INTRODUCTION
Feature Summary: System users can create an event waitlist and configure key settings, such as how the system responds when a spot becomes available.
Use Cases: This feature helps event organizers manage attendance for activities like clinics, camps, and open plays. Since cancellations are common, the waitlist ensures events remain full and well-attended. When online registration is enabled, members and players can add themselves to the waitlist automatically.
PREREQUISITES
System users should be familiar with how to create an event and configure the waitlist components on the event Default Settings page.
Ensure a value is entered in the Max Registrants field when creating or editing an event. Why this is important:
The Max Registrants field stops members/players from registering once the number of event registrants reaches this number. For multi-date events, this number stops members/players from registering when at least one event date is at capacity.
System users can override this maximum capacity for specific dates and register members/players beyond the specified capacity.
NAVIGATION
The event waitlist settings can be configured when creating or editing an event.
In the Admin Panel, navigate to Events > Create Event, or to edit an existing event, go to Events > List. From the Event List, click the event name or select Update.
The waitlist fields described in this article are located under the Event – General tab.
SETUP REQUIREMENTS
Create a Waitlist
The waitlist feature lets members/players register for a full event if a spot opens up. System users can customize how CourtReserve accepts a member/player from the waitlist (see below).
CourtReserve displays the waitlist tool after the system user enters a number (any number greater than zero) in the Max Registrants field. To enable the waitlist tool, check the Allow Waitlist box.
If the Waitlist feature is enabled and a spot opens up, CourtReserve uses one of two systems to fill the open spot. The system applied depends on the Auto Register From Waitlist checkbox setting.
Waitlist Options Summary
Default Waitlist Registration - This is a first-come, first-served option. When a registered member/player withdraws from an event, CourtReserve sends a notification email (and possibly a text message if Text Alerts are enabled for this notification type) to all waitlisted members/players simultaneously. The first member/player that responds to the notification and registers gets the open spot.
Auto Registration - This is a first-in, first-out option. When an event spot becomes available, CourtReserve automatically registers the first name on the waitlist. The registered person is sent a notification but does not have to respond to be registered/confirmed.
Auto Register from Waitlist is currently only supported for single-date events.
Option 1 - Default Waitlist Registration
If the Allow Waitlist box is checked but the Auto Register From Waitlist box is not, CourtReserve uses Default Registrations—sending notifications to all waitlisted members/players at the same time. Each member is then responsible for manually responding to claim the open spot.
Option 2 - Auto Registration
If the system user checks both boxes, CourtReserve uses Auto Registrations up to the cutoff point set by Prevent Auto Registrations X Hours Before Event (a hidden field until the system user checks the Auto Register From Waitlist box). After that, CourtReserve goes back to the Default Registrations system.
Auto Register From Waitlist: When checked, the system will automatically move players from the waitlist into the event as spots become available.
Note: Auto-registration only applies to Single Date Registrations (it does not apply to recurring events).
Prevent Auto Registration X Hours Before Event: This setting defines how close to the event start time auto-registration is disabled. For example, if this field is set to “8,” no players will be automatically moved from the waitlist within 8 hours of the event start time — ensuring last-minute auto-adds don’t occur too close to the event.
Auto Charge if Package or Payment Profile Exists: When enabled, any player automatically registered from the waitlist will be charged automatically if they have an active package or a payment profile on file. Available packages will be prioritized and used first. Note: Package labels and functionality will only apply if Packages are enabled for your organization.
Allow Family Members to Be Individually Registered: This setting allows family accounts to register each family member individually for the event, rather than as a single grouped registration. This provides more flexibility for families where some members may want to participate and others may not.
| Option 1 | Option 2 |
Name | Default Waitlist Registration | Auto Registration |
Allow Waitlist box | Checked | Checked |
Auto Register From Waitlist box | Not checked | Checked |
Enrollment | First come, first serve. | CourtReserve auto-registers the name at the top of the waitlist. |
Notifications | Sends a message to all members/players on the waitlist. | Sends a message to auto-registered members/players on the waitlist. |
Payment | The player pays through the event's normal registration process when they claim the spot. | The fee is posted when the player is registered. If auto charge is enabled, CourtReserve atte |
Manually Add Players to Waitlists
Once the waitlist feature is enabled, system users can manually add members/players to the waitlist from the Dates tab of the event.
The Waitlist tabs and buttons display only after event registration fills.
Log in to the admin dashboard.
Click Events > List on the side menu.
Locate the event to update and click the row.
A new table displays.
Click the Add to Waitlist button.
Search a member/player name.
Click the green Add to Waitlist button.
Click Save.
Review and Edit the Waitlist
To view and edit the waitlist, select the event at the top of the page. A table displays.
Click the plus (+) icon to expand the table.
Click the Waitlist tab.
Click Add to Waitlist to add members/players to the list.
Click the X icon to remove a name from the waitlist.
Click the Register To Event button to move a player from the Waitlist to the Registrants list.
Event Waitlist Payments
How and when a player pays for a waitlisted spot depends on the event's waitlist option and how the player is moved into the event.
Joining the Waitlist
Players are not charged when they join a waitlist, and no payment is authorized or held. Joining only adds the player to the waitlist.
To limit the waitlist to players who have a way to pay, enable Require Payment Profile on the event price. Players without a saved payment method can't join the waitlist and see a message asking them to save a payment profile to their account. For family accounts, a payment method saved on the family account meets this requirement.
Note: Payment can't be collected when a player joins a waitlist. Settings like Require Up-Front Payment and pre-authorization apply only when a player registers for the event.
Default Waitlist Registration (First Come, First Served)
When a spot opens, all waitlisted players receive a notification with a link to the event. The first player to register gets the spot.
The player registers and pays through the event's normal registration process. Require Payment Profile, Require Up-Front Payment, and pre-authorization settings apply the same way they do for any registration.
Waitlisted players don't receive priority or a held spot. Any eligible player can register for the open spot, whether or not they're on the waitlist.
Auto Registration
When a spot opens, CourtReserve registers the first eligible player on the waitlist, posts the event fee to their account, and sends a registration confirmation email. What happens next depends on the Auto Charge if Package or Payment Profile Exists setting.
When auto charge is enabled
After the player is registered, CourtReserve attempts to collect payment in this order:
Package. If packages are enabled and the player has a package that's valid for the event and has enough punches, the package is used. Account credit and saved payment methods are not charged.
Account credit. If there's no eligible package and your club uses account credits, available credit is applied, even if auto-apply credits is turned off. If the credit covers only part of the fee, the remaining amount moves to the next step.
Saved payment method. Any remaining amount is charged to the player's saved payment methods, tried one at a time until one succeeds. If your club charges a convenience fee for card payments, it's added to the charge.
Note: Packages and saved payment methods are only charged if your club accepts online payments.
When auto charge is disabled
The fee stays on the player's account as an unpaid balance. If your club has auto-apply credits turned on, available account credit is applied.
When payment can't be collected
If the player's package, account credit, or saved payment methods can't cover the fee, the player stays registered and the fee remains on their account as an unpaid balance. The registration is not canceled, and the spot doesn't pass to the next player on the waitlist.
Note: CourtReserve doesn't automatically notify players or system users when an auto-registration payment isn't collected. The registration confirmation email doesn't include payment details.
Find unpaid auto-registration fees
Event date > Registrants tab: The player's Pmt. Status shows Unpaid.
Member profile > Billing > Transactions > Unpaid Fees: Shows the unpaid fee and the player's Amount Due. For family accounts, go to Billing Info > Unpaid Fees on the family profile.
Transactions List Report: Check Show Only Un-Paid Transactions to see unpaid fees across all events. Filter by date range to narrow the results.
Transactions List Report: Payment Profile Declines: If a saved payment method was declined, the attempt appears here with the category Event Auto-Registration. The report shows today's declines by default, so adjust the date range as needed.
Collect unpaid fees
Click Pay next to the player on the event date's Registrants tab or on the member's Unpaid Fees tab.
Include the fee in a Batch Billing run from Transactions > Batch Billing.
Enable Nightly Auto-Collection for Same-Day Fees in your payment settings. CourtReserve then attempts to charge the player's saved payment method the night after the event date and retries failed charges for about two days.
What the player sees: The event shows as Unpaid on the event page and under My Events, and the fee appears on their balance. Players can pay from the member portal if your club allows online payments from the portal.
Family members
When family members are auto-registered, each family member receives their own fee, and CourtReserve attempts to collect payment for each one individually.
After the auto registration cutoff
Once the event is within the Prevent Auto Registration X Hours Before Event window, the waitlist switches to Default Waitlist Registration. The player who claims the open spot pays through the event's normal registration process.
Registering a Player From the Waitlist Tab
When a system user clicks Register To Event on the Waitlist tab, the event fee is posted to the player's account as an unpaid balance. The player is not charged automatically, even if Auto Charge if Package or Payment Profile Exists is enabled. Collect payment the same way you would for any other account balance.
This also applies when a system user registers a player beyond the event's capacity.
USER PERSPECTIVE
Members and players can add themselves to the waitlist on the Member Portal if:
They match the registration criteria for the event, and
A system user enables the Allow Online Registrations option located in the Event page on the Event Setup tab (see the below screenshot).
To join a waitlist, the member/player should:
Log in to the member portal.
Find the event on the calendar or on the event list.
Click the Join Waitlist button.
On the event detail page, click the Join Waitlist button.
In the confirmation window, the member can review the event details. In this example, Auto Register from Waitlist is enabled. The member will click Save to add themselves to the waitlist.
The member can then view their position on the waitlist and use the red Unsubscribe From Waitlist button if they wish to remove themselves.
Example of a Waitlist Confirmation email:
Example of an Auto-Registration email sent when a spot opens and the member is automatically moved onto the event roster:
ADMIN PERSPECTIVE
When viewing an individual event date, admins can easily identify if the event is Full (displayed in red). If the event has a waitlist enabled, it will display “WL” followed by the number of players currently on the waitlist.
If a member adds themselves to the waitlist (based on event settings) or an admin manually adds someone using the blue Add to Waitlist button, the WL number will automatically update.
Admins can view the full list of waitlisted members under the Waitlist tab associated with that specific event date.
Admins can register a player from the waitlist at any time from the Waitlist tab by clicking the green Register to Event button. When doing so, admins also have the option to increase the event’s capacity if additional spots are needed.
If a member is on the waitlist, and is skipped during the auto-registration process due to Event Setup, or Event Restrictions, this will be tracked in the audit log so system users can quickly find why this member was skipped.
