Setting up and managing volunteer requirements

This feature is available on the Pro Plan.

Getting volunteers ready to start often means checking off a few things, like orientation, an interview, a signed waiver, or a background check. Many organizations use Requirements as their onboarding checklist, then keep using it as volunteers complete more training or take on new positions. The checklist gives the team a shared record of what’s complete and what still needs attention. It’s visible on each volunteer’s profile card to admins with the appropriate permissions. Volunteers can’t see it.

Renewals can take more coordination, especially when a licence, certification, or background check is needed to meet legal or organizational requirements. You can record expiry dates, set reminders for the team, and set up automated emails explaining how to renew, so there’s less to remember and fewer last-minute follow-ups.

You decide what belongs on the checklist. The same list appears on every volunteer’s profile, but not every item applies to everyone. Check off what each person has completed and leave anything that doesn’t apply unchecked.

For volunteer achievements, like reaching 100 hours or celebrating a year of volunteering, use Milestones.

Start with the things volunteers need to complete before getting involved, then add anything they’ll need for specific positions or as they continue volunteering. You can build on the list as the program grows.
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Go to Settings → Checklist and open the Requirements tab. Select Add Requirement in the top right, then search for a suggested requirement or enter a name of your own. Set up its renewal options, reminders, and any actions using the steps below, then select Save. Repeat for each requirement on the list.

Under How often do volunteers complete it?, select the option that fits the requirement:

For requirements that expire, use Set an expiration reminder to decide how many days before expiry a reminder appears on the organization’s Dashboard. The default is 7 days. Give the team enough time to arrange the renewal, especially if it involves training or a background check.

On the Dashboard, expiry reminders show the requirement and the volunteer who needs a follow-up, including any requirements that are already overdue. Expiry dates and reminders only begin once the requirement has been marked complete for a volunteer.

Select the volunteer’s name in a Dashboard reminder to open their profile card directly to Checklist. Dismissing the reminder only removes it from the Dashboard. It doesn’t change the requirement or its status, and you can still find it using the Requirements filter in the Directory.

You can also email the volunteer or add a tag to help the team follow up. These actions run on the same day as the admin reminder. Under Additional actions, select Add Action. Use Send an email to attach a custom email template, or Add a tag to apply a tag to the volunteer’s profile. Select Save when the requirement is ready.

A helpful renewal reminder tells volunteers what needs renewing, when it’s due, and how to get it done. Include a link to any form or booking page, explain how to submit updated documents or confirm completion, and let them know who to contact if they need help.

Create the message under Settings → Email Templates, then select it in the requirement’s email action. There’s no default renewal email, so this is where you can explain the steps that fit your organization’s process.

Once a volunteer has completed a requirement, open their profile card in the Directory and go to Checklist → Requirements. Check the box beside the item. Timecounts records today’s date as the completion date and calculates any expiry date using the requirement’s settings. Leave items that don’t apply to that volunteer unchecked.

If the requirement was completed earlier, hover over the item on the volunteer’s profile and select the pencil icon to enter the actual completion date. You can also adjust the expiry date to match a certification or other record. Select Save when you’re finished. This updates only that volunteer’s record.

An expired requirement stays checked, with its expiry date shown in red. Once a volunteer has renewed their training, certification, or another requirement, open their profile card and go to Checklist → Requirements. Uncheck the item, then check it again. This records today’s date and calculates the next expiry using the requirement’s renewal rules. If they renewed it earlier, or their documentation shows a different expiry date, select the pencil icon to update the dates.

If you use the Checkr integration, a linked background check requirement can be marked complete automatically on the volunteer’s profile. See Sync Background Checks with Your Checklist for setup instructions.

In the Directory, use the Requirements filter to find volunteers with a completed, missing, expiring, or overdue requirement. Combine it with a tag or qualification filter to focus on the volunteers who actually need that requirement, since an unchecked item may not apply to everyone. From the results, you can send a message or take other bulk actions. See Filtering volunteers by checklist status for the filter options.

For a larger volunteer program, reviewing renewals in the Directory may be easier than working through individual Dashboard reminders. Set aside time each week to check In Renewal Period and Overdue, then open volunteer profile cards from the results to update their records. Automated emails can handle the reminder, while this regular check helps the team see who still needs a follow-up.

In Settings → Checklist → Requirements, drag the handle beside a requirement up or down to move it. You can group related items or arrange the list to follow the onboarding process. The new order appears on all volunteer profiles.

Go to Settings → Checklist → Requirements, hover over the requirement, and select the pencil icon. Make the changes, then select Save.
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Here’s what changes when you update a requirement:

In Settings → Checklist → Requirements, select the trash icon beside the item. Deleting a requirement permanently removes it and its associated volunteer records. This cannot be undone, so make sure those records are no longer needed before deleting.
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