Poll Reminders: Auto-Reminder, Manual Reminder, & Event Reminder

Organizing group events is smoothest when everyone responds on time and arrives prepared. WhenAvailable provides three distinct reminder options to keep your planning on track: automatic nudges to vote, on-demand manual reminders, and scheduled reminders for the confirmed event.

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Important: Email Requirement for Reminders

All reminders are sent via email (or app notifications if the guest has the app installed and enabled notifications) and only go out to guests whose email address is in the poll:

  • Guests added by the organizer: If you, as the organizer, added the guest by entering their email address and sending them an invitation, they will receive the reminders automatically.
  • Guests who added themselves: If participants join via a shared link and add themselves, they will only receive reminders if they included their email address and verified it. Self-added participants who only enter a name without a verified email address cannot receive email reminders.

Reminder Options at a Glance

Reminder Type Phase Who Receives It? Trigger & Timing Availability
notifications_active Auto-Reminder
Automatic vote reminder 		Active Voting All guests with email in the poll. Voted guests can update their vote; non-voted guests get a nudge to vote. Sent automatically around noon, 2 days before the poll closing date (or custom time) Included Free
Adjust/cancel with Premium
send Manual Reminder
On-demand vote reminder 		Active Voting Participants who have not voted yet and have an email in the poll Sent on-demand when the organizer clicks "Send Reminder" (24-hour cooldown between blasts) OneTime Premium Premium Subscription
alarm Event Reminder
Confirmed gathering reminder 		Event Finalized Targeted guests with email in the poll: All guests, or only guests who voted "Yes", "Yes/Maybe", etc. Scheduled by the organizer for a specific date and time before the event takes place Premium Subscription
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1. Auto-Reminder (Automatic Vote Reminder)

Hands-free reminder to help you get votes before your poll deadline.

The Auto-Reminder is designed to ensure you receive responses from all invited guests without needing to manually follow up. When you set a closing date for your poll, WhenAvailable automatically schedules an email reminder.

How It Works:

  • Default Timing: By default, the auto-reminder is sent around 12:00 PM (noon) in your poll's time zone, two days before the closing date. If your poll has a shorter window, WhenAvailable intelligently schedules the reminder later so participants still get a nudge to respond.
  • Email Requirement: Reminders are sent by email, so they only go out to guests who have an email address in the poll. If you added the guest to the poll, they will automatically receive the reminder. If a guest added themselves, they will only receive the reminder if they included their email and verified it.
  • Targeted Message: Guests who have voted will receive a message letting them know they can update their votes now if needed. Guests who have not voted yet get a message reminding them to vote.
  • Timeline Visibility: The exact scheduled date/time of the auto-reminder is displayed on the Organizer Timeline.

Customizing or Disabling Auto-Reminders (Premium):

  • Adjust Scheduled Time: Organizers with OneTime Premium or a Premium Subscription can click "Adjust Auto-reminder" on the Organizer Timeline or in poll settings to pick a custom date and hour for the reminder to fire.
  • Turn Off Auto-Reminders: If you prefer not to send an automatic reminder, you can cancel it via the timeline settings or check the "No auto-reminders" option in your poll settings.
  • Automatic Cancellation: If you close the poll or pick the final winning date before the auto-reminder date arrives, the reminder is automatically canceled.
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2. Manual Reminder (On-Demand Voting Reminder)

Give stragglers an instant nudge whenever you need a fast response.

Need responses faster or want to remind participants before the weekend? The Manual Reminder lets organizers trigger an immediate reminder email whenever needed.

How to Send a Manual Reminder:

  1. Open your active poll page as the organizer.
  2. Click "Send Reminder" from the poll menu or directly from the Organizer Timeline under the Voting Reminders step.

Safeguards & Plan Limits:

  • 24-Hour Cooldown: To protect your guests' inboxes from accidental duplicate emails or spam, manual reminders have a built-in 24-hour cooldown period.
  • OneTime Premium: Allows sending up to 5 manual reminders per poll.
  • Premium Subscription: Enjoy unlimited manual reminders across all your active polls.
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3. Event Reminder (Confirmed Event Reminder)

Remind attendees about the finalized gathering so no one forgets to show up. Premium Subscription

While auto-reminders and manual reminders ask guests to vote, the Event Reminder is for after voting is complete and the event’s date/time has been confirmed. It serves as a helpful countdown reminder for the actual upcoming event.

Key Features & Capabilities:

  • Scheduled Timing: Set the reminder to fire on a specific date and time before the event takes place (for example, 24 hours, 2 days, or 1 week before the event starts).
  • Targeted Recipient Selection: Organizers can choose precisely who receives the event reminder (provided their email is in the poll):
    • All Guests: Send the reminder to everyone on the guest list with an email.
    • "Yes" Respondents Only: Target only attendees who confirmed availability for the winning date.
    • "Yes" & "Maybe" Respondents: Include both confirmed attendees and those who marked themselves as tentative.
    Note: Organizer-added guests receive the reminder automatically; self-added guests will only receive it if they provided and verified their email.
  • Personal Message: Include last-minute instructions, such as parking details, dress codes, video conference links, or what to bring.
  • Edit & Cancel Anytime: You can adjust or cancel the event reminder at any point before it fires from the poll’s settings menu or the Organizer Timeline.
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Voting Reminders vs. Event Reminder: Remember that Auto-Reminders and Manual Reminders are used during the active voting period to encourage guests to submit their availability. In contrast, the Event Reminder is scheduled after you select the final date to ensure attendees remember to attend the event itself.
  • Set a realistic closing date: Setting a clear closing date ensures the Auto-Reminder fires at the most effective time before decisions need to be made.
  • Encourage self-added guests to verify their email: Reminders only go out to guests whose email is in the poll. While guests added by the organizer are already set to receive reminders, participants who join via a shared link must enter and verify their email address when voting in order to receive auto-reminders, manual nudges, or event reminders.
  • Use the Organizer Timeline: The Organizer Timeline provides a visual bird's-eye view of your poll's journey. You can see past reminder timestamps, check scheduled delivery dates, and adjust reminder settings all in one place.
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