This feature is available on Essential, Premium, and Growth plans.
Setting Waitlist Preferences
Automatically start a waitlist for a shift or Gathering once the maximum number of volunteers is confirmed. To select the waitlist option, click the Start a Waitlist checkbox when creating or editing the signups information. If this box is not checked, the shift or Gathering will show as Full and be closed to signups once the maximum number of confirmed volunteers is reached.
Waitlist Shifts within Events and Assignment Schedules: When creating a new shift, you will see the waitlist checkbox near the bottom. If you wish to edit an existing shift, simply click on the shift within the schedule press Edit Shift. Make changes and remember to save.
Waitlist Gatherings: To edit the waitlist feature, open the Gathering and go to the Details tab, across the top click on Permissions.
How Volunteers Experience a Waitlist
If a Waitlist is triggered, volunteers signing up will see this on the button, so it's very clear when they Join a Waitlist.
They will also receive an automated email confirmation with the waitlist status, and if they log into their hub, they will see that they are on the waitlist for that shift.
Manually Waitlisting Shifts
Respond to shift requests by clicking on the individual shift in the schedule and assign a status: Confirmed, Waitlist, or Decline. When you manually waitlist someone for a shift, that person will not be informed of their waitlist status until you notify them in the Shift Updates tab, or with a personal message. Currently, the waitlist is not in any particular order - it's just a holding status for you, incase someone cancels a shift.
All changes will appear in the Shift Updates tab, where you can select who needs to be notified of their shifts and shift changes.
You can also manage shifts directly in each volunteer's profile card throughout Timecounts.
When in an event schedule, click on a volunteer's name to pull up their shifts in their profile card. Everywhere else in Timecounts, you can click on a volunteers name and select the 'Activity' tab of the profile card. Click the event you're interested in to see their shifts and availability.
When someone cancels, will it automatically move the next person from Waitlist to the available shift or confirm for the Gathering?
No, you will need to manually confirm them for the shift as every organization works differently. Some may choose to decide this volunteer by time they signed up, others may wish to fill this open slot based on other requirements.
I set my shift to have a waitlist but I am seeing them appear as Requested instead.
This is because you set your permissions To Review. When you do this, it prevents the Timecounts system from automatically moving them into the schedule. So if you have 5 slots available but 20 people sign up at the same time, you're choosing to review and be more manual about signups. Timecounts will not overfill your shift or Gathering, but it needs your involvement to review and move people to either the Waitlist or Confirmed state by clicking on the shift in the schedule.
