Manage Volunteers in Airtable

From MoHA Wiki

Add Volunteer Requests

Steps:

  1. Go to Request Volunteer Staff
    Beginning of Volunteer Request Form
    Category:Staff display
    • If signing in requires a password, use "mohahaha" (all lowercase).
  2. Programs
    • The program you need volunteers for.
    • The start of the description the volunteers will see.
      • After the program, volunteers see role, date, time.
      • Note: Keep these descriptions brief!
        • Pictured below are the two views volunteers can see. In mobile, excess words are sometimes cut off.
        • A volunteer can pick "sign-up" from the gallery view, which prepopulates the form with their selected event.
    Events gallery view desktop.png
    Events gallery view mobile.png
  3. Volunteer Description
    • Note: Once again, this should be BRIEF.
      • 15 characters or less.
  4. Special Instructions
    • These instructions will be texted and emailed to the volunteer.
    • Text: “Thanks so much for signing up to volunteer at [Program] - [Event Name] - [Date] - [Time] shift at [Location]”
    Text of volunteer confirmation
    • Email: “Thanks so much for signing up to volunteer at [Program] - [Event Name] - [Date] - [Time] shift at [Location] … you’ll be doing [special instructions]”
    Email of volunteer confirmation
  5. Date
    • Date of event.
  6. Start Time
    • Used to create the calendar event, ensure this is before the end time.
  7. End Time
    • Used to create the calendar event.
  8. Time
    • This is what is texted to volunteers. Ex: "9am-11am"
  9. Location
    • If the location isn't populated in the list, add it to the Airtable later.
  10. Coordinator
    • Staff member to contact with questions.


Edit Volunteer Requests

Steps:

Add Location:

  1. Go to: Your Airtable Page > Volunteers > Locations.
    Airtable volunteer main grid display
  2. Optional: Hide the "Schedule" tab.
  3. The only parts you need to edit are "Name" and "Address."
  4. "Text Location Name" is a formula, but is the content volunteers are sent.

General Edits:

  1. Go to your Airtable Event > Volunteers > Events.
  2. On the right, select Views > Volunteer Request Grid.
    Airtable volunteer request grid display
  3. PM
    • Project Management. If marked "Event Completed" the event will not appear on the public form.
      • Events marked "Event Planned - More Volunteers Needed" appear on the form.
  4. Programs, Volunteer Description, Special Instructions, Time, Location, Coordinator.
    • Edit all of these fields in the Airtable Grid.
  5. Date
    • Google Calendar pulls information from Airtable at 9am and 10am and creates events.
    • The syncing isn't two-way, so if you got the date wrong you must create a new event and start over.
      • Note: If your Special Instructions are elaborate, copy them before you delete and resubmit.
    • You can edit and fit your date if the automation runs with a calendar event, checkbox, and calendar link.
      • Uncheck the "at_calendar_created" box.
      • Delete the "Google Calendar Event ID" and "Calendar Link" fields for your listing and a new event will be populated in the morning.
    • Delete the old event from the Google Calendar.
    • If people are already attending, let them know the date was wrong when you change it.
  6. On the backend, Airtable checks each morning for new entries:
    Airtable new entry flow chart
    • Once someone signs up to volunteer, they are sent:
      • Google Calendar invite
    Volunteer google calendar invite.png
      • A text
    Volunteer special instructions text.png
      • An email
    Volunteer special instructions email.png


Add Volunteer Role Descriptions

Add/Edit:

  1. Go to Airtable > Volunteers > Volunteer Sign-Up
    Airtable volunteer sign ups.png
  2. If your Program doesn't display, check if it is hidden.
    • "Limit selection to specific options (x options selected)"
    • "Change selected options"
    • Toggle the Programs as needed, then click "Use selected options."
  3. If not already created, create role descriptions for your Program.
    • Select an existing description.
    • Duplicate field.
      • Duplicate cells toggled on.
    • Set the new field as "list."
      • Copy the description/top line of a preexisting program.
        • This is to get the "top line" which will display as an underline.
    Airtable volunteer role and description.png
    • Change the name.
      • Change both the "question name" and the category.
    Airtable volunteer role name change.png
    • Go back to the "Volunteer Roles" menu.
  4. Select "Volunteer Roles \/"
    Airtable volunteer roles drop down.png
    • "Edit Field"
    • "Add option"
    • Add the new Role.
    • Select the new description section.
      • "Show field only when conditions are met"
      • When "Volunteer Roles" "has any of" "New Role"
        • EX: When "Volunteer Roles" has any of "CATS+".
      • Test the role, by checkmarking it on the previous form and confirming descriptions display.


Related links