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 tournaments. 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. |
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.
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.
VIDEO TRAINING
Click here to watch the section of the Events: Overview video that covers the information in this article.