Events & Activities: Managing Sign Up Requests

Events & Activities: Managing Sign Up Requests

Purpose Statement

The signup request management functionality enables event creators and administrators to review, approve, and manage participant requests for signup-eligible events. This feature provides centralized control over event participation, allowing organizers to accept or deny requests individually or in bulk, ensuring proper event capacity management and participant coordination.

Background Information

When events are configured as signup-eligible, department personnel can submit participation requests that require approval from event creators or administrators. The signup management system provides a streamlined workflow for processing these requests, with visual status indicators and bulk processing capabilities to efficiently handle multiple requests simultaneously.

This functionality is essential for managing training sessions, special events, and activities with limited capacity or specific participation requirements. Event organizers maintain full control over who can participate while providing transparency to requesters about their approval status.

Required Permissions

Based on the system permissions structure, users need the following permissions to manage event signup requests:

Required for Signup Management Access:

  • Events > General > Event - Update Event Entry
  • Events > General > Update Event Status 

Required for Event List Access:

  • Events > General > View Activities
  • Events > General > View Record

InfoNote: Only event creators and users with administrative permissions can manage signup requests. Regular users can submit requests but cannot approve or deny them.

Video


Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing Event Signup Management

  1. Navigate to the Events and Activities Module
    • From the main navigation menu, select "Events and Activities"
    • Select "Event List" from the module options





Accessing Participant Management

  1. Edit the Target Event
    • Locate the desired event in the event list
    • Click the pencil icon next to the event to enter edit mode




  2. Navigate to Participants Section
    • Within the event editing interface, select "Participants"
    • This will display all users who have submitted signup requests



Understanding Participant Status Display

  1. Review Participant List
    • View all participants who have signed up for the event and each participant will display with their current status.
    • New signup requests appear with a status of "Requested". This indicates the request is pending approval or denial.



Managing Individual Signup Requests

  1. Access Status Options
    • Hover over the "Requested" button for any participant
    • Participant status can be changed between three options:
      • Accepted: Participant is approved for the event
      • Denied: Participant request has been declined
      • Requested: Request is pending (can revert back to this status)


Managing Multiple Signup Requests (Bulk Processing)

  1. Select Multiple Participants
    • Use checkboxes or selection tools to choose multiple participants
    • After selecting participants, hover over the "Update Status" option
    • Participant status can be changed between three options:
      • Accepted: Participant is approved for the event
      • Denied: Participant request has been declined





Post-Processing Considerations

  1. Participant Notifications
    • The system automatically notifies participants of status changes. Users will receive an email about their approval or denial status


Best Practices

Do's

  • Process signup requests promptly to provide timely feedback to participants
  • Review participant qualifications and requirements before approving requests
  • Use bulk processing for efficiency when managing large numbers of requests
  • Communicate clear approval criteria to minimize inappropriate requests
  • Monitor event capacity limits when approving multiple participants

Don'ts

  • Don't approve participants without verifying they meet event requirements
  • Don't use bulk processing without carefully reviewing selected participants
  • Don't delay processing requests unnecessarily as this impacts department planning
  • Don't forget that denied participants cannot resubmit requests for the same event

Tips & Recommendations

  • Process requests in batches during designated administrative time periods
  • Establish consistent approval criteria for similar types of events
  • Use the individual approval process for requests that require special consideration
  • Keep event capacity and resource limitations in mind when approving requests
  • Document approval decisions for events with specific qualification requirements
  • Consider setting up event templates with clear participation criteria to reduce inappropriate requests

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: I can't see the pencil icon to edit an event. What's wrong?
A: The pencil (edit) icon only appears for events you created or events you have administrative permissions to manage. If you can't see the edit option, you may not have the necessary permissions to manage signup requests for that event.

Q: Why don't I see a "Participants" section when I edit an event?
A: The Participants section only appears for events that were configured as signup-eligible during creation. If the event wasn't set up to allow signups, this section won't be available. Contact the event creator to modify the event settings if needed.

Q: What happens when I hover over "Requested" but don't see Accept/Deny options?
A: This typically indicates a permissions issue. Ensure you have the "Event - Update Event Entry" and "Update Event Status" permissions. Only event creators and administrators can approve or deny signup requests.

Q: Can I change a participant's status back to "Requested" after approving or denying them?
A: Yes, individual participant status can be changed between all three options: Accepted, Denied, or back to Requested. However, bulk processing can only change status to Accept or Declined - not back to Requested.

Q: A user says they were denied but wants to try signing up again. Can they resubmit?
A: No, if a user's signup request is denied, they cannot resubmit a new request for that same event. The system prevents multiple signup attempts after denial. You would need to manually change their status back to "Requested" if reconsideration is appropriate.

Q: How do participants know their signup request status has changed?
A: The system automatically sends notifications to participants when their signup status changes from Requested to Accepted or Denied. Participants will receive these updates via their configured notification preferences.

Q: Can I see why someone signed up for an event or add notes about approval decisions?
A: The basic signup management interface shows participant status but doesn't include request reasons or approval notes. For events requiring detailed approval documentation, consider adding notes to the main event record.

Q: What happens if I accidentally approve too many participants and exceed event capacity?
A: The system doesn't automatically enforce capacity limits during approval. Monitor approved participant counts against your event capacity manually, or deny additional requests once capacity is reached. Consider setting capacity information in the event details.

Q: Why can I bulk process some status changes but not others?
A: Bulk processing is limited to changing status to "Accept" or "Declined" only. You cannot bulk change participants back to "Requested" status. Individual processing is required for that status change.

Q: How can I quickly see how many people have signed up for my event?
A: The Participants section displays all signup requests with their current status. Count the total entries to see overall signup volume, and review individual statuses to see how many are approved, denied, or pending.

Related Articles

  1. Events & Activities: How to Sign Up for Events
  2. Events & Activities: Event List Overview
  3. Events & Activities: Creating a New Event (Participants Tab)

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