This feature is available on the Pro Plan.
What are requirements?
Requirements give your team a way to track the steps and checks volunteers need to complete, such as training, a signed waiver, or a background check. You can also track things they need to keep current, such as a driver’s licence or certification. Recording these on volunteer profiles helps you see what has been completed, what needs renewing, and who needs a follow-up.
Your organization has one shared requirements checklist, but not every volunteer needs to complete every item. For example, orientation may apply to everyone, while a driver’s licence is only needed for volunteers who provide transportation. The full list appears on each volunteer’s profile, where you mark the relevant items complete. An unchecked item may mean it still needs completing or that it does not apply to that volunteer.
Not sure whether to use a requirement or a milestone?
Understanding Requirements and Milestones →
Add a requirement
Go to Settings → Checklist and open the Requirements tab. Click Add Requirement in the top-right corner. Under What is the name of this requirement?, search for a suggested requirement or enter your own name.
Choose how often a requirement needs to be completed
Some requirements only need to be completed once. Others need to be renewed to stay current. Choose the option that matches your organization’s process. If no renewal is needed, select One time.
Under How often do volunteers complete it?, choose:
One time: The requirement does not expire once completed. Use this for things like orientation or an interview.
Recurring: The requirement expires after a set period, such as every two years. Calculate the next expiry From date renewed to start a new period when it’s renewed, or From expiration date to keep the original renewal schedule.
Annually: The requirement expires on the same date each year, such as January 1. Use this when everyone renews on a shared annual date.
Birthday: The requirement expires each year on the volunteer’s birthday, if their date of birth is recorded.
An expiry date helps your team know when a renewal is due. It does not automatically prevent the volunteer from signing up for shifts.
Set an admin reminder
For requirements that expire, use Set an expiration reminder to choose how many days before expiry a reminder appears on your organization's Dashboard. The default is 7 days. Allow enough time to arrange the renewal, especially for background checks or training. Expiry dates and reminders only begin once the requirement has been marked complete for a volunteer.
Add actions before expiry
Actions run on the same day the expiry reminder appears on your Dashboard. Use them to prompt the volunteer to renew or add a tag to help your team manage follow-ups.
Under Additional actions, click + Add Action and choose:
Send an email: Select a custom email template to remind the volunteer what they need to renew.
Add a tag: Choose a tag to help you find and follow up with volunteers whose requirements are due to expire.
Create a clear renewal email
Timecounts does not provide a default email because each organization’s requirements and renewal steps are different. Create your message under Settings → Email Templates, then select it when adding the email action.
Keep the message focused on what the volunteer needs to do. Include:
What needs renewing and when.
Clear instructions, with a link to any form, booking page, or resource they need.
How to confirm completion or submit updated documents.
Who to contact if they have questions or need help.
Use a friendly, direct tone so the volunteer understands the next step. Avoid including sensitive screening details in the email.
Click Save when you have finished making changes.
Reordering requirements
The full requirements checklist appears on every volunteer’s profile card so admins can manually check off the items relevant to that person. You can group related requirements or arrange them to follow your onboarding process.
Go to Settings → Checklist → Requirements and drag the handle beside an item up or down. This updates the order across all volunteer profiles. You can reorder the list at any time as you add requirements or your process changes.
Editing a requirement
Go to Settings → Checklist → Requirements and click the pencil icon beside the requirement. Update its name, expiry rules, reminder timing, or actions, then click Save.
These settings apply across your organization. Changing expiry rules may affect existing volunteer records and renewal dates. If you’re unsure how a change will affect your data, contact customer support through the in-app chat before saving.
To change a completion or expiry date for just one volunteer, edit the requirement on their profile instead.
Deleting a requirement
Go to Settings → Checklist → Requirements and click the trash icon beside the requirement you want to delete.
Deleting a requirement permanently removes it and its associated volunteer records. This cannot be undone, so make sure you no longer need those records before deleting.
Marking a requirement complete
When a volunteer completes a requirement, go to the Directory, open their profile, and select Checklist → Requirements. Check the box beside the relevant item. Timecounts records today’s date as the completion date and calculates any expiry date using the requirement’s settings.
The full checklist appears on every volunteer’s profile. Only check off requirements the volunteer has completed, and leave items that do not apply to them unchecked.
Editing a volunteer’s completion or expiry date
If a volunteer completed a requirement earlier, hover over the item and click the pencil icon to enter the actual completion date. You can also adjust their expiry date, for example to match the date on a certification. Click Save when you’re finished. These changes apply only to that volunteer’s record.
Automatically completing background checks with Checkr
If you use the Checkr integration, a linked background check requirement can be marked complete automatically on the volunteer’s profile.
Requirements and volunteer signups
Adding a requirement does not automatically restrict volunteer signups. Use Qualifications to control who can sign up for shifts or events.
Filtering volunteers by requirements
Use Directory filters to find volunteers with incomplete requirements or upcoming expirations. This helps you identify who may need a follow-up.
Remember that an unchecked requirement may not apply to every volunteer. Combine it with other filters, such as a tag or qualification, to find the relevant group.