I need a program to automate this

[busymama7]

I help run a large homeschool program that hires professional teachers but also uses parents for some positions that change weekly.  Things like a snack table. Parents sign up for 2 hrs over the course of a 12 week term per child enrolled so nothing is consistent but is changing every week.  We have been using sign up genius but the person doing the reminders before me was individually emailing and texting each parent.  I took over this year and it is a *ridiculous* amount of work for what it is.  The previous person just did it I suppose but she wasn't also homeschooling which I am, four students this year.   I need something that will at least require email address and text number so I can type out a reminder and just copy paste. As it is I have to go into our registration system to find each individual parent and their email and phone number. And sometimes they don't use their full name on sign up genius or it doesn't match the parent in the system so it's a bit of a detective game.  And then I have to type in each phone number into my phone.  At least the email addresses can be copied and pasted and then I send the email BCC.  The reminders do need to be personalized for the week with descriptions of what the job is and the list of other volunteers so they know who is relieving them etc. I know that they can sign up for reminders from sign up genius but we don't know if all do but we also need to pass them information each week so that reminder doesn't take the place of our email. And then no one checks emails so I have to text 😕

Please tell me something exists 😦 I am going crazy with the work that is involved in this should be simple task. 

[MercyA]

If you go into "Settings" under "Edit Sign Up" in Sign Up Genius you can set email address and phone number to "required" for anyone who signs up.

You can also set your sign up to automatically send reminders X number of days before the event. It doesn't matter whether the participants are signed up to receive reminders or not.

Additionally, you can send a message to everyone at once, as long as you have the people who sign up saved in a "Group." 

Edited September 15, 2023 by MercyA

[vonfirmath]

8 hours ago, busymama7 said:

I help run a large homeschool program that hires professional teachers but also uses parents for some positions that change weekly.  Things like a snack table. Parents sign up for 2 hrs over the course of a 12 week term per child enrolled so nothing is consistent but is changing every week.  We have been using sign up genius but the person doing the reminders before me was individually emailing and texting each parent.  I took over this year and it is a *ridiculous* amount of work for what it is.  The previous person just did it I suppose but she wasn't also homeschooling which I am, four students this year.   I need something that will at least require email address and text number so I can type out a reminder and just copy paste. As it is I have to go into our registration system to find each individual parent and their email and phone number. And sometimes they don't use their full name on sign up genius or it doesn't match the parent in the system so it's a bit of a detective game.  And then I have to type in each phone number into my phone.  At least the email addresses can be copied and pasted and then I send the email BCC.  The reminders do need to be personalized for the week with descriptions of what the job is and the list of other volunteers so they know who is relieving them etc. I know that they can sign up for reminders from sign up genius but we don't know if all do but we also need to pass them information each week so that reminder doesn't take the place of our email. And then no one checks emails so I have to text 😕

Please tell me something exists 😦 I am going crazy with the work that is involved in this should be simple task. 

I would not bother texting. It's not your problem if people do not check their email.

Maybe have posted at the location the volunteers of the day so someone can check it at the site.

[busymama7]

5 hours ago, MercyA said:

If you go into "Settings" under "Edit Sign Up" in Sign Up Genius you can set email address and phone number to "required" for anyone who signs up.

You can also set your sign up to automatically send reminders X number of days before the event. It doesn't matter whether the participants are signed up to receive reminders or not.

Additionally, you can send a message to everyone at once, as long as you have the people who sign up saved in a "Group." 

Ok this is helpful information.  I am not the one who has set it up so I would need to get in and play with it.  Are groups easy to set up? I would need a group for each week as it is always changing 

[busymama7]

4 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

I would not bother texting. It's not your problem if people do not check their email.

Maybe have posted at the location the volunteers of the day so someone can check it at the site.

But it is our problem if we don't have our spots filled and are scrambling at the last minute.  We need people to confirm so we can fill spots if needed.