This feature is available on the Pro Plan.

A waitlist lets you manage interest in full events or shifts without turning volunteers away. If a spot opens up, you have volunteers ready to jump in. It keeps things running smoothly and makes sure you’re not scrambling to fill spots at the last minute. Plus, it keeps volunteers engaged, knowing they still have a chance to join.
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When creating a new shift or event, you’ll see a Waitlist checkbox next to the number of spots. Checking this box will activate the waitlist. If you forget to turn it on, don’t worry—click on the shift to open the card, press the Edit Shift button, check the box (or uncheck it to turn off the waitlist), and click Save. Go to the Details page to edit and save the waitlist setting for events without shifts.

When you set the number of spots for a shift or event, the sign-up button will change to Waitlist once they're filled. This lets volunteers know they’re signing up for the waitlist instead. They’ll get a confirmation email and see it on their dashboard, so they’ll know they’re on the waitlist. Since "waitlist" is a familiar term, it should be clear to everyone.

If you need to move a volunteer to the waitlist, you can do it in two ways. First, find the volunteer from the event or schedule and select Waitlist in the dropdown next to their status. Alternatively, open their profile card from any view, go to the Schedule tab, and make the change there. When you update a volunteer’s status, it will trigger a confirmation email based on your settings.
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​Note: If you’ve automated the waitlist, you can’t manually move volunteers to it. The system will automatically manage the waitlist, and manually adding a volunteer will create a conflict, as they’ll be moved to Requested or Confirmed when a spot opens up.

By default, the waitlist is set to Manually assign waitlist, which gives you more control over who gets moved from the waitlist to confirmed status. You'll need to monitor cancellations or added spots and manually update the status. Timecounts will notify you with an admin alert, and you can also use filters in the schedule to track this. While this gives you more flexibility, it also means more work on your end. If someone cancels, the spot reopens for others, potentially pushing people ahead of those on the waitlist if you automatically confirm signups.
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If you’d prefer less hands-on management, you can automate the waitlist. To do this, go to Settings > Preferences, scroll to the Waitlist section, select Automatically assign next in line, and click Save. This will fill spots on a first-come, first-served basis and send confirmation emails automatically when someone is moved to confirmed status. This setting applies to all events and shifts, so be sure your team is aligned to avoid confusion.
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Automating the waitlist can save you time and make the process fairer by ensuring spots go to the next person in line, but it also takes away some of your control. Decide what works best for your team and workload.
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Setting a waitlist limit helps manage expectations and ensures fairness. It lets you control how many people can sign up for the waitlist, especially for popular shifts or events. Without a limit, a long waitlist can give volunteers false hope of getting a spot. For example, if twenty people are on a waitlist for a shift with only three spots, it’s unlikely that many will get in, which can be frustrating. It's better to set a cap so volunteers can sign up for shifts that still need help rather than being placed on a waitlist for spots that are unlikely to open.
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The default waitlist limit is 100. To adjust it, go to Settings > Preferences, find the Waitlist Limit section, set your desired number, and click Save. Once the limit is reached, the shift will be hidden, or the event button will appear Full.