Managing the Waitlist

Enabling the Waitlist

You can enable the waitlist when editing an existing event. The waitlist option is available in the event edit wizard once the event has been created and tickets have been set up.

1. Open your event and tap Edit Event
2. Scroll to the Waitlist section in the event form
3. Toggle Enable Waitlist on
4. Select which tickets should be waitlist-enabled
5. Save your event

Configuring Waitlist Settings

When enabling the waitlist, you can configure several important settings:

Time Limit

Set how many minutes a person has to complete their purchase once it's their turn. After this time expires, they are removed from the queue and the next person is advanced.

• Default: 10 minutes
• Recommended range: 5-30 minutes
• Shorter limits create more urgency and faster queue movement
• Longer limits give buyers more time but slow queue advancement

Concurrent Buyers

Control how many people can be in the "active purchase" state at the same time for a given ticket. This determines how many waitlist entries are advanced simultaneously when availability opens up.

• Default: 1 concurrent buyer
• Increase this if you release multiple tickets at once
• Each active buyer gets their own independent time limit

Custom CTA Text

Customize the call-to-action text that appears on the waitlist join button. By default, attendees see "Join Waitlist" but you can personalize this message.

Managing the Queue

Once the waitlist is active and people start joining, you can manage the queue from the event's insight/management screen. The Waitlist module appears alongside your other event management tools (like Door Sales).

Queue Overview

The waitlist management module shows:

• Per-ticket controls - View and manage each waitlisted ticket independently
• Queue entries - See who's in line, their position, and status
• Entry details - Name, email, phone, ticket type, and join time
• Live status indicator - Shows when the waitlist is actively running

Entry Statuses

• Waiting - In the queue, not yet their turn
• Active - It's their turn to purchase (time limit counting down)
• Expired - Their time ran out without a purchase

Queue Actions

Removing an Entry

You can remove any entry from the queue at any time. Tap the entry and select Remove. The entry is permanently removed from the live queue. This action is recorded in the audit log.

Extending Time (+1 Minute)

If a person is actively in their purchase window, you can grant them extra time:

1. Find the entry with Active status
2. Tap the +1 min button
3. Their expiration time is extended by one minute

Advancing the Queue Manually

The queue advances automatically in these situations:

• A purchase is completed (availability decremented, next person notified)
• An entry's time expires (checked every minute by the scheduled function)
• You manually remove an active entry

You can also release more availability by increasing the ticket's waitlist availability number, which will trigger queue advancement.

Audit Log

Every waitlist action is recorded in an audit log for accountability and transparency:

• Joined - When someone joins the waitlist
• Left - When someone voluntarily leaves
• Removed - When an organizer removes an entry
• Advanced - When someone is moved to active status
• Expired - When someone's time runs out
• Purchased - When a waitlist purchase is completed
• Time Extended - When +1 minute is granted

The management module shows the 5 most recent log entries inline. For the full history, tap View All to open the complete audit log in a scrollable modal.

Notifications

When it becomes a person's turn to purchase, Streets automatically sends notifications:

• Push notification - Sent to their device if they joined via the app
• Email - Sent if a valid email was provided (includes time limit info)
• SMS - Sent if a valid phone number was provided

The email and SMS notifications include how many minutes the buyer has to complete their purchase, creating appropriate urgency.

Waitlist Orders

Orders placed through the waitlist are marked with a WAITLIST badge in your order management screen. You can also filter orders by waitlist status to see all waitlist purchases at a glance.

How the System Works

Understanding the end-to-end flow helps you manage the waitlist effectively:

1. You enable the waitlist on specific tickets
2. When those tickets sell out, "Join Waitlist" appears instead of "Sold Out"
3. Attendees join the queue (from the app or web event page)
4. When availability opens (refund, cancellation, or you manually increase), the next person(s) in line are notified
5. They have your configured time limit to complete the purchase
6. If they purchase, availability is decremented and the order is fulfilled
7. If they don't purchase in time, they expire and the next person is advanced
8. A scheduled function checks for expired entries every minute

Collaborator Access

Collaborators with the waitlist permission can:

• View the waitlist management module
• See queue entries and their details
• Remove entries from the queue
• Grant +1 minute extensions
• View the audit log

Only the event organizer can enable/disable the waitlist or change its configuration (time limit, concurrent buyers, etc.) in the event edit form.

Disabling the Waitlist

If you no longer want to accept waitlist entries:

1. Go to Edit Event
2. Toggle the waitlist off
3. Save the event

Disabling the waitlist sets it to inactive but does not delete existing data. All historical entries and audit log records are preserved. If you re-enable later, the existing queue (if any) will still be there.

Best Practices

Time Limits

• For high-demand events, use shorter limits (5-10 min) to keep the queue moving
• For expensive or complex tickets, allow more time (15-30 min)
• Monitor the queue and use +1 minute if buyers need a little extra time

Communication

• Let your audience know the waitlist is available via social media or the Message Center
• Set expectations about queue position and timing
• Consider using a custom CTA that matches your brand voice

Availability Management

• Increase waitlist availability when you want to release more tickets through the queue
• The queue advances automatically when availability becomes greater than 0
• Monitor the audit log to understand queue movement patterns