How to create Shift Reminders & Cancellation Notices

Shift Reminders and Cancellation Notices help you keep volunteers informed and reduce last-minute confusion. You can configure both for any Event or Program to automatically send email or text notifications based on shift activity.

Shift Reminders notify volunteers before or after their scheduled shift. Cancellation Notices notify volunteers if their shift is cancelled, either by themselves or by an administrator.

Before adding reminders or cancellation notices, you'll need to create the Email or Text Message templates that will be used.

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Shift Reminders

Shift Reminders are automated messages sent before or after a volunteer's shift. These reminders help reduce no-shows and ensure volunteers have easy access to their schedule details.

Step 1: Create a Template

Before adding a reminder, create your Email and/or Text Message template.

Recommended email template:

Hello {first name},

We are so excited to see you soon! Your job and shift information is below:

{job info}

If you need to cancel a shift or adjust your schedule, please do so through your Volunteer Profile:

{volunteer profile link}

Thank you!

Recommended text/SMS template:

{first name}, this is a reminder for your volunteer shift in 1 hour! Details on your profile: {volunteer profile link}

👉 Learn about creating templates here.

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Step 2: Add the Reminder to Your Event or Program

Once the template has been created:

1. From the menu bar, navigate to Events & Programs > Events & Programs

2. Scroll to your Event or Program, select Edit Detail
   

3. Scroll to the Shift Reminders & Cancellation Notices section

4. From the dropdown menu, select your Email or Text Message template
   

5. The edit box will appear
   

6. Choose when the reminder should send (minutes, hours, or days before or after a volunteer’s shift starts or ends)
   
   💡 Tip: Reminder templates can be limited to specific jobs. Toggle on “Send this reminder ONLY to specific jobs” to select which job(s) should receive the reminder.
   

7. Click + Add another to add additional reminders, if needed
   
8. Click Save changes in the lower right
   

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Cancellation Notices

Step 1: Create a Template

Before adding a cancellation notice, create your Email template.

Recommended email template:

Hello {first name},

Your volunteer schedule has been updated. Please review the changes on your volunteer profile:

{volunteer profile link}

Thank you!

👉 Learn about creating templates here.

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Step 2: Add Cancellation Notices to Your Event or Program

Once the template has been created:

1. From the menu bar, navigate to Events & Programs > Events & Programs

2. Scroll to your Event or Program, select Edit Detail
   

3. Scroll to the Shift Reminders & Cancellation Notices section

4. Under Cancellation Notices, you will see two options:

   • Send a notification when a volunteer cancels their own shift

   • Send a notification when a volunteer is administratively removed from a shift

5. Select your template(s) from the dropdown menus
   

6. Click Save changes in the lower-right corner
   

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Cancellation Notice on the Application

If you allow volunteers to remove themselves from the Application, you may want to enable a confirmation template. Note: This is not recommended.

1. From the menu bar, navigate to Events & Programs > Application

2. Scroll to your Application, select Edit Detail

3. scroll to Volunteer Profile Options

4. Enable the toggle 'Volunteer can remove themselves from the application"
   

5. Select the email template 'Send the message template if a volunteer cancels:"

6. Click Save in the lower-right corner