Why people can't find or register for your event

“Nobody can sign up” is usually one of two different problems: people cannot find the event, or they find it and cannot register. Start by opening the event page yourself the way a visitor would, then match what you see to the sections below.

Tip

Check it signed out, in a private browsing window. Signed in as an administrator you see editing controls that visitors never get, so the page looks healthier than it is.

They cannot find the event at all

Work through these in order.

Check who can see it

Open the event from your Events page and click Settings in the bar at the top. Under Who can see it?, Only people with the link keeps the event off your website and out of the app, so people browsing will not find it. Choose Everyone. It saves as soon as you pick it.

Check the dates

An event whose end date has passed drops off the public list. If the date was wrong, click the date and time on the event page to open When & where, correct it, and press Save. Fix the date rather than creating a second event, so existing sign-ups stay attached.

Check whether it is a recurring service

A Recurring Service does not behave like a one-off event. It has its own page showing the next date and the ones after it, and it never takes registrations. If you meant to collect sign-ups, create it as One event instead. See Managing recurring services.

Note

Sharing the link directly always works, even before people can find the event by browsing. The share button on the sign-up card gives you the registration link, and Share Event on More → Summary adds a separate volunteer link when volunteering is switched on.

They can see it but cannot register

When registration is unavailable, the card on the event page says Sign-ups closed and prints the reason underneath. That sentence tells you which setting to change.

“This event isn’t accepting registrations yet.”

The event was created with No sign-up. Open the event and click Turn on sign-ups under the card. In the panel that opens, switch on Sign-ups (“Let people sign up on the event page”). It saves as you go.

“Sign-ups closed on [date].”

The Sign-up deadline has passed. Click Edit sign-ups & price under the card. You have two choices there: clear or move the deadline, or leave it and turn on Late registration (“Allow sign-ups after the deadline passes”), which reopens the button while still showing the original date to visitors as guidance.

Note

When sign-ups happen on another organisation’s website, a passed deadline hides that link and tells visitors to contact the event organiser instead. Only the deadline closes an external event. The Registered so far number you type in only fills the spots bar and never closes anything.

“This event ended on [date].”

The end date is in the past. No sign-up setting reopens this. If the date was entered wrongly, click the date on the event page and fix it in When & where. If the event really happened, leave it closed.

“This event is full”

Every spot in Spots is taken. This one is not really a fault: the counter reads 0 of N spots remaining and the button becomes Join the waitlist, so people can still put their name down. Volunteering stays open too, since a volunteer takes no attendee spot.

To let people in, raise Spots (or clear it for no limit) under Edit sign-ups & price, or promote them one at a time from the Sign-ups tab. Nobody moves off the waitlist on their own; see See who is coming and message your attendees.

One particular person cannot register

If the page works for you but not for them, the cause is usually one of these.

They do not meet the age or grade limits. Eligibility Restriction under Edit sign-ups & price limits an event By Age or By Grade. Anyone outside the range is told they are not eligible. Widen the range, or register them yourself with Quick Add.
They never finished. A visitor who is not signed in enters an email address and then a six-digit code sent to it. If that email never arrives — a typo, a spam folder, a work address that blocks outside mail — the registration is never completed. Ask them to try again with a personal address, or add them with Quick Add.
They are already registered. The card says You’re registered with an Edit registration button instead of Register. That is the expected result, not a fault — see Change or cancel your event RSVP.

Tip

Whatever the cause, Quick Add on the Sign-ups tab gets someone onto the list right now while you sort the setting out. It ignores limits and deadlines because you are the one vouching for them.

The volunteer button is missing

Volunteering is off until you switch it on. Open the event, click Edit sign-ups & price, find Volunteer Applications, and choose Public or Private instead of Disabled. Full instructions are in Setting up volunteer registration.

Nothing above matches

Confirm the person is on the right event. Two events with similar names on nearby dates is the most common surprise. Then open the event from your Events page in a signed-out window and read the card yourself. If the card contradicts your settings, check that the bar at the top of the event says All changes saved, then reload the visitor's page once.