Introduction
Groovio’s Waitlist and Waitpool features provide powerful tools for managing fully booked classes. These options ensure that students can still express interest in a class and be notified when spots open up, helping studios maintain efficiency and maximize attendance. This article will explain the difference between Waitlists and Waitpools, how to configure them, and key operational details to get the most out of these features.
What Are Waitlists and Waitpools?
Waitlist
A Waitlist allows students to join a queue when a class is full. When a spot opens up:
Notifications are sent one student at a time in the order they joined the waitlist (first-in, first-out).
You can configure notification intervals (e.g., every 2 hours) to give students adequate time to respond before notifying the next person in line.
Notifications are only sent between 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM, ensuring students are contacted at appropriate times. The FIFO (first-in, first-out) system ensures fairness by preventing direct bookings and maintaining the order in which students join the waitlist.
Waitpool
A Waitpool notifies all students in the pool simultaneously when a spot becomes available. This option can be used from the beginning or configured to activate automatically a set number of hours before the class begins (e.g., 4 hours before). This approach is ideal for last-minute bookings or when managing high-demand classes.
How to Enable Waitlists and Waitpools
Navigate to Manage Studio > Classes.
Select the class where you want to enable Waitlist or Waitpool functionality.
Turn on the feature and choose one of the following options:
Waitlist Only: Students will be notified individually in the order they joined the list.
Waitpool Only: Students will all be notified simultaneously when a spot opens.
Auto-Switch to Waitpool: Configure the system to switch from Waitlist to Waitpool a set number of hours before the class begins.
Set additional parameters, such as:
Notification Interval: Specify how much time each student has to respond before the next person is notified.
Switch Time for Waitpool: For example, if you set the switch time to 4 hours and students can join up until 1 hour before class, the waitpool will activate 5 hours before the class starts.
Save your changes to apply them to the class.
How Notifications Work
Waitlist Notifications
Notifications are sent in a queue, starting with the first person who joined.
Each student receives an email and a mobile app push notification, which includes a direct link to book the available spot.
When a student is auto-moved off the waitlist into a class, they are notified by email and an app push notification only — not by SMS. An SMS is not sent for the auto-join.
If the spot remains unbooked, the next person in line is notified after the specified interval (e.g., 2 hours). Open spots are reserved exclusively for waitlist participants and cannot be booked directly by new students until waitlisted participants have had the opportunity to claim the spot.
Notifications are paused between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM to avoid late-night disruptions. If a spot opens during this window, notifications resume at 7:00 AM.
Waitpool Notifications
All students in the pool are notified simultaneously when a spot becomes available.
Notifications are immediate and not restricted by time, making this option ideal for last-minute cancellations or openings.
Students Can View Their Waitlist Position in the App
Students can see every waitlist they've joined — and their current position on each — directly in the student app:
Go to the Me section in the student app.
Tap Waitlists.
This shows any waitlists the student is on and their position in the queue, so they know where they stand without having to contact the studio.
Adding a Student to the Waitlist from the Studio Side
When a class is full, studios can add a student straight to its waitlist on the student's behalf directly from the scheduled class — there's no need to wait for the student to join it themselves from the app. Adding a student this way is free and does not take a seat, and it works whether the class is set up as a Waitlist or a Waitpool.
Open the scheduled class to view its roster.
When the class is full, the Add Student + button is greyed out and points you toward the waitlist instead.
Click Add to waitlist + in the action row at the top of the roster.
Search for the student in the dropdown and select them.
The student is added to the end of the queue and appears under the Students Waiting tab. From there you can later use Book in to move them into the class once a spot opens (see below). This action requires the Checkout staff permission.
Booking In a Waiting Student from the Studio Side
In addition to the automated student-facing notifications described above, studios can move a waiting student straight into a class directly from the studio dashboard. This is useful when you want to fill an open spot on a student's behalf rather than waiting for them to respond to a notification.
Open the class view for the relevant class.
Go to the Students Waiting tab to see everyone currently on the waitlist or in the waitpool.
Click the Book in button next to the student you want to add.
This moves the student from the waitlist into the class and processes the payment. The Book in button is disabled when the class is already full, so you can only book a student in when there is an open spot.
Booking Off the Waitlist Is Blocked Once the Class Has Started
A student cannot be booked off the waitlist once the class has started — a past or already-started class cannot be booked using a membership or package credit. If you need to move a student into a class that has already started, staff can book them at $0 and then manually debit one credit from the student's membership or package to keep the count accurate.
Exceptional Cases
The following scenarios may affect how Waitlists and Waitpools function:
Auto-Cancellation and Can-Join-Until Times:
If a class has both auto-cancellation and can-join-until times configured, the system calculates the waitpool activation time based on the earlier of the two. Both settings must use the same unit — either both in hours or both in minutes. You cannot set one in hours and the other in minutes. For example:Auto-cancellation time: 1 hour before class.
Can-join-until time: 1 hour before class.
Waitpool activation (configured 4 hours before): This occurs 5 hours before the class.
Multiple Notifications:
If a second spot becomes available while the first notification cycle is still active, a new notification cycle will begin. This ensures all vacancies are promptly filled.Pro-Rate and Drop-In Rules:
For course classes with pro-rate enabled but drop-ins disabled, notifications will only be sent if all sessions from the current date onward have vacancies.
Best Practices for Using Waitlists and Waitpools
Set Clear Notification Intervals:
Choose intervals that balance prompt responses with giving students adequate time to act. Two-hour intervals are a common choice.Decide When to Use Waitpool:
Use waitpool for last-minute openings to maximize the chances of filling vacant spots. For high-demand classes, consider switching to waitpool a few hours before the class begins.Communicate Waitlist/Waitpool Rules:
Inform students about how these features work, including the notification process and any restrictions (e.g., booking cut-off times).Monitor and Adjust Settings:
Regularly review your Waitlist and Waitpool settings to ensure they meet the needs of your studio and students.
FAQs
Q: Can students join both a Waitlist and a Waitpool for the same class?
A: No, a class will only have one system active at a time. You can configure it to switch from Waitlist to Waitpool as needed.
Q: What happens if a spot opens at midnight?
A: For Waitlists, notifications will pause and resume at 7:00 AM. For Waitpools, notifications are sent immediately, regardless of time.
Q: Is the auto-join notification sent by SMS?
A: No. When a student is auto-moved off the waitlist into a class, they receive an email and an app push notification only — not an SMS.
Q: Can I customize the notification message?
A: Yes, you can edit the notification templates to match your studio’s branding and communication style.
Q: Can a student leave a Waitlist?
A: Yes, a student can leave a Waitlist by viewing the class in the app and pressing the button that says 'Leave Waitlist'.
Q: Can a studio add a student to the waitlist for them?
A: Yes. Open the full class, click Add to waitlist +, then search for and select the student. It's free and doesn't take a seat. See "Adding a Student to the Waitlist from the Studio Side" above.
Q: Can a student see their position on a Waitlist?
A: Yes — in the student app, go to Me > Waitlists to see every waitlist they're on and their current position.
Conclusion
Waitlists and Waitpools offer flexible, efficient ways to manage class bookings for full sessions. By tailoring these features to your studio’s needs, you can ensure students have a fair chance to book open spots, maximize attendance, and streamline class management. For more assistance, contact Groovio support.