Prepare volunteers

Open the event's Volunteers area with permission to manage volunteers. Have your positions, shift times, locations, and staffing targets ready. Decide where volunteers should sign up and which system will send their reminders.

1. Check signup and the roster source

   Review Settings and the signup/source configuration. If a connected provider such as RunSignup owns the roster, check its connection and imported data before making changes. The controls available depend on your volunteer setup.

   For signup managed in EHQ, Self-select lets volunteers choose positions. General pool collects volunteers for you to assign. Individual positions can use restrictions such as reserved places or approval, so review those as well as the overall Signup Mode.

2. Create or review shifts

   In Shifts, add a position and shift, or review shifts brought in from your source. Set the title, needed headcount, date, start and end times, and location. Add a useful description and special instructions, including arrival directions and what volunteers should bring.

   If you copy shifts from another event, check every date and location before sharing them. A familiar shift title does not mean the new edition's details are correct.

3. Review the roster and assignments

   Use Roster to check who has signed up and where they are assigned. Assign people from the general pool when using that mode. Compare each shift's assigned volunteers with its needed headcount and follow up on gaps or pending approvals.

4. Check who sends reminders

   Review the reminder settings and the displayed reminder owner. Imported rosters can use EHQ reminders when configured, so do not assume the provider is the only sender. Coordinate the two systems to avoid duplicate messages. RunSignup private positions are excluded from reminders and broadcasts by default unless their settings are changed.

5. Share the right information

   Check the volunteer signup link before sharing it. Use Message volunteers to prepare shift communications and review the recipients before sending. For day-of coordination, review the available QR Check-in Code and Share Coordinator Access tools; share access only with the people who need it.

View signup as a volunteer, without organizer access. Confirm the expected positions, dates, times, and locations appear. Check a real assignment in the roster and confirm how that person will receive instructions. A roster sync or saved reminder setting does not prove a reminder was delivered.

Check the roster source, sync state, position restrictions, and signup mode first. Someone in the general pool may still need an assignment. If a provider owns the data, resolve the issue there before recreating the same volunteer or shift in EHQ.