStreamToken(json.image, req);
+
+    return R.success(res, "Sticky banner setting retrieved.", { data: json });
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error("[NOTIFICATION BROADCAST][GET STICKY BANNER]", err);
+    return R.error(res, "Could not retrieve sticky banner setting.", 500);
+  }
+};
+
+exports.updateStickyBannerSetting = async (req, res) => {
+  try {
+    const { image_asset_id, updatedBy } = req.body;
+
+    let validatedImageAssetId = null;
+    if (image_asset_id) {
+      const asset = await mdl_Assets.findOne({ where: { asset_id: image_asset_id, deletedAt: null } });
+      if (!asset) return R.error(res, "Selected image asset was not found.", 400);
+      validatedImageAssetId = asset.asset_id;
+    }
+
+    // Plain find-then-create/update rather than findOrCreate() — Sequelize's
+    // postgres findOrCreate() relies on a temp PL/pgSQL function for atomicity
+    // that CockroachDB doesn't support ("cannot create user-defined functions
+    // under a temporary schema") — same fix as trustedDevice.service.js.
+    let setting = await StickyBannerSetting.findOne({ where: { id: 1 } });
+    if (setting) {
+      setting.image_asset_id = validatedImageAssetId;
+      setting.updatedBy = updatedBy ?? null;
+      await setting.save();
+    } else {
+      setting = await StickyBannerSetting.create({ id: 1, image_asset_id: validatedImageAssetId, updatedBy: updatedBy ?? null });
+    }
+
+    // Reload with the image association so the response carries a fully
+    // resolved preview (stream token for S3) — same shape as the GET, so the
+    // frontend never needs to locally guess/merge in an optimistic image.
+    await setting.reload({ include: [IMAGE_INCLUDE] });
+    const json = setting.toJSON();
+    if (json.image) await attachImageStreamToken(json.image, req);
+
+    logActivity(req.user?.user_id, 'update_sticky_banner_setting', { entityType: 'sticky_banner_setting', entityId: 1 });
+    return R.success(res, "Sticky banner setting updated.", { data: json });
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error("[NOTIFICATION BROADCAST][UPDATE STICKY BANNER]", err);
+    return R.error(res, "Could not update sticky banner setting.", 500);
+  }
+};

controllers/admin/notification_templates.controller.js

@@ -1,161 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-
-const mdl_NotificationTemplate = require('../../models/notifications/notification_template.mdl');
-const R           = require('../../utils/response.util');
-const logActivity = require('../../utils/logActivity.util');
-
-const slugify = (str) =>
-  str.toLowerCase().trim().replace(/[^a-z0-9]+/g, '_').replace(/(^_|_$)/g, '');
-
-// ─── GET /admin/notification-templates ─────────────────────────────────────────
-
-exports.getNotificationTemplates = async (req, res) => {
-  try {
-    const templates = await mdl_NotificationTemplate.findAll({
-      order: [['notify_type', 'ASC'], ['type', 'ASC']],
-    });
-    return R.success(res, 'Announcement templates retrieved.', templates);
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error('[ADMIN][GET NOTIFICATION TEMPLATES]', err);
-    return R.error(res, 'Could not retrieve announcement templates.', 500);
-  }
-};
-
-// ─── GET /admin/notification-templates/:id ─────────────────────────────────────
-
-exports.getNotificationTemplate = async (req, res) => {
-  try {
-    const template = await mdl_NotificationTemplate.findByPk(req.params.id);
-    if (!template) return R.error(res, 'Announcement template not found.', 404);
-    return R.success(res, 'Announcement template retrieved.', template);
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error('[ADMIN][GET NOTIFICATION TEMPLATE]', err);
-    return R.error(res, 'Could not retrieve announcement template.', 500);
-  }
-};
-
-// ─── POST /admin/notification-templates ────────────────────────────────────────
-// Only creates custom (is_system: false) rows. System types still can't be
-// added here — they need a code call site (services/notificationTemplate
-// .service.js's renderNotification()) before a type means anything. Custom
-// rows have no call site at all: they're reusable title/message presets an
-// admin can load into the Announcements composer (see AddNotificationBroadcast
-// .jsx), so `type` only exists to satisfy the unique key — nothing looks it up.
-
-exports.createNotificationTemplate = async (req, res) => {
-  try {
-    const { label, title, message } = req.body;
-    if (!label?.trim())   return R.error(res, 'label is required.', 400);
-    if (!title?.trim())   return R.error(res, 'title is required.', 400);
-    if (!message?.trim()) return R.error(res, 'message cannot be empty.', 400);
-
-    const base = slugify(label) || 'template';
-    let type = `custom_${base}`;
-    let suffix = 1;
-    while (await mdl_NotificationTemplate.findOne({ where: { type } })) {
-      suffix += 1;
-      type = `custom_${base}_${suffix}`;
-    }
-
-    const template = await mdl_NotificationTemplate.create({
-      type,
-      notify_type: 'announcement',
-      scope:       'both',
-      label:       label.trim(),
-      status:      'sent',
-      title:       title.trim(),
-      message:     message.trim(),
-      is_system:   false,
-    });
-
-    logActivity(req.user?.user_id, 'create_notification_template', { entityType: 'notification_template', entityId: template.notification_template_id, details: { label: template.label } });
-
-    return R.success(res, 'Announcement template created.', template, 201);
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error('[ADMIN][CREATE NOTIFICATION TEMPLATE]', err);
-    return R.error(res, 'Could not create announcement template.', 500);
-  }
-};
-
-// ─── DELETE /admin/notification-templates/:id ──────────────────────────────────
-// System templates stay protected — deleting one would break the code call
-// site that references its type.
-
-exports.deleteNotificationTemplate = async (req, res) => {
-  try {
-    const template = await mdl_NotificationTemplate.findByPk(req.params.id);
-    if (!template) return R.error(res, 'Announcement template not found.', 404);
-    if (template.is_system) return R.error(res, 'System templates cannot be deleted.', 400);
-
-    await template.destroy();
-
-    logActivity(req.user?.user_id, 'delete_notification_template', { entityType: 'notification_template', entityId: template.notification_template_id, details: { label: template.label } });
-
-    return R.success(res, 'Announcement template deleted.');
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error('[ADMIN][DELETE NOTIFICATION TEMPLATE]', err);
-    return R.error(res, 'Could not delete announcement template.', 500);
-  }
-};
-
-// ─── PUT /admin/notification-templates/:id ─────────────────────────────────────
-
-exports.updateNotificationTemplate = async (req, res) => {
-  try {
-    const template = await mdl_NotificationTemplate.findByPk(req.params.id);
-    if (!template) return R.error(res, 'Announcement template not found.', 404);
-
-    const { label, title, message, publish } = req.body;
-
-    if (title !== undefined && !title.trim())     return R.error(res, 'title cannot be empty.', 400);
-    if (message !== undefined && !message.trim()) return R.error(res, 'message cannot be empty.', 400);
-
-    // Custom templates are just reusable presets — nothing reads them at a
-    // fixed publish time, so there's no draft/publish workflow: title/message
-    // save straight to the live columns.
-    if (!template.is_system) {
-      await template.update({
-        label:   label   ?? template.label,
-        title:   title   ?? template.title,
-        message: message ?? template.message,
-      });
-
-      logActivity(req.user?.user_id, 'update_notification_template', { entityType: 'notification_template', entityId: template.notification_template_id, details: { custom: true } });
-
-      return R.success(res, 'Announcement template updated.', template);
-    }
-
-    // "Publish" writes title/message straight to the live columns
-    // renderNotification() reads and clears any pending draft. A plain save
-    // (no publish flag) writes into draft_title/draft_message instead, so
-    // real notifications keep using the last-published content until an
-    // admin comes back and explicitly publishes again.
-    const isPublishing = publish === true || publish === 'true';
-    const nextTitle     = title   ?? template.draft_title   ?? template.title;
-    const nextMessage   = message ?? template.draft_message ?? template.message;
-
-    await template.update({
-      label: label ?? template.label,
-      ...(isPublishing
-        ? {
-            status:        'sent',
-            title:         nextTitle,
-            message:       nextMessage,
-            draft_title:   null,
-            draft_message: null,
-            last_sent_at:  new Date(),
-          }
-        : {
-            draft_title:   nextTitle,
-            draft_message: nextMessage,
-          }),
-    });
-
-    logActivity(req.user?.user_id, 'update_notification_template', { entityType: 'notification_template', entityId: template.notification_template_id, details: { type: template.type, published: isPublishing } });
-
-    return R.success(res, 'Announcement template updated.', template);
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error('[ADMIN][UPDATE NOTIFICATION TEMPLATE]', err);
-    return R.error(res, 'Could not update announcement template.', 500);
-  }
-};

controllers/admin/task.controller.js

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const { Task, TaskList, TaskRequirement, TaskListGroup, mdl_UserGroups } = requi
 const { mdl_UserGroupMembers } = require('../../models/users/user_groups.mdl');
 const mdl_Users = require('../../models/users/users.mdl');
 const UserNotification = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 const { adminExclude, jsonbSchemas, computedAttributes } = require('../../models/task/task.attributes');
 
 const R = require('../../utils/response.util');
@@ -439,10 +439,10 @@ exports.assignGroups = async (req, res) => {
 
                 if (userIds.length) {
                     const now = new Date();
-                    const notify = await renderNotification({ type: 'task_assigned', data: {
+                    const notify = NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.task_assigned.build({
                         taskListName: taskList.name,
                         taskCount,
-                    } });
+                    });
                     await UserNotification.bulkCreate(
                         userIds.map((user_id) => ({ user_id, ...notify, seen: false, createdAt: now, updatedAt: now })),
                         { validate: false }
@@ -763,11 +763,11 @@ exports.updateTask = async (req, res) => {
                         const now = new Date();
                         // Title/message are identical for every member — render once,
                         // then vary only the per-member groupId in the data payload.
-                        const notify = await renderNotification({ type: 'task_requirements_updated', data: {
+                        const notify = NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.task_requirements_updated.build({
                             taskName:   full.name,
                             taskListId: task.task_list_id,
                             groupId:    null,
-                        } });
+                        });
                         await UserNotification.bulkCreate(
                             members.map(({ user_id, group_id }) => ({
                                 user_id,

controllers/admin/task_completion.controller.js

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const { TaskCompletion, TaskCompletionFile } = require('../../models/task/task_c
 const { Task } = require('../../models/task/task.mdl');
 const mdl_Users = require('../../models/users/users.mdl');
 const UserNotification = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 const { checkTaskCompletion, fireTaskCompletedEvent } = require('../client/task.controller');
 
 const { adminExclude } = require('../../models/task/task_completion.attributes');
@@ -190,9 +190,9 @@ exports.reviewSubmission = async (req, res) => {
         });
 
         try {
-            const notify = await renderNotification({ type: 'task_submission_reviewed', data: {
+            const notify = NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.task_submission_reviewed.build({
                 taskName: task.name, status, review_note: review_note || null,
-            } });
+            });
             await UserNotification.create({ user_id: completion.user_id, ...notify, seen: false });
         } catch (notifyErr) {
             console.error('[ADMIN][REVIEW SUBMISSION][NOTIFY]', notifyErr);

controllers/auth.controller.js

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const { generateOTP, getOTPExpiry, isOTPExpired } = require('../utils/otp.util')
 const { onUserRegistered } = require('../services/achievements.service');
 const AdminNotification   = require('../models/notifications/admin_notification.mdl');
 const UserNotification    = require('../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../data/notifications.data');
 const { sendEmail }    = require('../services/email.service');
 const buildSessionInfo = require('../utils/session_info.util');
 const logActivity      = require('../utils/logActivity.util');
@@ -171,19 +171,17 @@ exports.register = async (req, res) => {
 
     // Fire-and-forget: notify admins — explicit group or NOGRP fallback
     if (group) {
-      renderNotification({ type: 'user_registration', data: {
+      AdminNotification.create(NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.user_registration.build({
         groupName: group.name,
         groupCode: group.group_code,
         userEmail: email,
-      } })
+      }))
-        .then(notify => AdminNotification.create(notify))
         .catch(err => console.error('[AUTH] Failed to emit user_registration notification:', err));
     } else if (enrollGroup) {
-      renderNotification({ type: 'nogrp_user_registered', data: {
+      AdminNotification.create(NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.nogrp_user_registered.build({
         userEmail: email,
         regType:   'system',
-      } })
+      }))
-        .then(notify => AdminNotification.create(notify))
         .catch(err => console.error('[AUTH] Failed to emit nogrp_user_registered notification:', err));
     }
 
@@ -241,12 +239,12 @@ exports.verifyOTP = async (req, res) => {
         const notifications = [
           {
             user_id: user.user_id,
-            ...(await renderNotification({ type: 'welcome', data: {
+            ...NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.welcome.build({
               groupName: grp?.name       ?? null,
               groupCode: grp?.group_code ?? null,
               accType:   user.acc_type,
               groupId:   membership?.group_id ?? null,
-            } })),
+            }),
             createdAt: now,
             updatedAt: now,
           },
@@ -254,7 +252,7 @@ exports.verifyOTP = async (req, res) => {
         if (grp?.group_code === 'NOGRP') {
           notifications.push({
             user_id: user.user_id,
-            ...(await renderNotification({ type: 'nogrp_welcome', data: {} })),
+            ...NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.nogrp_welcome.build(),
             createdAt: now,
             updatedAt: now,
           });
@@ -475,11 +473,10 @@ exports.googleCallback = async (req, res) => {
         // Welcome email/achievements/welcome-notification are deferred to
         // verifyOTP's first-time branch now (this account isn't verified yet —
         // it still has to complete the same OTP gate as a system registration).
-        renderNotification({ type: 'nogrp_user_registered', data: {
+        AdminNotification.create(NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.nogrp_user_registered.build({
           userEmail: payload.email,
           regType:   'google',
-        } })
+        }))
-          .then(notify => AdminNotification.create(notify))
           .catch(err => console.error('[AUTH] googleCallback: Failed to emit nogrp_user_registered notification:', err));
       } catch (err) {
         await t.rollback();

controllers/client/advertisements.controller.js

@@ -189,6 +189,38 @@ exports.getActiveAdvertisements = async (req, res) => {
   }
 };
 
+// ─── GET BY UUID ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// Resolves a single live advertisement by uuid for its own landing page — the
+// destination CTA/banner clicks resolve to when the ad has no redirect_link
+// (see /ads/:uuid on the client).
+//
+// GET /api/client/advertisements/uuid/:uuid
+//
+exports.getAdvertisementByUuid = async (req, res) => {
+  try {
+    const { uuid } = req.params;
+    if (!uuid) return R.error(res, "uuid is required.", 400);
+
+    const advertisement = await Advertisement.findOne({
+      where: liveWhere({ uuid }),
+      include: [AD_IMAGE_INCLUDE],
+      attributes: { exclude: AD_CLIENT_EXCLUDE },
+    });
+
+    if (!advertisement) return R.error(res, "Advertisement not found.", 404);
+
+    const json = advertisement.toJSON();
+    json.status = deriveStatus(json);
+    if (json.image) await attachImageStreamToken(json.image, req);
+
+    return R.success(res, "Advertisement retrieved.", { data: json });
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error("[CLIENT][ADVERTISEMENT][GET BY UUID]", err);
+    return R.error(res, "Could not retrieve advertisement.", 500);
+  }
+};
+
 // ─── TRACK CLICK ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 //
 // POST /api/client/advertisements/:advertisementId/click

controllers/client/courses.controller.js

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ const { onCourseCompleted }      = require('../../services/achievements.service'
 const PendingCertificate         = require('../../models/courses/pending_certificate.mdl');
 const Certificate                = require('../../models/courses/certificate.mdl');
 const UserNotification           = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 
 const notDeleted = { deletedAt: null };
 
@@ -468,6 +468,10 @@ exports.getUnit = async (req, res) => {
     const link = await CourseUnit.findOne({ where: { course_id: courseId, unit_id: unitId } });
     if (!link) return R.error(res, "Unit not found.", 404);
 
+    if (!await canAccessUnit(req.user.user_id, unitId)) {
+      return R.error(res, "You do not have access to this unit.", 403);
+    }
+
     const unit = await Unit.findOne({
       where: { unit_id: unitId, ...notDeleted },
       attributes: [
@@ -519,6 +523,10 @@ exports.getLesson = async (req, res) => {
     ]);
     if (!courseLink || !lessonLink) return R.error(res, "Lesson not found.", 404);
 
+    if (!await canAccessLesson(req.user.user_id, lessonId)) {
+      return R.error(res, "You do not have access to this lesson.", 403);
+    }
+
     const lesson = await Lesson.findOne({
       where: { lesson_id: lessonId, ...notDeleted },
       attributes: [
@@ -557,6 +565,10 @@ exports.getUnitQuiz = async (req, res) => {
     const link = await CourseUnit.findOne({ where: { course_id: courseId, unit_id: unitId } });
     if (!link) return R.error(res, "Unit not found.", 404);
 
+    if (!await canAccessUnit(req.user.user_id, unitId)) {
+      return R.error(res, "You do not have access to this unit.", 403);
+    }
+
     const quiz = await UnitQuiz.findOne({
       where: { unit_id: unitId, ...notDeleted },
       attributes: [
@@ -615,6 +627,10 @@ exports.getCourseAssessment = async (req, res) => {
   try {
     const { courseId } = req.params;
 
+    if (!await canAccessCourse(req.user.user_id, courseId)) {
+      return R.error(res, "You do not have access to this course.", 403);
+    }
+
     const assessment = await CourseAssessment.findOne({
       where: { course_id: courseId, ...notDeleted },
       attributes: [
@@ -698,6 +714,10 @@ exports.startCourseAssessment = async (req, res) => {
     const { courseId, assessmentId } = req.params;
     const user_id = req.user.user_id;
 
+    if (!await canAccessCourse(user_id, courseId)) {
+      return R.error(res, "You do not have access to this course.", 403);
+    }
+
     const assessment = await CourseAssessment.findOne({
       where: { assessment_id: assessmentId, course_id: courseId, ...notDeleted },
       attributes: ["assessment_id", "time_limit_minutes", "passing_score", "max_attempts", "cooldown_hours"],
@@ -857,6 +877,10 @@ exports.submitUnitQuiz = async (req, res) => {
     const link = await CourseUnit.findOne({ where: { course_id: courseId, unit_id: unitId } });
     if (!link) return R.error(res, "Unit not found.", 404);
 
+    if (!await canAccessUnit(user_id, unitId)) {
+      return R.error(res, "You do not have access to this unit.", 403);
+    }
+
     const quiz = await UnitQuiz.findOne({
       where: { quiz_id: quizId, unit_id: unitId, ...notDeleted },
       include: [{
@@ -949,6 +973,10 @@ exports.submitCourseAssessment = async (req, res) => {
     const { answers = {}, session_id } = req.body;
     const user_id = req.user.user_id;
 
+    if (!await canAccessCourse(user_id, courseId)) {
+      return R.error(res, "You do not have access to this course.", 403);
+    }
+
     const assessment = await CourseAssessment.findOne({
       where: { assessment_id: assessmentId, course_id: courseId, ...notDeleted },
       include: [{
@@ -1038,9 +1066,10 @@ exports.submitCourseAssessment = async (req, res) => {
       }
 
       // Immediate notification: course completed, certificate incoming
-      renderNotification({ type: 'course_completed', data: { courseTitle: course?.title ?? '', courseUuid: course?.uuid ?? null } })
+      UserNotification.create({
-        .then(notify => UserNotification.create({ user_id, ...notify }))
+        user_id,
-        .catch(err => console.error('[ASSESSMENT] Failed to emit course_completed notification:', err));
+        ...NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.course_completed.build({ courseTitle: course?.title ?? '', courseUuid: course?.uuid ?? null }),
+      }).catch(err => console.error('[ASSESSMENT] Failed to emit course_completed notification:', err));
     }
 
     return R.success(res, "Assessment submitted.", {

controllers/client/notification.controller.js

@@ -12,7 +12,45 @@
  * Date Created: Jun. 19, 2026
  ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
 const UserNotification = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
+const StickyBannerSetting = require('../../models/notifications/sticky_banner_setting.mdl');
+const mdl_Assets = require('../../models/assets/assets.mdl');
+const mediaToken = require('../../services/mediaToken.service');
 const R = require('../../utils/response.util');
+const { notInFutureOrExpired } = require('../../utils/notificationVisibility.util');
+
+const STICKY_LIMIT = 3;
+const IMAGE_INCLUDE = {
+    model:     mdl_Assets,
+    as:        'image',
+    attributes: ["asset_id", "display_name", "file_url", "thumbnail_url", "storage_provider", "storage_key", "file_type", "mime_type"],
+    required:  false,
+};
+
+// Mirrors controllers/admin/advertisements.controller.js's attachImageStreamToken
+// — kept duplicated rather than shared across the admin/client boundary.
+async function attachImageStreamToken(image, req) {
+    if (!image || image.storage_provider !== 's3' || !mediaToken.SUPPORTED_TYPES.includes(image.file_type)) {
+        return image;
+    }
+    const ip = mediaToken.resolveIp(req);
+    const { token } = await mediaToken.issueForAsset(image, req.user?.user_id, ip);
+    image.stream_token = token;
+    image.file_url = null;
+    image.thumbnail_url = null;
+    delete image.storage_key;
+    return image;
+}
+
+// One shared banner image for the whole rotating sticky bar (see
+// controllers/admin/notificationBroadcasts.controller.js's
+// getStickyBannerSetting/updateStickyBannerSetting) — not per-announcement.
+async function resolveSharedBannerImage(req) {
+    const setting = await StickyBannerSetting.findOne({ where: { id: 1 }, include: [IMAGE_INCLUDE] });
+    if (!setting?.image) return null;
+    const image = setting.toJSON().image;
+    await attachImageStreamToken(image, req);
+    return image;
+}
 
 // ─── GET /client/notifications ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 async function list(req, res) {
@@ -23,7 +61,7 @@ async function list(req, res) {
         const offset = (page - 1) * limit;
 
         const { count, rows } = await UserNotification.findAndCountAll({
-            where: { user_id: userId, show_in_notifications: true },
+            where: { user_id: userId, show_in_notifications: true, ...notInFutureOrExpired() },
             order: [['createdAt', 'DESC']],
             limit,
             offset,
@@ -44,7 +82,7 @@ async function unseenCount(req, res) {
     if (!req.user) return R.success(res, 'Unseen count fetched.', { count: null });
     try {
         const count = await UserNotification.count({
-            where: { user_id: req.user.user_id, seen: false, show_in_notifications: true },
+            where: { user_id: req.user.user_id, seen: false, show_in_notifications: true, ...notInFutureOrExpired() },
         });
         return R.success(res, 'Unseen count fetched.', { count });
     } catch (err) {
@@ -56,18 +94,24 @@ async function unseenCount(req, res) {
 // ─── GET /client/notifications/sticky ─────────────────────────────────────
 async function stickyAnnouncement(req, res) {
     try {
-        const notification = await UserNotification.findOne({
+        const [notifications, bannerImage] = await Promise.all([
+            UserNotification.findAll({
                 where: {
                     user_id: req.user.user_id,
                     seen: false,
                     show_in_sticky: true,
                     type: "announcement",
+                    ...notInFutureOrExpired(),
                 },
                 order: [["createdAt", "DESC"]],
-        });
+                limit: STICKY_LIMIT,
+            }),
+            resolveSharedBannerImage(req),
+        ]);
 
-        return R.success(res, "Sticky announcement fetched.", {
+        return R.success(res, "Sticky announcements fetched.", {
-            announcement: notification,
+            announcements: notifications,
+            bannerImage,
         });
     } catch (err) {
         console.error("[CLIENT NOTIFICATION] stickyAnnouncement error:", err);

controllers/client/task.controller.js

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const logActivity = require('../../utils/logActivity.util');
 const R = require('../../utils/response.util');
 const { hydrateReadTaskProgress } = require('../../services/task_reading_progress_sync.service');
 const UserNotification = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 const { onTaskCompleted, onTaskListCompleted } = require('../../services/achievements.service');
 
 const UUID_RE = /^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}$/i;
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ const fireTaskCompletedEvent = async (userId, taskId) => {
         if (!task) return;
 
         try {
-            const notify = await renderNotification({ type: 'task_completed', data: { taskName: task.name } });
+            const notify = NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.task_completed.build({ taskName: task.name });
             await UserNotification.create({ user_id: userId, ...notify, seen: false });
         } catch (notifyErr) {
             console.error('[TASK][NOTIFY COMPLETED]', notifyErr);

controllers/client/tiers.controller.js

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const { onTierActivated } = require('../../services/achievements.service');
 const { Course }         = require('../../models/courses/courses.mdl');
 const paymentSvc         = require('../../services/payment.service');
 const R                  = require('../../utils/response.util');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 
 require('../../models/tiers/tier.associations');
 
@@ -49,13 +49,14 @@ exports.getMyTier = async (req, res) => {
     // ── Inline safety net: expire between cron ticks ──────────────────────────
     if (tier && tier.expires_at && new Date(tier.expires_at) <= new Date()) {
       await tier.update({ status: 'expired' });
-      renderNotification({ type: 'tier_expired', data: {
+      UserNotification.create({
+        user_id: req.user.user_id,
+        ...NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.tier_expired.build({
           tier:   tier.tier,
           label:  tier.plan?.label ?? null,
           planId: tier.plan?.plan_id ?? null,
-      } })
+        }),
-        .then(notify => UserNotification.create({ user_id: req.user.user_id, ...notify }))
+      }).catch(() => {});
-        .catch(() => {});
       return R.success(res, 'Active tier retrieved.', {
         tier: 'free', status: 'active', category: null, just_expired: true,
       });

cron/client.cron.js

@@ -5,40 +5,58 @@
  *                Same shape as admin.cron.js — each job module exports
  *                { name, schedule, run }, listed in the `jobs` array below.
  *
- *                All three are settings-backed (see cronRegistry.util.js) —
+ *                The settings-backed jobs emit notifications, so their
  *                schedule/enabled state lives in cron_notification_settings
  *                and is configurable from /admin/notifications/settings
- *                without a restart.
+ *                without a restart. expireAdvertisements has no notification
+ *                tied to it, so it stays on a plain hardcoded schedule (same
+ *                reasoning as liftExpiredBans in admin.cron.js).
  *
  * Currently registered:
  *                  - userNotifications     (cron/jobs/user_notifications.cron.js)
  *                  - issueCertificates     (cron/jobs/issue_certificates.cron.js)
  *                  - expireUserTiers       (cron/jobs/expire_user_tiers.cron.js)
+ *                  - taskDueSoon           (cron/jobs/task_due_soon.cron.js)
+ *                  - expireAdvertisements  (cron/jobs/expire_advertisements.cron.js) — plain
  *
  * Author: Kenneth Obsequio (@lash0000)
  * Date Created: Jun. 17, 2026
  ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
+const cron = require('node-cron');
 const userNotifications    = require('./jobs/user_notifications.cron');
 const issueCertificates    = require('./jobs/issue_certificates.cron');
 const expireUserTiers      = require('./jobs/expire_user_tiers.cron');
 const taskDueSoon          = require('./jobs/task_due_soon.cron');
+const expireAdvertisements = require('./jobs/expire_advertisements.cron');
 const { startSettingsBackedJobs } = require('./cronRegistry.util');
 
-// TODO(ads-7): Add an `expire_advertisements.cron.js` job (same shape as
-// expire_user_tiers.cron.js) that auto-archives (soft-deletes) advertisements
-// once their end_date has passed, instead of just leaving them at derived
-// status "expired" forever. Register it in the `jobs` array below.
 // ─── Registry — add future client-side cron jobs here ────────────────────────
-const jobs = [
+const settingsBackedJobs = [
     userNotifications,
     issueCertificates,
     expireUserTiers,
     taskDueSoon,
 ];
 
+// Plain hardcoded-schedule jobs (not tied to any notification setting).
+const plainJobs = [
+    expireAdvertisements,
+];
+
 // ─── Boot all registered client-side jobs ─────────────────────────────────────
 async function startClientCronJobs() {
-    return startSettingsBackedJobs(jobs, 'CLIENT');
+    const registered = await startSettingsBackedJobs(settingsBackedJobs, 'CLIENT');
+
+    for (const job of plainJobs) {
+        if (!cron.validate(job.schedule)) {
+            console.error(`[CRON][CLIENT] Invalid schedule for "${job.name}": "${job.schedule}" — skipped.`);
+            continue;
+        }
+        cron.schedule(job.schedule, job.run);
+        registered.push({ name: job.name, scope: 'CLIENT', schedule: job.schedule });
+    }
+
+    return registered;
 }
 
 module.exports = { startClientCronJobs };

cron/jobs/expire_advertisements.cron.js

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
+ * File Name    : expire_advertisements.cron.js
+ * Type         : Cron Job
+ * Description  : Auto-archives (soft-deletes) advertisements once their
+ *                end_date has passed, so expired ads don't sit indefinitely
+ *                in the active Advertisements list — they fall through to
+ *                the Archived Advertisements table, same path as a manual
+ *                archive action.
+ *
+ *                Only touches rows with end_date IS NOT NULL so ads with no
+ *                end date (run indefinitely) are never auto-archived.
+ *
+ * Schedule     : Every minute ("* * * * *"). Registered by cron/client.cron.js.
+ *
+ * Author: Kenneth Obsequio (@lash0000)
+ * Date Created: Jul. 11, 2026
+ ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
+'use strict';
+
+const { Op } = require('sequelize');
+const mdl_Advertisements = require('../../models/advertisements/advertisements.mdl');
+
+async function run() {
+    let expired;
+    try {
+        expired = await mdl_Advertisements.findAll({
+            where: {
+                deletedAt: null,
+                end_date:  { [Op.ne]: null, [Op.lt]: new Date() },
+            },
+            attributes: ['advertisement_id'],
+        });
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.error('[CRON][EXPIRE ADVERTISEMENTS] Failed to query advertisements:', err);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (!expired.length) return;
+
+    const ids = expired.map((a) => a.advertisement_id);
+
+    try {
+        await mdl_Advertisements.update({ status: 'expired' }, { where: { advertisement_id: { [Op.in]: ids } } });
+        await mdl_Advertisements.destroy({ where: { advertisement_id: { [Op.in]: ids } } });
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.error('[CRON][EXPIRE ADVERTISEMENTS] Archive failed:', err);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    console.log(`[CRON][EXPIRE ADVERTISEMENTS] Auto-archived ${ids.length} expired advertisement(s).`);
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    name:     'expireAdvertisements',
+    schedule: '* * * * *',
+    run,
+};

cron/jobs/expire_user_tiers.cron.js

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const mdl_UserTiers       = require('../../models/tiers/user_tiers.mdl');
 const mdl_TierPlans       = require('../../models/tiers/tier_plans.mdl');
 const UserNotification    = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
 const CronNotificationSetting = require('../../models/notifications/cron_notification_setting.mdl');
-const { getNotificationTemplate, renderNotificationContent } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 
 require('../../models/tiers/tier.associations');
 
@@ -74,10 +74,9 @@ async function run() {
     const settings = await CronNotificationSetting.findOne({ where: { job_name: 'expireUserTiers' } });
     if (!settings || settings.enabled) {
         try {
-            const template = await getNotificationTemplate('tier_expired');
             const notifications = expired.map((t) => ({
                 user_id: t.user_id,
-                ...renderNotificationContent(template, {
+                ...NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.tier_expired.build({
                     tier:   t.tier,
                     label:  t.plan?.label ?? null,
                     planId: t.plan?.plan_id ?? null,

cron/jobs/issue_certificates.cron.js

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const PendingCertificate = require('../../models/courses/pending_certificate.mdl
 const mdl_Achievements   = require('../../models/users/achievements.mdl');
 const UserNotification   = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
 const CronNotificationSetting = require('../../models/notifications/cron_notification_setting.mdl');
-const { getNotificationTemplate, renderNotificationContent } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 const { ensureCertificateRecord } = require('../../services/certificate-record.service');
 
 async function run() {
@@ -59,10 +59,6 @@ async function run() {
 
     console.log(`[CRON][ISSUE CERTS] Processing ${rows.length} pending certificate(s).`);
 
-    // Fetched once outside the loop — content differs per row (courseTitle),
-    // but there's no need to re-query the template for every row.
-    const certificateTemplate = notificationsEnabled ? await getNotificationTemplate('certificate_issued') : null;
-
     for (const row of rows) {
         const { pending_id, user_id, course_uuid, course_title } = row;
         const achKey = `course_completed_${course_uuid}`;
@@ -91,7 +87,7 @@ async function run() {
             if (notificationsEnabled) {
                 await UserNotification.create({
                     user_id,
-                    ...renderNotificationContent(certificateTemplate, {
+                    ...NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.certificate_issued.build({
                         courseTitle: course_title ?? '',
                         courseUuid:  course_uuid,
                     }),

cron/jobs/task_due_soon.cron.js

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const sequelize = require('../../config/db.config');
 const { Task } = require('../../models/task/task.mdl');
 const UserNotification = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
 const CronNotificationSetting = require('../../models/notifications/cron_notification_setting.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 const { checkTaskCompletion } = require('../../controllers/client/task.controller');
 
 const WINDOW_START_MS = 23 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
@@ -91,9 +91,9 @@ async function run() {
             }
             if (!incompleteUserIds.length) continue;
 
-            const notify = await renderNotification({ type: 'task_reminder', data: {
+            const notify = NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.task_reminder.build({
                 taskName: task.name, deadline: task.deadline,
-            } });
+            });
             await UserNotification.bulkCreate(
                 incompleteUserIds.map((user_id) => ({ user_id, ...notify, seen: false, createdAt: now2, updatedAt: now2 })),
                 { validate: false }

cron/jobs/task_overdue.cron.js

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const { Op } = require('sequelize');
 const { Task } = require('../../models/task/task.mdl');
 const AdminNotification = require('../../models/notifications/admin_notification.mdl');
 const CronNotificationSetting = require('../../models/notifications/cron_notification_setting.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 
 // ─── The actual sweep ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 async function run() {
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ async function run() {
         if (settings && !settings.enabled) return;
 
         await AdminNotification.create(
-            await renderNotification({ type: 'task_overdue', data: { count: affectedCount } })
+            NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.task_overdue.build({ count: affectedCount })
         );
     } catch (err) {
         console.error('[CRON][TASK OVERDUE] Failed to insert admin notification:', err);

cron/jobs/user_notifications.cron.js

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const sequelize        = require('../../config/db.config');
 const { Task }         = require('../../models/task/task.mdl');
 const UserNotification = require('../../models/notifications/user_notification.mdl');
 const CronNotificationSetting = require('../../models/notifications/cron_notification_setting.mdl');
-const { renderNotification } = require('../../services/notificationTemplate.service');
+const { NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY } = require('../../data/notifications.data');
 
 const WINDOW_MS = 65 * 60 * 1000; // 65-minute lookback
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ async function run() {
 
         const count  = recentlyOverdue.length;
         const now    = new Date();
-        const notify = await renderNotification({ type: 'user_task_overdue', data: { count, task_list_ids: taskListIds } });
+        const notify = NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.user_task_overdue.build({ count, task_list_ids: taskListIds });
 
         await UserNotification.bulkCreate(
             affectedUsers.map(({ user_id }) => ({

data/notification_template_enrichers.data.js

@@ -1,65 +0,0 @@
-/***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
- * File Name: notification_template_enrichers.data.js
- * Type of Program: Data / Registry
- * Description: Admin-edited notification templates are plain text — no
- *              conditionals or expressions allowed. Any type that used to
- *              branch on data in JS (e.g. task_overdue's singular/plural
- *              wording) gets that branch precomputed here into flat
- *              placeholder keys BEFORE substitution, so the stored title/
- *              message only ever needs straight {{key}} swaps.
- *              Mirrors data/email_template_enrichers.data.js.
- * Author: Kenneth Obsequio (@lash0000)
- * Date Created: Jul. 3, 2026
- ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
-const { fmtDate } = require('../utils/datetime.util');
-
-const ENRICHERS = {
-  task_overdue: (data) => ({
-    ...data,
-    task_word: Number(data.count) === 1 ? 'task was' : 'tasks were',
-  }),
-
-  user_task_overdue: (data) => ({
-    ...data,
-    task_label: Number(data.count) === 1 ? '1 task has' : `${data.count} tasks have`,
-  }),
-
-  task_reminder: (data) => ({
-    ...data,
-    deadline: fmtDate(data.deadline),
-  }),
-
-  task_submission_reviewed: (data) => ({
-    ...data,
-    statusLabel: data.status === 'approved' ? 'approved' : 'rejected',
-    reviewNoteSuffix: data.review_note ? ` Note: ${data.review_note}` : '',
-  }),
-
-  welcome: (data) => {
-    const greeting = data.accType === 'admin'
-      ? 'Welcome, Administrator!'
-      : data.accType === 'staff'
-        ? 'Welcome to the Philproperties team!'
-        : 'Welcome to Philproperties!';
-    return {
-      ...data,
-      greeting,
-      group_suffix: data.groupName ? ` You have been added to ${data.groupName}.` : '',
-    };
-  },
-
-  assessment_updated: (data) => ({
-    ...data,
-    assessmentTitle: data.assessmentTitle || 'Course Assessment',
-    courseTitle:     data.courseTitle || 'your course',
-  }),
-
-  tier_expired: (data) => ({
-    ...data,
-    planLabel: data.label ?? data.tier,
-  }),
-};
-
-const enrichNotificationData = (type, data = {}) => (ENRICHERS[type] ? ENRICHERS[type](data) : data);
-
-module.exports = { enrichNotificationData };

data/notifications.data.js

@@ -1,37 +1,185 @@
 /***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  * File Name: notifications.data.js
  * Type of Program: Data
- * Description: Registry of notification types that have no fixed, admin-
+ * Description: Central registry of all notification types for both admin and
- *              editable wording — content is entirely supplied by the caller
+ *              client (user) notifications.
- *              at trigger time, so there's nothing to template.
  *
- *              Every other system-triggered notification type (task overdue,
+ *              Each entry describes one notification type:
- *              welcome, tier expired, etc.) has been moved to the
- *              notification_templates table — admin-editable, {{placeholder}}-
- *              based, rendered via services/notificationTemplate.service.js's
- *              renderNotification()/renderNotificationContent(). See
- *              controllers/admin/notification_templates.controller.js.
- *
- *              Each entry here describes one notification type:
  *                type    {string}   — stored in the DB 'type' column
  *                scope   {string}   — 'admin' | 'user' | 'both'
- *                trigger {string}   — what fires it (event | manual)
+ *                trigger {string}   — what fires it (cron | event | manual)
  *                build   {function} — takes a data payload, returns the object
  *                                    ready to pass to AdminNotification.create()
  *                                    or UserNotification.create() / bulkCreate()
  *
+ *              To add a new notification type:
+ *                1. Add an entry in the relevant section below.
+ *                2. Call NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY.<key>.build(data) at the trigger
+ *                   site (controller, cron, service).
+ *                No other changes needed.
+ *
  * Current types:
- *   User   : achievement, announcement
+ *   Admin  : task_overdue, user_registration, nogrp_user_registered
+ *   User   : task_requirements_updated, user_task_overdue, task_reminder, achievement,
+ *            course_unlocked, course_completed, certificate_issued, welcome,
+ *            nogrp_welcome, assessment_updated, announcement, tier_expired,
+ *            task_submission_reviewed, task_assigned, task_completed
  *   Both   : broadcast (admin-composed, sent via notification_broadcasts CRUD)
  *
  * Author: Kenneth Obsequio (@lash0000)
  * Date Created: Jun. 19, 2026
- * Date Modified: Jul. 3, 2026 — fixed-wording types moved into notification_templates
+ * Date Modified: Jul. 11, 2026 — reverted from notification_templates (DB-editable) back to hardcoded
  ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
 'use strict';
 
+const { fmtDate } = require('../utils/datetime.util');
+
 const NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY = {
 
+    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    //  ADMIN notifications  (scope: 'admin')
+    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    // ── Task ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    task_overdue: {
+        type:    'task_overdue',
+        scope:   'admin',
+        trigger: 'cron',
+        build({ count, task_list_ids = [] }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'task_overdue',
+                title:   'Tasks Overdue',
+                message: `${count} task${count === 1 ? ' was' : 's were'} automatically marked as overdue.`,
+                data:    { count, task_list_ids },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── User Registration ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    user_registration: {
+        type:    'user_registration',
+        scope:   'admin',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ groupName, groupCode, userEmail }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'user_registration',
+                title:   'New User Registered',
+                message: `A new user registered in ${groupName}.`,
+                data:    { groupName, groupCode, userEmail },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── Unaffiliated User Registration ───────────────────────────────────────
+    nogrp_user_registered: {
+        type:    'nogrp_user_registered',
+        scope:   'admin',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ userEmail, regType }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'nogrp_user_registered',
+                title:   'New Unaffiliated User',
+                message: `A new user (${userEmail}) registered via ${regType} without a group code and was placed in the default group.`,
+                data:    { userEmail, regType },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    //  USER notifications  (scope: 'user')
+    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    // ── Task ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    task_requirements_updated: {
+        type:    'task',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ taskName, taskListId = null, groupId = null }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'task',
+                title:   'Task Updated',
+                message: `The requirements for "${taskName}" have been updated by your administrator.`,
+                data:    { taskName, taskListId, groupId },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    user_task_overdue: {
+        type:    'task',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'cron',
+        build({ count, task_list_ids = [] }) {
+            const label = count === 1 ? '1 task has' : `${count} tasks have`;
+            return {
+                type:    'task',
+                title:   'Tasks Overdue',
+                message: `${label} passed their deadline and been marked as overdue.`,
+                data:    { count, task_list_ids },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    task_reminder: {
+        type:    'task',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'cron',
+        build({ taskName, deadline, taskListId = null, groupId = null }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'task',
+                title:   'Task Deadline Approaching',
+                message: `"${taskName}" is due on ${fmtDate(deadline)}.`,
+                data:    { taskName, deadline, taskListId, groupId },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── Task submission review (approve/reject) ─────────────────────────────
+    task_submission_reviewed: {
+        type:    'task',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ taskName, status, review_note = null }) {
+            const statusLabel      = status === 'approved' ? 'approved' : 'rejected';
+            const reviewNoteSuffix = review_note ? ` Note: ${review_note}` : '';
+            return {
+                type:    'task',
+                title:   'Submission Reviewed',
+                message: `Your submission for "${taskName}" was ${statusLabel}.${reviewNoteSuffix}`,
+                data:    { taskName, status, review_note },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── Task list assignment (group added to a task list) ───────────────────
+    task_assigned: {
+        type:    'task',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ taskListName, taskCount }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'task',
+                title:   'New Task Assigned',
+                message: `You have been assigned "${taskListName}" — ${taskCount} task(s) to complete.`,
+                data:    { taskListName, taskCount },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── Per-task completion (0→1 transition) ─────────────────────────────────
+    task_completed: {
+        type:    'task',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ taskName }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'task',
+                title:   'Task Completed',
+                message: `You completed "${taskName}".`,
+                data:    { taskName },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
     // ── Achievement — title/message come from the achievement definition itself ─
     achievement: {
         type:    'achievement',
@@ -47,7 +195,100 @@ const NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY = {
         },
     },
 
-    // ── Platform — title/body typed fresh by whoever calls this ─────────────────
+    // ── Course ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    course_unlocked: {
+        type:    'course',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ courseTitle, courseUuid = null }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'course',
+                title:   'New Course Available',
+                message: `"${courseTitle}" has been added to your learning library.`,
+                data:    { courseTitle, courseUuid },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    course_completed: {
+        type:    'course',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ courseTitle, courseUuid = null }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'course',
+                title:   'Course Completed',
+                message: `Great job! You've completed "${courseTitle}". Your certificate will be issued within the next hour.`,
+                data:    { courseTitle, courseUuid },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    certificate_issued: {
+        type:    'course',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'cron',
+        build({ courseTitle, courseUuid }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'course',
+                title:   'Certificate Issued',
+                message: `Congratulations! Your certificate for "${courseTitle}" is ready.`,
+                data:    { courseTitle, courseUuid },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── Welcome ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    welcome: {
+        type:    'announcement',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ groupName, groupCode, accType, groupId = null }) {
+            const greeting = accType === 'admin'
+                ? 'Welcome, Administrator!'
+                : accType === 'staff'
+                    ? 'Welcome to the Philproperties team!'
+                    : 'Welcome to Philproperties!';
+            return {
+                type:    'announcement',
+                title:   'Welcome to Philproperties',
+                message: groupName ? `${greeting} You have been added to ${groupName}.` : greeting,
+                data:    { groupName, groupCode, accType, groupId },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── No-Group Welcome ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    nogrp_welcome: {
+        type:    'announcement',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build() {
+            return {
+                type:    'announcement',
+                title:   "You're Not in a Group Yet",
+                message: 'You are currently in the default group. Contact an administrator to be assigned to your team.',
+                data:    { groupCode: 'NOGRP' },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── Assessment ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    assessment_updated: {
+        type:    'assessment',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'event',
+        build({ assessmentTitle, courseTitle, courseUuid = null }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'assessment',
+                title:   'Assessment Updated',
+                message: `The administrator has updated the "${assessmentTitle || 'Course Assessment'}" in "${courseTitle || 'your course'}". Your current session is still valid — continue where you left off.`,
+                data:    { assessmentTitle, courseTitle, courseUuid },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── Platform ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
     announcement: {
         type:    'announcement',
         scope:   'user',
@@ -68,12 +309,27 @@ const NOTIFICATION_REGISTRY = {
         type:    'announcement',
         scope:   'both',
         trigger: 'manual',
-        build({ title, message, targetType = null, targetId = null, groupId = null, linkUrl = null }) {
+        build({ title, message, targetType = null, targetId = null, groupId = null, linkUrl = null, linkLabel = null }) {
             return {
                 type:    'announcement',
                 title,
                 message,
-                data:    { targetType, targetId, groupId, linkUrl },
+                data:    { targetType, targetId, groupId, linkUrl, linkLabel },
+            };
+        },
+    },
+
+    // ── Tier ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    tier_expired: {
+        type:    'tier_expired',
+        scope:   'user',
+        trigger: 'cron',
+        build({ tier, label, planId = null }) {
+            return {
+                type:    'tier_expired',
+                title:   'Subscription Expired',
+                message: `Your ${label ?? tier} plan has expired. Renew to keep access.`,
+                data:    { tier, label, planId },
             };
         },
     },

database/migrations/20260711000002-recategorize-advertisement-placements.js

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// Re-categorizes advertisement placements: Hero stays on Dashboard, Banner
+// consolidates onto Tier Plans + Course Details. Popup (dashboard.popup) and
+// Sidebar (course_details.sidebar) are retired as formats, and the Courses
+// list banner (course_list.banner) is dropped along with them since the new
+// registry only offers Dashboard / Tier Plans / Course Details.
+//
+// Existing rows on a retired placement are archived (soft-deleted) rather
+// than deleted outright — they still show up in Archived Advertisements for
+// an admin to review/permanently delete if desired.
+const RETIRED_PLACEMENTS = ['dashboard.popup', 'course_list.banner', 'course_details.sidebar'];
+
+module.exports = {
+  async up(queryInterface) {
+    await queryInterface.sequelize.query(`
+      UPDATE advertisements SET placement = 'tier_plans.banner' WHERE placement = 'plans.banner'
+    `);
+
+    await queryInterface.sequelize.query(`
+      UPDATE advertisements
+      SET "deletedAt" = NOW()
+      WHERE placement IN (:retired) AND "deletedAt" IS NULL
+    `, {
+      replacements: { retired: RETIRED_PLACEMENTS },
+    });
+  },
+
+  async down(queryInterface) {
+    await queryInterface.sequelize.query(`
+      UPDATE advertisements SET placement = 'plans.banner' WHERE placement = 'tier_plans.banner'
+    `);
+    // Retired-placement rows that were auto-archived by `up` are intentionally
+    // left archived — there's no reliable way to distinguish them from ads an
+    // admin archived manually in the meantime.
+  },
+};

database/migrations/20260711000003-add-content-mode-and-page-builder-to-advertisements.js

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// Supports the new advertisement creation wizard:
+//   - content_mode: "image" (image only) vs "content" (badge/headline/
+//     description/CTAs alongside the image) — an explicit admin choice,
+//     decoupled from placement/format. Added as STRING + an explicit CHECK
+//     constraint (addColumn can't create a native enum type on this
+//     CockroachDB instance, unlike createTable) — matching the pattern used
+//     in 20260710000001-add-status-to-courses.js. The Sequelize model still
+//     declares it as DataTypes.ENUM for app-level validation; the column
+//     itself is a plain string.
+//   - redirect_link: where the ad as a whole links to when clicked with no
+//     CTA of its own (banners/full-image ads have no CTA row).
+//   - landing_page: when no redirect_link is given, an internally-authored
+//     landing page (title/description/body/links) the ad's own click-through
+//     resolves to instead (see GET /api/client/advertisements/uuid/:uuid and
+//     the /ads/:uuid client route).
+module.exports = {
+  async up(queryInterface, Sequelize) {
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('advertisements', 'content_mode', {
+      type: Sequelize.STRING,
+      allowNull: false,
+      defaultValue: 'image',
+    });
+    await queryInterface.sequelize.query(`
+      ALTER TABLE advertisements ADD CONSTRAINT check_content_mode
+      CHECK (content_mode IN ('image', 'content'))
+    `);
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('advertisements', 'redirect_link', {
+      type: Sequelize.STRING(512),
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('advertisements', 'landing_page', {
+      type: Sequelize.JSONB,
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+
+    // Existing rows already have real content (headline/description/ctas) —
+    // treat them as "content" mode rather than defaulting to "image".
+    await queryInterface.sequelize.query(`
+      UPDATE advertisements
+      SET content_mode = 'content'
+      WHERE headline IS NOT NULL AND headline <> ''
+    `);
+  },
+
+  async down(queryInterface) {
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('advertisements', 'landing_page');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('advertisements', 'redirect_link');
+    await queryInterface.sequelize.query(`ALTER TABLE advertisements DROP CONSTRAINT IF EXISTS check_content_mode`);
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('advertisements', 'content_mode');
+  },
+};

database/migrations/20260711000004-drop-notification-templates.js

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// Reverts the notification_templates feature (20260703000008 +
+// 20260709000004) — admin-editable notification wording has been moved back
+// to hardcoded build() functions in data/notifications.data.js.
+
+module.exports = {
+  async up(queryInterface) {
+    await queryInterface.dropTable('notification_templates');
+    await queryInterface.sequelize.query(`DROP TYPE IF EXISTS "enum_notification_templates_scope";`);
+    await queryInterface.sequelize.query(`DROP TYPE IF EXISTS "enum_notification_templates_status";`);
+  },
+
+  async down(queryInterface, Sequelize) {
+    await queryInterface.createTable('notification_templates', {
+      notification_template_id: { type: Sequelize.BIGINT, primaryKey: true, autoIncrement: true },
+      type:          { type: Sequelize.STRING(100), allowNull: false, unique: true },
+      notify_type:   { type: Sequelize.STRING(64),  allowNull: false },
+      scope:         { type: Sequelize.ENUM('admin', 'user', 'both'), allowNull: false },
+      label:         { type: Sequelize.STRING(150), allowNull: false },
+      status:        { type: Sequelize.ENUM('draft', 'sent'), allowNull: false, defaultValue: 'draft' },
+      title:         { type: Sequelize.STRING(255), allowNull: true },
+      message:       { type: Sequelize.TEXT,        allowNull: true },
+      draft_title:   { type: Sequelize.STRING(255), allowNull: true },
+      draft_message: { type: Sequelize.TEXT,        allowNull: true },
+      last_sent_at:  { type: Sequelize.DATE,        allowNull: true },
+      is_system:     { type: Sequelize.BOOLEAN,     allowNull: false, defaultValue: false },
+      createdAt:     { type: Sequelize.DATE, allowNull: false },
+      updatedAt:     { type: Sequelize.DATE, allowNull: false },
+    });
+  },
+};

database/migrations/20260711000005-add-color-and-link-label-to-notifications.js

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+'use strict';
+
+module.exports = {
+  async up(queryInterface, Sequelize) {
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('notification_broadcasts', 'color', {
+      type: Sequelize.STRING(20),
+      allowNull: false,
+      defaultValue: 'indigo',
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('notification_broadcasts', 'link_label', {
+      type: Sequelize.STRING(60),
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('admin_notifications', 'color', {
+      type: Sequelize.STRING(20),
+      allowNull: false,
+      defaultValue: 'indigo',
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('user_notifications', 'color', {
+      type: Sequelize.STRING(20),
+      allowNull: false,
+      defaultValue: 'indigo',
+    });
+  },
+
+  async down(queryInterface) {
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('user_notifications', 'color');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('admin_notifications', 'color');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('notification_broadcasts', 'link_label');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('notification_broadcasts', 'color');
+  },
+};

database/migrations/20260711000006-add-start-end-date-to-notification-broadcasts.js

@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+'use strict';
+
+module.exports = {
+  async up(queryInterface, Sequelize) {
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('notification_broadcasts', 'start_date', {
+      type: Sequelize.DATE,
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('notification_broadcasts', 'end_date', {
+      type: Sequelize.DATE,
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('admin_notifications', 'start_date', {
+      type: Sequelize.DATE,
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('admin_notifications', 'end_date', {
+      type: Sequelize.DATE,
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('user_notifications', 'start_date', {
+      type: Sequelize.DATE,
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('user_notifications', 'end_date', {
+      type: Sequelize.DATE,
+      allowNull: true,
+    });
+  },
+
+  async down(queryInterface) {
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('user_notifications', 'end_date');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('user_notifications', 'start_date');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('admin_notifications', 'end_date');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('admin_notifications', 'start_date');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('notification_broadcasts', 'end_date');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('notification_broadcasts', 'start_date');
+  },
+};

database/migrations/20260711000007-add-broadcast-id-to-notifications.js

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+'use strict';
+
+module.exports = {
+  async up(queryInterface, Sequelize) {
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('admin_notifications', 'broadcast_id', {
+      type: Sequelize.BIGINT,
+      allowNull: true,
+      references: { model: 'notification_broadcasts', key: 'broadcast_id' },
+      onDelete: 'SET NULL',
+    });
+
+    await queryInterface.addColumn('user_notifications', 'broadcast_id', {
+      type: Sequelize.BIGINT,
+      allowNull: true,
+      references: { model: 'notification_broadcasts', key: 'broadcast_id' },
+      onDelete: 'SET NULL',
+    });
+  },
+
+  async down(queryInterface) {
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('user_notifications', 'broadcast_id');
+    await queryInterface.removeColumn('admin_notifications', 'broadcast_id');
+  },
+};

database/migrations/20260711000008-create-sticky-banner-settings.js

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+'use strict';
+
+module.exports = {
+  async up(queryInterface, Sequelize) {
+    // Single shared banner image for the rotating sticky announcement bar —
+    // one image for all (up to 3) concurrently-active announcements, not one
+    // per announcement. Enforced as a singleton in application code (always
+    // read/written as id=1), same pragmatic approach as the "no need for a
+    // dedicated Banner entity" ask — just a one-row setting.
+    await queryInterface.createTable('sticky_banner_settings', {
+      id: {
+        type:         Sequelize.SMALLINT,
+        primaryKey:   true,
+        defaultValue: 1,
+      },
+      image_asset_id: {
+        type:       Sequelize.BIGINT,
+        allowNull:  true,
+        references: { model: 'assets', key: 'asset_id' },
+        onDelete:   'SET NULL',
+      },
+      updatedBy: {
+        type:      Sequelize.BIGINT,
+        allowNull: true,
+      },
+      createdAt: {
+        type:         Sequelize.DATE,
+        allowNull:    false,
+        defaultValue: Sequelize.literal('CURRENT_TIMESTAMP'),
+      },
+      updatedAt: {
+        type:         Sequelize.DATE,
+        allowNull:    false,
+        defaultValue: Sequelize.literal('CURRENT_TIMESTAMP'),
+      },
+    });
+  },
+
+  async down(queryInterface) {
+    await queryInterface.dropTable('sticky_banner_settings');
+  },
+};

models/advertisements/advertisements.mdl.js

@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ const Advertisement = sequelize.define("Advertisement", {
   },
 
   // ─── Content ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+  // "image" = image only, "content" = badge/headline/description/CTAs alongside
+  // the image — an explicit admin choice made in the creation wizard, decoupled
+  // from placement/format.
+  content_mode: { type: DataTypes.ENUM("image", "content"), allowNull: false, defaultValue: "image", label: "Content Mode", order: 3.5 },
   badge_label: { type: DataTypes.STRING(100), label: "Badge Label", order: 4 },
   headline: { type: DataTypes.STRING(255), label: "Headline", order: 5 },
   description: { type: DataTypes.TEXT, label: "Description", order: 6 },
@@ -45,6 +49,15 @@ const Advertisement = sequelize.define("Advertisement", {
   // [{ label, link }, ...] — 0-2 entries depending on type
   ctas: { type: DataTypes.JSONB, allowNull: false, defaultValue: [], label: "CTAs", order: 7 },
 
+  // Where the ad as a whole links to when clicked with no CTA of its own
+  // (banners/full-image ads have no CTA row) — takes priority over landing_page.
+  redirect_link: { type: DataTypes.STRING(512), allowNull: true, label: "Redirect Link", order: 7.5 },
+
+  // Internally-authored landing page { title, description, body, links: [{label, link}] }
+  // used as the click-through destination when redirect_link is empty — see
+  // GET /api/client/advertisements/uuid/:uuid and the /ads/:uuid client route.
+  landing_page: { type: DataTypes.JSONB, allowNull: true, label: "Landing Page", order: 0, hidden: true },
+
   // ─── Scheduling ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   start_date: { type: DataTypes.DATE, label: "Start Date", order: 8 },
   end_date: { type: DataTypes.DATE, label: "End Date", order: 9 },

models/advertisements/advertisements.placements.js

@@ -12,19 +12,10 @@
 // in controllers/admin/advertisements.controller.js) — type is never accepted
 // from the client once a placement is set.
 
-// TODO(ads-1): Re-categorize placements — Hero -> Dashboard, Banner -> Tier Plans.
-// Remove the "popup" and "sidebar" formats entirely (dashboard.popup,
-// course_details.sidebar). Keep in sync with the frontend mirror at
-// new_starr_app/src/data/placement.data.js. This also feeds the Step 1
-// "Placement" picker in the Add Advertisement wizard (TODO(ads-6)), which
-// should only offer Dashboard / Tier Plans / Course Details.
 const PLACEMENTS = [
   { key: "dashboard.hero",         format: "hero",    page: "dashboard",      pageLabel: "Dashboard",      slotLabel: "Hero (top of page)" },
-  { key: "dashboard.popup",        format: "popup",   page: "dashboard",      pageLabel: "Dashboard",      slotLabel: "Popup (on load)" },
+  { key: "tier_plans.banner",      format: "banner",  page: "tier_plans",     pageLabel: "Tier Plans",     slotLabel: "Banner (above plan cards)" },
-  { key: "course_list.banner",     format: "banner",  page: "course_list",    pageLabel: "Courses",        slotLabel: "Banner (above course grid)" },
   { key: "course_details.banner",  format: "banner",  page: "course_details", pageLabel: "Course Details", slotLabel: "Banner (below hero)" },
-  { key: "course_details.sidebar", format: "sidebar", page: "course_details", pageLabel: "Course Details", slotLabel: "Sidebar (beside course content)" },
-  { key: "plans.banner",           format: "banner",  page: "plans",          pageLabel: "Plans",          slotLabel: "Banner (above plan cards)" },
 ];
 
 const PLACEMENT_MAP  = Object.fromEntries(PLACEMENTS.map((p) => [p.key, p]));

models/assets/assets.mdl.js

@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ const Asset = sequelize.define("Asset", {
 
   // ─── File info ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   original_name: { type: DataTypes.STRING(255), allowNull: false, label: "Original Name", order: 0, hidden: true },
-  display_name: { type: DataTypes.STRING(255), allowNull: false, label: "Name", order: 0 },
+  display_name: { type: DataTypes.STRING(255), allowNull: false, label: "Name", order: 0, filterable: true },
   file_url: { type: DataTypes.STRING(512), allowNull: false, label: "File URL", order: 0, hidden: true },
   file_size: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: false, label: "File Size", order: 0, hidden: true },
   mime_type: { type: DataTypes.STRING(100), allowNull: false, label: "MIME Type", order: 0, hidden: true },
-  extension: { type: DataTypes.STRING(20), label: "File Type", order: 0 },
+  extension: { type: DataTypes.STRING(20), label: "File Type", order: 0, filterable: true },
   checksum: { type: DataTypes.STRING(64), label: "Checksum", order: 0, hidden: true },
 
   // ─── Classification ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ const Asset = sequelize.define("Asset", {
   },
 
   // ── Audit trails ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-  createdBy: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: true, label: "Created By" },
+  createdBy: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: true, label: "Created By", filterable: true },
-  updatedBy: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: true, label: "Modified By" },
+  updatedBy: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: true, label: "Modified By", filterable: true },
-  deletedBy: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: true, label: "Deleted By" },
+  deletedBy: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: true, label: "Deleted By", filterable: true },
 }, {
   tableName: "assets",
   timestamps: true,   // createdAt, updatedAt

models/notifications/admin_notification.mdl.js

@@ -42,6 +42,33 @@ const AdminNotification = sequelize.define('AdminNotification', {
       defaultValue: false,
     },
 
+    // Named color key (utils/tierColors.js on the frontend) for the sticky banner.
+    color: {
+      type: DataTypes.STRING(20),
+      allowNull: false,
+      defaultValue: 'indigo',
+    },
+
+    // Denormalized copy of the source NotificationBroadcast's visibility
+    // window (see notificationVisibility.util.js) — null means unbounded.
+    start_date: {
+      type: DataTypes.DATE,
+      allowNull: true,
+    },
+    end_date: {
+      type: DataTypes.DATE,
+      allowNull: true,
+    },
+
+    // Links back to the source broadcast so editing it after send can
+    // propagate content changes into already-created rows (see
+    // notificationBroadcasts.controller.js#updateBroadcast). Null for
+    // notification types with no broadcast source.
+    broadcast_id: {
+      type: DataTypes.BIGINT,
+      allowNull: true,
+    },
+
     data: {
         type: DataTypes.JSONB,
         allowNull: true,

models/notifications/notification_broadcast.mdl.js

@@ -15,6 +15,20 @@ const NotificationBroadcast = sequelize.define("NotificationBroadcast", {
   // When set, the client's "view full content" dialog shows an "Open Link"
   // action pointing here. When null, that dialog is plain text info only.
   link_url: { type: DataTypes.STRING(2048), allowNull: true, label: "Link URL", order: 2.2 },
+  // Custom CTA button text shown right after the title in the sticky banner
+  // (e.g. "Shop now"). Falls back to "Open Link" when unset.
+  link_label: { type: DataTypes.STRING(60), allowNull: true, label: "Button Label", order: 2.3 },
+
+  // Named color key (see utils/tierColors.js on the frontend) driving the
+  // sticky banner's panel background/border — same registry rewards/tiers use.
+  color: { type: DataTypes.STRING(20), allowNull: false, defaultValue: 'indigo', label: "Color", order: 2.4 },
+
+  // Optional visibility window. Null start_date = show immediately once sent;
+  // null end_date = show indefinitely. Copied onto AdminNotification/
+  // UserNotification rows at send time so client reads can filter without
+  // joining back to this table (see sendBroadcast + notificationVisibility.util.js).
+  start_date: { type: DataTypes.DATE, allowNull: true, label: "Start Date", order: 2.7 },
+  end_date: { type: DataTypes.DATE, allowNull: true, label: "End Date", order: 2.8 },
 
   // ─── Visibility ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   // Determines where a delivered announcement shows up for recipients.

models/notifications/notification_template.mdl.js

@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-/***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
- * File Name: notification_template.mdl.js
- * Type of Program: Model
- * Description: Admin-managed catalog of system-triggered notification wording
- *              (title + message). Mirrors models/email_templates/email_templates.mdl.js.
- *              `is_system` rows are the built-in types referenced by `type` from
- *              services/notificationTemplate.service.js's renderNotification()
- *              callers (cron jobs, controllers) — protected from deletion by the
- *              admin controller (no create/delete endpoint at all, since a new
- *              type needs a code call site before it means anything).
- *
- *              Publish workflow: `title`/`message` are the LIVE content — the
- *              only columns renderNotification() ever reads. Editing a 'sent'
- *              template writes to `draft_title`/`draft_message` instead, leaving
- *              live content untouched until an admin explicitly publishes again
- *              (see controllers/admin/notification_templates.controller.js).
- *
- * Author: Kenneth Obsequio (@lash0000)
- * Date Created: Jul. 3, 2026
- ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
-const { DataTypes } = require('sequelize');
-const sequelize     = require('../../config/db.config');
-
-const mdl_NotificationTemplate = sequelize.define('NotificationTemplate', {
-  notification_template_id: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT,      primaryKey: true, autoIncrement: true, label: 'ID',           hidden: true,  order: 0 },
-  type:                     { type: DataTypes.STRING(100), allowNull: false, unique: true,         label: 'Type',         hidden: false, order: 1, filterable: true },
-  // Written into the delivered admin_notifications/user_notifications row's own
-  // `type` column (e.g. 'task', 'course', 'announcement') — distinct from the
-  // lookup key above, since several lookup keys share the same delivered type.
-  notify_type:              { type: DataTypes.STRING(64),  allowNull: false,                       label: 'Notify Type',  hidden: false, order: 2, filterable: true },
-  scope:                    { type: DataTypes.ENUM('admin', 'user', 'both'), allowNull: false,      label: 'Scope',        hidden: false, order: 3, filterable: true },
-  label:                    { type: DataTypes.STRING(150), allowNull: false,                        label: 'Label',        hidden: false, order: 4, filterable: true },
-  status:                   { type: DataTypes.ENUM('draft', 'sent'), allowNull: false, defaultValue: 'draft', label: 'Status', hidden: false, order: 5, filterable: true },
-  title:                    { type: DataTypes.STRING(255), allowNull: true,                         label: 'Title',        hidden: false, order: 6, filterable: false },
-  message:                  { type: DataTypes.TEXT,        allowNull: true,                         label: 'Message',      hidden: false, order: 7, filterable: false },
-  draft_title:              { type: DataTypes.STRING(255), allowNull: true,                         label: 'Draft Title',   hidden: false, order: 8, filterable: false },
-  draft_message:            { type: DataTypes.TEXT,        allowNull: true,                         label: 'Draft Message', hidden: false, order: 9, filterable: false },
-  last_sent_at:             { type: DataTypes.DATE,        allowNull: true,                         label: 'Last Published', hidden: false, order: 10, filterable: false },
-  is_system:                { type: DataTypes.BOOLEAN,     allowNull: false, defaultValue: false,   label: 'System',       hidden: false, order: 11, filterable: true },
-}, {
-  tableName:  'notification_templates',
-  timestamps: true,
-  paranoid:   false,
-});
-
-module.exports = mdl_NotificationTemplate;

models/notifications/sticky_banner_setting.mdl.js

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// models/notifications/sticky_banner_setting.mdl.js
+//
+// Singleton (always id=1) — one shared banner image shown alongside every
+// currently-active sticky announcement, not one image per announcement. Set
+// from the Announcements list page (see admin/notificationBroadcasts.controller.js's
+// getStickyBannerSetting/updateStickyBannerSetting).
+const { DataTypes } = require("sequelize");
+const sequelize = require("../../config/db.config");
+const mdl_Assets = require("../assets/assets.mdl");
+
+const StickyBannerSetting = sequelize.define("StickyBannerSetting", {
+  id: { type: DataTypes.SMALLINT, primaryKey: true, defaultValue: 1 },
+  image_asset_id: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: true },
+  updatedBy: { type: DataTypes.BIGINT, allowNull: true },
+}, {
+  tableName: "sticky_banner_settings",
+  timestamps: true,
+});
+
+StickyBannerSetting.belongsTo(mdl_Assets, { as: "image", foreignKey: "image_asset_id" });
+
+module.exports = StickyBannerSetting;

models/notifications/user_notification.mdl.js

@@ -48,6 +48,33 @@ const UserNotification = sequelize.define('UserNotification', {
         defaultValue: false,
     },
 
+    // Named color key (utils/tierColors.js on the frontend) for the sticky banner.
+    color: {
+        type:      DataTypes.STRING(20),
+        allowNull: false,
+        defaultValue: 'indigo',
+    },
+
+    // Denormalized copy of the source NotificationBroadcast's visibility
+    // window (see notificationVisibility.util.js) — null means unbounded.
+    start_date: {
+        type:      DataTypes.DATE,
+        allowNull: true,
+    },
+    end_date: {
+        type:      DataTypes.DATE,
+        allowNull: true,
+    },
+
+    // Links back to the source broadcast so editing it after send can
+    // propagate content changes into already-created rows (see
+    // notificationBroadcasts.controller.js#updateBroadcast). Null for
+    // notification types with no broadcast source.
+    broadcast_id: {
+        type:      DataTypes.BIGINT,
+        allowNull: true,
+    },
+
     data: {
         type:         DataTypes.JSONB,
         allowNull:    true,

routes/admin/admin.routes.js

@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ const notificationBroadcastRoutes = require('./notificationBroadcasts.routes');
 const notificationSettingsRoutes = require('./notificationSettings.routes');
 const mediaRoutes          = require('./media.routes');
 const achievementsRoutes   = require('./achievements.routes');
-const notificationTemplatesRoutes = require('./notification_templates.routes');
 const activityCtrl         = require('../../controllers/admin/user_activity.controller');
 
 // ── Guards — applied to ALL admin routes ──────────────────────────────────────
@@ -68,11 +67,9 @@ router.use('/advertisements',  advertisementRoutes);
 router.use('/notifications',   notificationRoutes);
 router.use('/notification-broadcasts', notificationBroadcastRoutes);
 router.use('/notification-settings', notificationSettingsRoutes);
-router.use('/notification-templates', notificationTemplatesRoutes);
+// Announcements (alias routes for notification broadcasts/settings)
-// Announcements (alias routes for notification broadcasts/templates/settings)
 router.use('/announcements', notificationBroadcastRoutes);
 router.use('/announcement-settings', notificationSettingsRoutes);
-router.use('/announcement-templates', notificationTemplatesRoutes);
 router.use('/media',           mediaRoutes);
 router.use('/achievements',    achievementsRoutes);
 

routes/admin/notificationBroadcasts.routes.js

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ router.get('/archived',       controller.getArchivedBroadcasts);
 router.delete('/bulk',        sensitiveOpsLimiter, controller.archiveBroadcasts);
 router.patch('/bulk-restore', controller.restoreBroadcasts);
 router.delete('/bulk/permanent', sensitiveOpsLimiter, controller.permanentlyDeleteBroadcasts);
+router.get('/sticky-banner',   controller.getStickyBannerSetting);
+router.patch('/sticky-banner', sensitiveOpsLimiter, controller.updateStickyBannerSetting);
 
 // ─── Collection ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 router.get('/',  controller.getBroadcasts);

routes/admin/notification_templates.routes.js

@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-
-const router = require('express').Router();
-const ctrl   = require('../../controllers/admin/notification_templates.controller');
-
-// Auth + requireAdmin applied by admin.routes.js
-
-router.get   ('/',    ctrl.getNotificationTemplates);
-router.post  ('/',    ctrl.createNotificationTemplate);
-router.get   ('/:id', ctrl.getNotificationTemplate);
-router.put   ('/:id', ctrl.updateNotificationTemplate);
-router.delete('/:id', ctrl.deleteNotificationTemplate);
-
-module.exports = router;

routes/client/advertisements.routes.js

@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ router.get('/active-batch', controller.getActiveAdvertisements);
 // ─── GET /api/client/advertisements/active-list?placement=dashboard.hero ──────
 router.get('/active-list', controller.getActiveAdvertisementList);
 
+// ─── GET /api/client/advertisements/uuid/:uuid ─────────────────────────────────
+router.get('/uuid/:uuid', controller.getAdvertisementByUuid);
+
 // ─── POST /api/client/advertisements/:advertisementId/click ───────────────────
 router.post('/:advertisementId/click', controller.trackClick);
 

services/notificationTemplate.service.js

@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-/***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
- * File Name: notificationTemplate.service.js
- * Type of Program: Service
- * Description: Renders system-triggered notification title/message from the
- *              notification_templates table (admin-editable, see
- *              controllers/admin/notification_templates.controller.js).
- *              Mirrors the template-loading half of services/email.service.js's
- *              sendEmail() — same "only live columns count as published" rule,
- *              same {{placeholder}} substitution via utils/renderTemplate.util.js.
- * Author: Kenneth Obsequio (@lash0000)
- * Date Created: Jul. 3, 2026
- ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
- * HOW TO USE:
- *   const { renderNotification } = require('../services/notificationTemplate.service');
- *   const notify = await renderNotification({ type: 'task_overdue', data: { count } });
- *   await AdminNotification.create(notify);
- *
- *   // Bulk/loop use — fetch once, render per-row without re-querying the DB:
- *   const { getNotificationTemplate, renderNotificationContent } = require('../services/notificationTemplate.service');
- *   const template = await getNotificationTemplate('tier_expired');
- *   const rows = expired.map((t) => ({ user_id: t.user_id, ...renderNotificationContent(template, { tier: t.tier, label: t.plan?.label ?? null }) }));
- ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
-const mdl_NotificationTemplate = require('../models/notifications/notification_template.mdl');
-const { enrichNotificationData } = require('../data/notification_template_enrichers.data');
-const { renderTemplate }         = require('../utils/renderTemplate.util');
-
-const getNotificationTemplate = async (type) => {
-  const template = await mdl_NotificationTemplate.findOne({ where: { type } });
-  if (!template || !template.title || !template.message) {
-    throw new Error(`Notification template "${type}" has no published version yet`);
-  }
-  return template;
-};
-
-// Pure — no DB access. Use when a template has already been fetched once
-// (e.g. reused across a bulk-create loop) to avoid a query per row.
-const renderNotificationContent = (template, data = {}) => {
-  const enriched = enrichNotificationData(template.type, data);
-  return {
-    type:    template.notify_type,
-    title:   renderTemplate(template.title, enriched),
-    message: renderTemplate(template.message, enriched),
-    data,
-  };
-};
-
-const renderNotification = async ({ type, data = {} }) => {
-  const template = await getNotificationTemplate(type);
-  return renderNotificationContent(template, data);
-};
-
-module.exports = { getNotificationTemplate, renderNotificationContent, renderNotification };

utils/buildQuery.util.js

@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ const ENUM_SORT_ORDER = {
   reg_type: ["system", "google"],
 };
 
+// createdBy/updatedBy/deletedBy filter options come from getFieldValues()
+// as { value: user_id, label: full_name } — the filter sheet selects by id,
+// so these need an exact match against the bigint column, never the
+// substring-on-text-cast path used for everything else (that path compares
+// against the raw id and can never match a name-looking value).
+const AUDIT_ID_FIELDS = new Set(["createdBy", "updatedBy", "deletedBy"]);
+
 /**
  * Builds a Sequelize `where` clause from an array of filters.
  *
@@ -22,6 +29,11 @@ function buildWhere(filters = [], allowedFields = new Set()) {
 
     const values = Array.isArray(value) ? value : [value];
 
+    if (AUDIT_ID_FIELDS.has(id)) {
+      where.push({ [id]: { [Op.in]: values } });
+      continue;
+    }
+
     const conditions = values.map((v) =>
       id.startsWith("personal_info.")
         ? Sequelize.where(

utils/fieldValues.util.js

@@ -30,25 +30,30 @@ const getFieldValues = (Model, logTag, options = {}) => async (req, res) => {
         return R.error(res, "Invalid or restricted field.", 400);
 
       if (auditByFields.includes(field)) {
+        // Filtering must match the audit column's real (bigint) id — returning
+        // just the display name here previously made buildWhere() compare a
+        // name string against the raw id column via a text cast, which can
+        // never match. Carry both: `value` (id) is what gets filtered on,
+        // `label` (full_name) is what the filter sheet displays.
         const tableName = Model.getTableName();
         const [rows] = selfJoin
           ? await sequelize.query(`
-              SELECT DISTINCT u2."personal_info"->'name'->>'full_name' AS value
+              SELECT DISTINCT u1."${field}" AS value, u2."personal_info"->'name'->>'full_name' AS label
               FROM "${tableName}" u1
               JOIN "${tableName}" u2 ON u2.user_id = u1."${field}"
               WHERE u1."${field}" IS NOT NULL
                 AND u2."personal_info"->'name'->>'full_name' IS NOT NULL
-              ORDER BY value ASC
+              ORDER BY label ASC
             `)
           : await sequelize.query(`
-              SELECT DISTINCT u."personal_info"->'name'->>'full_name' AS value
+              SELECT DISTINCT t."${field}" AS value, u."personal_info"->'name'->>'full_name' AS label
               FROM "${tableName}" t
               JOIN users u ON u.user_id = t."${field}"
               WHERE t."${field}" IS NOT NULL
                 AND u."personal_info"->'name'->>'full_name' IS NOT NULL
-              ORDER BY value ASC
+              ORDER BY label ASC
             `);
-        return R.success(res, "Field values retrieved.", rows.map((r) => r.value).filter(Boolean));
+        return R.success(res, "Field values retrieved.", rows.filter((r) => r.label));
       }
 
       if (dateFields.includes(field)) {

utils/notificationVisibility.util.js

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
+ * File Name    : notificationVisibility.util.js
+ * Type         : Utility
+ * Description  : Shared visibility-window filter for AdminNotification/
+ *                UserNotification rows carrying a denormalized start_date/
+ *                end_date (copied from NotificationBroadcast at send time —
+ *                see notificationBroadcasts.controller.js#sendBroadcast).
+ *                Non-announcement notifications have both columns null, so
+ *                this filter is a no-op for them.
+ *
+ * Author: Kenneth Obsequio (@lash0000)
+ * Date Created: Jul. 11, 2026
+ ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
+const { Op } = require('sequelize');
+
+function notInFutureOrExpired(now = new Date()) {
+  return {
+    [Op.and]: [
+      { [Op.or]: [{ start_date: null }, { start_date: { [Op.lte]: now } }] },
+      { [Op.or]: [{ end_date: null }, { end_date: { [Op.gte]: now } }] },
+    ],
+  };
+}
+
+module.exports = { notInFutureOrExpired };