What do you need people to tell you?
Picture the finished response list. Do you want a list of people coming, a set of filled jobs or times, or a preference the group can act on? That is a better starting point than adding every available field to the form. Choose a question below to see the matching setup.
Community garden gathering
Use an RSVP
Collect attendance for one shared time and place. Add group signups if families may reply together.
- One gathering
- Optional group headcount
- No slot choice needed
Use RSVP when everyone shares the same plan
A backyard celebration has a fixed time and place. Everyone is invited to the same gathering, and nobody needs to reserve a separate job or appointment. An RSVP gives you the attendance information you need without asking guests to make an unnecessary selection.
Start from Party RSVP. Leave Use signup slots off. Enable Allow group signups if one person may reply for a family, and set an Attendee limit if space is limited. Say whether children and additional guests should be included in the group size.
Use this for a book club with one meeting too. If the club offers three alternative discussions with limited seats, the guest needs to choose a session, so dated slots are a better fit.
Use slots when someone needs to claim something
At a classroom party, knowing that twelve parents are coming does not tell you whether anyone is bringing fruit or helping with cleanup. Name each contribution or role, then give it the number of commitments you actually need.
For example, ask for two fruit platters, one set of cups, and three cleanup helpers. Explain the amount each contribution covers. A slot labeled Fruit for 10 children is easier to act on than Fruit. If a family brings one platter, that is one contribution regardless of family size.
Turn on Use signup slots. Use Slot selection required if everyone must choose a responsibility, and Allow multiple slot selections if people may bring something and help too. For appointments, enter each slot's real date and time and decide whether people should reserve only one.
Use a poll while the plan is still open
If your reading group is deciding between Tuesday and Thursday, a date poll helps you choose before anyone reserves a place. Under When is this event?, choose Poll the group. Add useful candidate times and explain when you expect to settle the plan.
For a book or activity choice, use the event's poll options and make the question specific. A vote expresses a preference. It is not a reservation for a seat, an attendance confirmation, or a promise to bring an item.
When the decision is made, communicate the result and review the final event and signup settings. If a limited session needs reservations, ask for those commitments explicitly. Do not count everyone who voted as attending.
Give guests one clear job at each stage
Some events use all three formats over time. You might poll the group for a date, collect RSVPs once it is chosen, then ask for a few volunteers. Keep the current request clear so guests know what their response means.
- 1
Write the question in plain language
Try Will you join us?, Which shift can you help with?, or Which day works for you? Use that question to guide the page title and introduction.
- 2
Keep only the choices you need now
Use an RSVP for attendance, slots for responsibilities or reservations, and a poll for an unresolved decision. Add fields only when you will use the answer.
- 3
Explain what happens after the response
Tell guests whether they are reserving a place, taking responsibility for something, or helping you decide. If another signup will follow a poll, say so.
- The date is either settled or clearly presented as a choice.
- Every slot describes a real responsibility or limited place.
- A guest can tell whether responding commits them to attend.
- The next step is clear without a separate explanation from you.