You'll learn how to enable the waitlist, customize notifications, and configure approval settings to streamline attendee management.
1. Overview of Waitlist Function
In this tutorial, we're going to learn how the waitlist function works.
2. Review Event Registration Status
On this event, we have registration open. For this demonstration, we have five tickets available.
3. Enable Waitlist Management
After we've created the event and the tickets, go to the waitlist management button. From here, enable the waitlist.
4. Customize Waitlist Button Labels
Choose what you want the button label to turn into. Currently it says register. When registration is full the button will change to this wording. If somebody wants to cancel their spot on the waitlist they'll see a different button
5. Set Up Manual Approval Notifications
Manual approve. You can get a notice whenever people join the waitlist and approve them one by one.
6. Configure Automatic Approval Timing
Otherwise, you can set it up for automatic first come first serve invitations. In this example, we are setting the registration window to 15 minutes. This means that the individuals on the waitlist will have 15 minutes to claim their seats before their invite expires.
7. Define Batch Size for Invitations
Batch size is how many spots can be sent invitations for. If one seat opens up, one invite will be sent. If five seats open up, five invites will be sent. After the 15-minute window expires, if there are more people on the waitlist, the next group will get a message.
8. Access Notification Customization
Customize your notifications. Hit edit notifications.
9. Open Active Notification Channels
Click on any of the notifications on the left hand side.
10. Enable Notification Channels
Click on a channel such as Email, SMS, WhatsApp and turn on Channel Enabled.
11. Edit Invitation Message Content
Customize the fields in each message channel and each notification trigger.
12. Confirm Waitlist Settings
Waitlist settings are saved. You can come back here anytime.
13. Most important step
On the Waitlist Invitation be sure to add a link back to the page for easy registration. Click the Variables button to access the list of available variables to customize your message. Choose {group_url} for the link.
14. Open Activity Tab
Click "Activity" to view recent waitlist actions and updates.
15. View Registrants And Waitlist
After the event has been collecting registrations, you can view the registrants list and view the waitlist.
16. Explain Invitation Order
If users cancel their registration members will be invited in order. The first to have signed up for the list will get the first invitation, followed by the next per spot.
17. Describe Batch Size Impact
A batch size of 1 means the first person's invitation needs to expire before the next is invited. With a batch of 5, invitations will go out per open spot up to 5. After the 5 spots expire a new group of 5 will get invites
18. Provide Multiple Cancellation Example
For example, we have had three users cancel their registration, so three invitations went out.
19. Review Timeline And Reminder Features
You'll see their timeline here, along with if they got a reminder, and you can re-remind them.
20. Summarize Waitlist Activity
Here you'll see all activity on the waitlist. See that two wait slot cancellations occurred for a total of three tickets. And an automatic invitation was sent to three users.
21. Add Users To Waitlist
You can also add users to the waitlist should you get a call or email from someone.
This article explained how to enable and customize the waitlist function for events, including notification settings and approval processes. For more information, see related articles on event management and notification customization.