Created on 06 Aug 2026, Updated 06 Aug 2026 11:18

Volunteer system settings

The volunteer management settings control how the volunteer registration form behaves, how volunteers are displayed throughout the system, and how shifts and check-ins work. You can configure these settings at two levels so that sensible defaults apply across your account while still allowing per-event overrides where needed.

This article covers: volunteer configuration, registration form settings, label, shifts per person, auto-approve, team preferences, self-assign, check-in window.

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Where to find the settings

1. Navigate to Volunteer management → Settings from within an event
2. The settings form opens in a modal, organised into a single Settings section

Settings are saved per level, so changing them in one place does not affect the other.

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Settings levels

Settings can be applied at two levels, with event-level settings taking precedence over account-level settings:

Level	Scope	Use case
Global (account) settings	Applies to all events and forms in your organiser account	Set consistent defaults for terminology, shift limits, and form behaviour
Event-level settings	Applies to a single event only	Override the account defaults for a specific event without changing the rest

If an event-level setting is not set, the account-level value is used. If neither is set, the system default applies. You can reset event-level settings back to defaults at any time using the Reset settings to default option (available to administrators).

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Setting reference

Label of the volunteer entity

Controls the terminology used for volunteers throughout the system — in navigation, emails, the volunteer portal, and reports.

Option	Singular	Plural
Volunteers	volunteer	volunteers
Staff	staff member	staff
Crew	crew member	crew
Participants	participant	participants
Contributors	contributor	contributors

Choose the label that best matches how you refer to your workforce. For example, a music festival might use "Crew", while a conference might use "Staff".

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Title

The heading displayed at the top of the volunteer registration form.

• Default: "Volunteering"
• Length: 4–60 characters

This is the first thing applicants see, so use something clear and welcoming, e.g. "Join our crew" or "Volunteer at Summer Fest".

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Description

An introductory paragraph shown beneath the title on the registration form. Use it to explain what's involved, set expectations, or highlight perks.

• Default: Empty
• Length: 4–200 characters (optional)

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Volunteering optional

When enabled, the registration form first asks the user "Would you like to volunteer?". If they choose no, the rest of the volunteer form is hidden and no volunteer application is created. If they choose yes, the full form is revealed.

• Default: Off

This is useful when the volunteer form is attached to a ticket or another form, and you only want to collect volunteer details from people who are actually interested. When disabled, the full volunteer form is always shown.

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Phase selection required

When enabled, applicants must select an event phase (e.g. setup, during event, pack down) when registering. When disabled, the phase field is optional.

• Default: On

Phases help match volunteers to shifts in the right part of your event timeline. Keep this on if your shift schedules are organised by phase.

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Coordination preference required

When enabled, applicants must indicate their preferred level of coordination responsibility. The options are:

• Happy team member – Not interested in coordination roles beyond participating in shifts
• Team lead 2iC – Supporting an experienced team leader
• Team lead – Leading specific areas (e.g. Gate Team Lead, Medical Coordinator)

When disabled, this field is optional.

• Default: On

This information helps assigners identify volunteers who are willing to take on leadership roles.

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Show emergency contact

When enabled, the emergency contact fields (name and phone) are displayed on the registration form.

• Default: On

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Emergency contact required

When enabled, the emergency contact fields become mandatory. This setting only has an effect if Show emergency contact is also enabled.

• Default: Off

Require emergency contacts for events where safety is a priority (e.g. overnight events, physically demanding roles).

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Team or role selection

Controls whether applicants select a team only, or a role within a team.

Option	Behaviour
Teams	Applicants choose a team. Specific roles are assigned later by the assigner.
Roles	Applicants choose a role from within their selected team. Roles must be set up for this to work.

• Default: Teams

Use Teams when you want flexibility in assigning roles later. Use Roles when volunteers need to self-select a specific position at registration.

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Team preferences

The number of team preferences to request from each applicant during registration. Applicants rank their preferred teams in order.

• Default: 2
• Range: 1–10

Requesting multiple preferences gives assigners more flexibility to place volunteers where they're needed while still respecting their interests.

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Team preferences required

When enabled, applicants must provide at least one team preference. When disabled, the preference fields are optional.

• Default: On

Keep this on to ensure assigners have enough information to make good assignments.

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Auto-approve volunteers

When enabled, volunteers are automatically set to approved status as soon as they submit their registration. When disabled, new registrations come in as pending and must be manually approved before they can be assigned to shifts.

• Default: Off

Use auto-approve for events where you want to accept everyone who applies. Keep it off if you need to vet applicants (for example, when roles require specific skills or checks).

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Shifts per person

The maximum number of shifts a single volunteer can be assigned to for an event.

• Default: 2
• Range: 1–10

This cap prevents volunteers from being over-assigned and encourages a broader distribution of work across your workforce. Volunteers who attempt to self-assign beyond this limit will be blocked.

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Self-assign

When enabled, volunteers can self-assign to available shifts directly from the public roster view, without waiting for an assigner to offer them a shift.

• Default: On

This is ideal for events with many small shifts where manual assignment would be impractical. Disable it if you want full control over who is assigned to what.

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Priority shifts only

When enabled, only shifts marked as priority are displayed in the public roster view. Non-priority shifts are hidden from volunteers.

• Default: Off

Use this to focus volunteer attention on the shifts that most need filling, especially as an event approaches.

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Shift check-in window

How early a volunteer can check in before their shift starts. This controls the kiosk and self-check-in timing.

Option	Window
15 minutes	Volunteers can check in up to 15 minutes before their shift
30 minutes	Volunteers can check in up to 30 minutes before their shift
1 hour	Volunteers can check in up to 1 hour before their shift
2 hours	Volunteers can check in up to 2 hours before their shift

• Default: 30 minutes

A shorter window keeps check-ins close to shift start times. A longer window is useful for events where volunteers may arrive early and need to be checked in ahead of time.

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Tips

• Set account-level defaults first — Configure your most common settings at the global level so new events inherit them automatically, then override only what differs per event.
• Use the label consistently — Pick the terminology that matches your event culture and keep it consistent across events for clearer reporting.
• Match shifts per person to your event length — Shorter events with many short shifts may warrant a higher limit; longer events with full-day shifts may need a lower one.
• Disable self-assign for sensitive roles — If certain shifts require vetting or specific skills, turn off self-assign and assign those shifts manually.
• Reset event settings when copying events — If you copy an event that had overrides, review the event-level settings to make sure they still apply to the new event.