There are several ways to manually place a Volunteer into a Shift, including assigning, adding, moving, copying, or removing, depending on where you're working from in VolunteerLocal. Use this guide to choose the right method for your situation.
Key terms
Before you begin, here are key terms used when placing a Volunteer into a Shift:
- Assign — From an Application view: places the Volunteer(s) into one or more Shifts within an Event/Program connected to this Application.
- Copy — From an Event/Program view: places the Volunteer(s) into another Shift while keeping them in their original Shift.
- Move — From an Event/Program view: places the Volunteer into another Shift and removes them from their original Shift.
- Remove — From an Event/Program view: removes the Volunteer from their current Shift without reassigning them.
- Delete — From an Application view: removes the Volunteer from the Application entirely.
Important Note
When you manually add a Volunteer, they will NOT automatically receive a confirmation email about their signup or job assignment.
To notify them:
Use an email template or
Send a broadcast communication
You can also schedule automated shift reminders to ensure they receive important shift details.
Methods to place a Volunteer into Shifts
There are several ways to place a volunteer into shifts using the user interface:
- Action Bar — most robust; best for bulk assignments
- Search Volunteer within Event — adding a Volunteer to a specific Shift from the Event/Program view
- Drag & Drop from the Report — visual method; best for a small number of Jobs/Shifts
- Volunteer's Profile Page — quick, one-off updates from an individual Volunteer
- Shift Assignment Import* — bulk uploads via spreadsheet
*Note: The Import feature is limited to Grow & Enterprise plans. This process can be reviewed here.
Option 1: Action Bar
The Action Bar is best for assigning multiple Volunteers to multiple Shifts at once. This method works with Volunteers who have already completed an Application connected to the Event/Program or are assigned to a Shift within the Event/Program not using an Application. Filters are available to sort Shifts by day of the week. Note that only future Shifts can be assigned through this method.
From the menu bar, navigate to Volunteers > Report
From the dropdown menu, select an Application or an Event/Program
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Find the Volunteer(s)
If working from an Application, search for the volunteer you are assigning
If working from an Event/Program, expand the Job and Shift to find the volunteer(s) record
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Select the checkbox next to the volunteer(s), and the Action Bar will appear
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If working from an Application, the Action Bar will include:
Delete – Remove from the Application
Assign – Assign to any future shift within an Event/Program connected to this Application
Copy To – Copy to another Application
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If working from an Event/Program, the Action Bar will include:
Remove – Remove the volunteer from this shift
Move – Move to another shift within this Event/Program
Copy – Copy to another shift within this Event/Program
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From the Action bar, select the Assign, Move, or Copy icon
The list of Jobs will expand below(Optional) Sort shifts by Day of the Week or apply a date filter
Navigate to the intended Job and click to expand its Shifts
Click the target Shift(s). They will change color.
Click the blue action button to complete the assignment, copy, or move
Confirm your selection in the pop-up window
Option 2: Search / Create Volunteer within Event
Use this method when you're working within an Event/Program and have the Volunteer's information on hand. The search will find a Volunteer if they are already assigned to a Shift within the Event/Program or have completed an Application connected to the Event/Program. If the Volunteer isn't in the system yet, you can also create their record from this screen.
From the menu bar, navigate to Volunteers > Report
From the dropdown menu, select an Event/Program
Navigate to the Job and Shift
Select the Add Volunteer button (right side of the shift)
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Use the search to find the Volunteer (first name, last name, email address)
Note: If the Event/Program is not connected to an Application, the search will be limited to Volunteers already assigned to Shifts within the Event/Program.
If the Volunteer is not in the Application or Event/Program, select Create a new Volunteer and complete the form.
[Optional] Select a message template to send to the Volunteer when they are added to the Shift
Click the Add volunteer button
Option 3: Drag & Drop from the Report
This method is a visual way to copy or move a Volunteer within an Event/Program (not available for Applications). It works best when you have a smaller number of Jobs/Shifts and the target Shift is visible on your screen without scrolling.
From the menu bar, navigate to Volunteers > Report
From the dropdown menu, select an Event/Program
Navigate to the Job and Shift, click expand to view the volunteers
Each volunteer will have a Copy and Move button within their record. Click and hold the appropriate button and drag to the appropriate Shift
Release the mouse and "drop" the volunteers to complete the move or copy
Option 4: Volunteer's Profile Page
Best for assigning a Volunteer to a past Shift, or making a quick update from a single Volunteer's profile. Before you start, make sure you know the Event/Program, Job name, and Shift date and time, as the dropdown shows all available Shifts without search or filtering.
- Navigate to the Volunteer's Profile from Volunteers > Search or Volunteers > Report
(search is recommended) - Click on the Volunteer's name to open the Admin's view of the Volunteer Profile
- On the top right of the profile, select Move/Copy to an Existing shift
- Click the dropdown to see all shifts in the event, or all shifts in events under the application.
- A gray color indicates that the shift is full.
- If you are moving the Volunteer, the yellow color indicates the shift you are moving the volunteer from.
- Once you've made your selection and clicked the appropriate action button, you will receive a pop-up confirmation.
It is important to note the differences between viewing a Volunteer's Profile from the Event/Program or Application:
From the Application:
- Ability to Assign to a shift within any Event/Program associated with the Application
From the Event/Program:
- Copy or Move the Volunteer to a shift within this Event/Program
Option 5: Shift Assignment Import
Reserved for Grow and Enterprise plans, the Import method uses a spreadsheet to assign multiple Volunteers to Shifts in bulk. Use this method when your assignments already exist outside of VolunteerLocal, such as in historical event records, pre-assigned rosters, or signups collected through another tool. Please review the article about this method:
👉 Assigning Volunteers to Shifts via Import