Signup Sheets

Signup Sheets is a useful and easy to use utility for managing volunteer signups. They have uses both within the school and with parents and the community.

Signup Sheets allows you to easily create three kinds of signups.

1. Simple list - The simple list signup sheet is most useful when, for example, you're collecting names for an after-hours course or for a trip to a Rangers game.
   
2. Categorized list - A categorized list allows different people to sign up for different things. For example, if you're asking folks to sign up for a pot luck dinner you may have different categories such as Appetizers, Main Courses, Side Dishes and Desserts.
   
3. Grid - A grid signup sheet is like a categorized list but with an added dimension. For example, you might be asking for folks to sign up for jobs in the school fair. There could be a grid with rows representing jobs (Ticket Sales, Bean Bag Toss Booth, Ring Toss Booth) and columns representing times (7 - 8 pm, 8 - 9 pm).

In addition to the types of signup sheets, you have a lot of flexibility to configure each signup sheet to your liking and to match your audience.

• Name and description. The description can be of any length and allows you to explain to folks what they're volunteering, what will be expected of them and any other details of interest.
• Rows and columns. You are free to create any labels for row and column names so you can specify anything from the trip you'll be taking to the kind of food to bring to a pot luck dinner, to the time and station one is volunteering for at the school fair.
• Data fields. You can specify up to six data fields to collect when a volunteer signs up. For example, Name and Phone Number may be minimal but you are free to collect any information that might be useful for you.
• Required fields. You can specify with a simple check box which data fields will be required from volunteers. Signups are not accepted if the required fields are not filled in.
• Fields to show. Once a person volunteers, you'll usually want to display his or her name, but perhaps not all of the fields. Often people want to volunteer with their friends. You can indicate with a simple check box which data fields of volunteers, if any, to show to others after a signup.
• Instructions for volunteers. When a person signs up, they are shown instructions that you can customize. Typically, you will want to thank them for volunteering, and provide any special instructions that may be necessary.
• Maximum slots. You may specify the maximum number of people needed or allowed to sign up. You can set one maximum to apply to all positions on the signup sheet or set a different number of slots for each position.
• Locking the signup sheet. Often, after you've collected all the volunteer signups you need, you'll want to keep the signup sheet available for viewing but prevent changes. There are two ways to lock a signup sheet. You can lock the sheet for changes by the volunteers. While changes are unlocked, volunteers can return to the signup sheet and make changes to their own signup entries. Once locked for changes, volunteers can no longer make changes. Signup Sheets can also be locked for deletes. When locked for deletes, volunteers can no longer remove themselves from the signup sheet. An authorized user can override signup sheet locks when necessary.