Article

    Creating events with a Waitlist

    5 min read
    Last updated 6 hours ago

    Set a cap on RSVPs for any event and let Chezie handle the overflow. Once an event reaches capacity, new sign-ups are automatically placed on a waitlist — and if a spot opens up, everyone on the list is notified so the first person to claim it gets it.

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    Setting up a waitlisted event

    Important: Enabling a waitlist turns off automatic invites for that event.

    1. Create your event as usual — name, date, location, description, and meeting type.

    2. Open Advanced Options.

    3. Check Enable waitlist and enter the number of spots available.

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    4. Click Save as Draft to create the event.

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    5. From there, approve the event.

      1. If you’re a Team admin, click the Approve & Finalize button to approve the event directly.

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      2. If you’re a Group Admin, request approval.

    6. Once the event is approved, you will be prompted to send the invite email.

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    7. In the Communications tab, draft your invite email. Be sure to copy the event link in the format bar, and paste that link into the email so invitees can register.

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    8. Send the email to whoever you’d like to invite.

    What members experience

    1. If a spot is available:
      The member RSVPs and is automatically confirmed. Chezie sends the calendar invite for them — there's no "Add to Calendar" step to complete. The event is added directly to their calendar through their organization's connected account.

    2. If the event is full:
      The member sees an "Event Full" badge and can join the waitlist instead. They'll get a confirmation email letting them know they're on the list. No calendar invite goes out at this point, since they don't have a confirmed spot yet.

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    3. If a confirmed attendee drops out:
      Chezie doesn't automatically promote the next person in line. Instead, everyone currently on the waitlist gets an email letting them know a spot has opened. It's first-come, first-served — whoever returns to Chezie and claims the spot first gets it. Once claimed, that member receives their calendar invite automatically, the same as any other confirmed attendee.

    Leaving a waitlist or dropping from an event

    Members can leave the waitlist at any time from the event page from the original email they received.

    To cancel a confirmed spot, a member needs to use Drop from Event on the event page in Chezie — not just delete the event from their personal calendar. Deleting the calendar entry only removes it from their own view; it doesn't release the spot or update their status in Chezie.

    📣 Organizers: this is worth calling out explicitly when you invite people — members who assume deleting the calendar invite cancels their RSVP will unintentionally hold a spot open. We'd recommend a line in your invite communication like: "If you can no longer attend, please cancel from the event page in Chezie — removing it from your calendar alone won't release your spot."

    Managing a waitlisted event as an organizer or admin

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    From the event's Invites tab, you can see live counts for total spots, confirmed attendees, waitlisted members, and spots remaining.

    FAQ

    1. Do I need to connect my calendar to RSVP?
      No. Chezie adds you to the event directly — there's nothing to connect or confirm on your end.
    2. I joined a waitlist. Will I be notified in order?
      No. There's no visible queue position, and promotion isn't based on when you joined. When a spot opens, everyone on the waitlist is notified at the same time.
    3. I deleted the event from my calendar. Am I still going?
      Yes — deleting a calendar entry doesn't cancel your registration in Chezie. Use Drop from Event on the event page to actually cancel.
    4. Can I increase the RSVP cap after the event is published?
      Yes – after creating a waitlisted event, the capacity can be changed however, increasing the capacity does not auto-promote members on the waitlist. Decreasing the cap also doesn’t remove anyone, already registered from the event if the cap is changed to something lower, than the current number of registrees.
    5. What happens to my waitlist spot if the event gets canceled?
      Waitlisted members are not notified about an event cancellation. You would need to email them from Chezie.