Event Management Complete Guide: Meetings, Fundraisers, and Social Events

Last updated: February 2026

Whether you're managing weekly meetings, annual fundraisers, social gatherings, or volunteer workdays, Sodalo's event system handles it all. This complete guide covers everything from creating simple events to managing complex volunteer shifts and tracking attendance over time.

Understanding Sodalo Events

An event in Sodalo can be:
- A regular meeting (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
- A fundraiser or community service project
- A social gathering (dinner, golf outing, picnic)
- A ceremony or installation
- A volunteer workday
- Any gathering your organization holds

Each event can include:
- Basic details: Title, date, time, location, description
- RSVP tracking: See who's coming, who's not, and how many guests
- Volunteer shifts: Sign up volunteers for specific roles and times
- Attendance tracking: Record who actually showed up
- Recurring patterns: Automatically create repeating events
- Calendar integration: Sync with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook

Creating Your First Event

Step 1: Start a new event

Go to Events in the top navigation
Click "+ Create Event" (top right)
You'll see the event creation form

Step 2: Fill in basic details

Title (required)
- What to call this event
- Examples: "Monthly Meeting," "Poker Night," "Installation Ceremony," "Food Drive"
- Keep it clear — this is what members see on the calendar

Date and Time (required)
- Pick the event date
- Enter start time (you can leave time blank for all-day events)
- Optionally add an end time

Location (optional but recommended)
- Name of the venue
- Examples: "Lodge Hall," "Veteran's Memorial Park," "Joe's Diner"
- Can be a physical address or just a name

Maps URL (optional)
- Link to Google Maps, Apple Maps, or any mapping service
- Members can click to get directions
- Example: Copy the URL from Google Maps after searching for the address

Description (optional)
- Details about the event
- What to expect, what to bring, dress code, agenda
- Supports basic formatting (bold, links, bullet points)

Step 3: Choose visibility

Members Only (toggle on/off)
- OFF (default): Event appears on your public organization page
- ON: Only logged-in members can see this event
- Use "Members Only" for internal meetings, sensitive events, or member-only socials

Step 4: Set up RSVP (optional)

Toggle "Enable RSVP" if you want to track who's coming.

RSVP Deadline (optional)
- Set a date by which members must RSVP
- Example: "RSVP by April 10" for an April 15 event
- After the deadline, members can't change their RSVP (you can manually override)

Max Attendees (optional)
- Set a capacity limit
- Example: "50 people max" for a restaurant reservation
- When full, members see "Event Full" message
- Leave blank for unlimited capacity

Allow Guests (automatically enabled with RSVP)
- Members can indicate they're bringing guests
- Example: "Attending + 2 guests"
- Guest count appears in RSVP summary

Step 5: Set up Volunteer Shifts (optional)

If your event needs volunteers, you'll add shifts later (see "Volunteer Shifts" section below).

Step 6: Enable Attendance Tracking (optional)

Toggle "Track Attendance" if you want to record who actually shows up.
- Important for organizations with attendance requirements (like Rotary)
- Creates an attendance record for reporting
- Can be enabled during or after the event

Step 7: Save the event

Click "Create Event"

The event now appears:
- On your organization's Events calendar
- In the member portal
- On your public page (if not "Members Only")

RSVP Tracking

How Members RSVP

When RSVP is enabled, members see the event with three buttons:
- Attending — They're coming
- Not Attending — They can't make it
- Maybe — They're unsure

If the event allows guests, they can indicate:
- "Attending (just me)"
- "Attending + 1 guest"
- "Attending + 2 guests"

Viewing RSVPs

On the event detail page, you see:

RSVP Summary:
- X Attending (number of members who said yes)
- X Not Attending (number who said no)
- X Maybe (number who are unsure)
- X Total Guests (guest count from all attendees)

RSVP List:
- Full list of members who responded
- Their RSVP status (attending/not attending/maybe)
- Guest count
- When they responded

Who Hasn't Responded:
- List of members who haven't RSVP'd yet
- Send them a reminder email

RSVP Deadline

If you set an RSVP deadline:
- Before the deadline: Members can freely change their RSVP
- After the deadline: RSVP buttons are disabled
- You can manually edit RSVPs even after the deadline

Capacity Limits

If you set max attendees to 50:
- After 50 people RSVP "attending," the event shows "Event Full"
- New members can RSVP "maybe" or "not attending" but not "attending"
- If someone changes to "not attending," a spot opens up
- Guest counts are included in capacity (attending + guests ≤ max)

Sending RSVP Reminders

To send a reminder to members who haven't RSVP'd:

Go to the event detail page
Click "Email Attendees"
Choose "Members who haven't RSVP'd"
Write your message
Send

Reminder emails only go to members who haven't responded yet.

Volunteer Shifts

For events that need volunteers (fundraisers, work days, large events), you can create volunteer shifts.

Creating Volunteer Shifts

Create or edit an event
Scroll to "Volunteer Shifts" section
Click "+ Add Shift"
Fill in shift details:

Shift Name (required)
- What volunteers will do
- Examples: "Registration Desk," "Grill Master," "Parking Attendant," "Cleanup Crew"

Start and End Time (required)
- When this shift begins and ends
- Example: "6:00 PM - 9:00 PM"
- Can overlap with other shifts or the main event time

Skill or Requirement (optional)
- Any special skills or requirements
- Examples: "Bartending experience required," "Must be 21+," "Heavy lifting involved"
- Shows as a note on the shift

Minimum Volunteers (required, default: 1)
- How many volunteers you need at minimum
- Example: "Need at least 2 people"
- Shift shows as "Understaffed" if below this number

Maximum Volunteers (required, default: 10)
- Maximum capacity for this shift
- Example: "Max 4 people"
- Shift shows as "Full" when this number is reached

Click "Save Shift"
Repeat for additional shifts

Members view the event and see available volunteer shifts:
- Each shift shows: Name, time, skill requirement, spots available
- They click "Sign Up" on a shift they want
- Their signup is confirmed instantly
- They receive a confirmation (if you send one)

If a shift is full:
- "Shift Full" appears
- They can't sign up
- Consider increasing max volunteers or adding another shift

Managing Volunteer Signups

On the event detail page, click the "Volunteers" tab to see:

Shift Summary:
- Each shift listed with its time and requirements
- How many volunteers signed up vs. needed
- Status indicators:
- ✅ Filled — Has enough volunteers (at or above minimum)
- ⚠️ Understaffed — Below minimum needed
- 🔒 Full — Reached maximum capacity

Volunteer List:
- All members who signed up for each shift
- When they signed up
- Their contact info (so you can reach out)

Manually Adding/Removing Volunteers:
- Click "Add Volunteer" to assign someone who didn't sign up themselves
- Click "Remove" next to a volunteer to remove them

Volunteer Reminders

To send a reminder to volunteers before the event:

Go to Email → New Email
Use the "Event Volunteers" filter
Select your event
Write your reminder message
Send

This email only goes to members who signed up for volunteer shifts.

Attendance Tracking

Attendance tracking records who actually showed up to an event (different from who RSVP'd).

Enabling Attendance Tracking

Option 1: When creating the event
- Toggle "Track Attendance" ON when creating the event

Option 2: During/after the event
1. Go to the event detail page
2. Toggle "Track Attendance" ON
3. The attendance list appears

Recording Attendance

During Check-In (recommended for large events):

On the event detail page, click "Start Check-In Mode"
As members arrive, check the box next to their name
Or use the "Mark as Attended" button for each person
Check-in timestamp is recorded
Click "End Check-In Mode" when done

After the Event:

Go to the event detail page
Click the "Attendance" tab
Check the box next to members who attended
Click "Save Attendance"

Viewing Attendance

On the event detail page, Attendance tab shows:
- Total attendance count
- List of members who attended
- Check-in timestamp (if using check-in mode)
- List of members who didn't attend (if you track that)

Attendance Reports

To see attendance patterns over time:

Go to Members
Click on a specific member
View their "Attendance" tab
See all events they attended with dates

Use cases:
- Rotary clubs tracking attendance percentage requirements
- Board tracking participation for award eligibility
- Identifying members who haven't attended recently (re-engagement)

Exporting Attendance Data

Go to Events
Click "Reports"
Choose "Export Event Attendance (CSV)"
Download spreadsheet with:
Event name and date
Member name
Attended (yes/no)
Check-in timestamp

Recurring Events

For events that repeat regularly (weekly meetings, monthly dinners, annual ceremonies), use recurring events to create them automatically.

Setting Up Recurrence

Create or edit an event
Scroll to "Recurrence" section
Toggle "Make this a recurring event" ON
Choose pattern:

Daily:
- Repeats every X days
- Example: "Every 2 days" for a every-other-day event
- Rarely used for most organizations

Weekly:
- Repeats on specific day(s) of the week
- Example: "Every Monday" for weekly meetings
- Example: "Every Tuesday and Thursday"

Monthly:
- Option A: On a specific date
- Example: "15th of every month"
- Works well for set dates
- Option B: On a relative day
- Example: "Second Tuesday of every month"
- Example: "Last Friday of every month"
- Better for floating dates

Yearly:
- Repeats on the same date every year
- Example: "April 20 every year" for annual installation
- Great for anniversaries, ceremonies, annual events

Set "Repeat until" date (optional)
When the recurrence should stop
Example: "Until December 31, 2027"
Leave blank for no end date (recurring forever)
Click "Save Event"

How Recurrence Works

When you save a recurring event:
- Sodalo creates individual event instances based on your pattern
- Each instance is a separate event (can be edited independently)
- All instances are linked as part of a "series"

Example:
- Create "Monthly Meeting" recurring "Second Tuesday" until Dec 2027
- Sodalo creates: May 13, June 10, July 8, August 12, ... December 9, 2027
- That's 32 separate events created instantly

Editing Recurring Events

When you edit a recurring event instance, you choose:

Option 1: Edit this event only
- Changes apply to this single occurrence
- Other events in the series are unchanged
- Example: Change location for just the June meeting

Option 2: Edit all future events
- Changes apply to this event and all future occurrences
- Past events are unchanged
- Example: Change meeting time starting in July

Canceling a Single Occurrence

To cancel one event in a recurring series:

Go to the event detail page for that specific occurrence
Click "Cancel Event"
Choose "Cancel this event only"
The event is marked as canceled (stays visible but shows "Canceled")

Members who RSVP'd are notified automatically.

Common Recurrence Patterns

Weekly poker night every Thursday:
- Pattern: Weekly, every Thursday
- Repeat until: (no end date)

Monthly meeting, second Tuesday:
- Pattern: Monthly, second Tuesday
- Repeat until: December 31, 2027

Quarterly board meeting:
- Create one event, set recurrence to "Every 3 months"
- Or manually create 4 events (more control over exact dates)

Annual installation ceremony:
- Pattern: Yearly, April 20
- Repeat until: (no end date)

Calendar Integration

Members can subscribe to your organization's events calendar in their personal calendar app (Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook).

Getting Your Calendar Feed URL

Go to Events
Click the calendar icon or "Calendar Feed" link
Copy the URL shown (looks like: sodalo.com/calendar/your-org/abc123.ics)

Share this URL with your members (email it, post on website, etc.).

Adding to Google Calendar

For members:
1. Open Google Calendar
2. Click the "+" next to "Other calendars"
3. Choose "From URL"
4. Paste the Sodalo calendar feed URL
5. Click "Add Calendar"

Events now appear in their Google Calendar and auto-update when you create/edit events.

Adding to Apple Calendar (iPhone/Mac)

For members:
1. Go to Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Add Account (iPhone)
- Or Calendar → File → New Calendar Subscription (Mac)
2. Choose "Other" → "Add Subscribed Calendar"
3. Paste the Sodalo calendar feed URL
4. Tap "Next" and "Save"

Events now sync to their Apple Calendar.

Adding to Outlook

For members:
1. Open Outlook
2. Go to Calendar view
3. Right-click "My Calendars" → "Add Calendar" → "From Internet"
4. Paste the Sodalo calendar feed URL
5. Click "OK"

Calendar Feed Benefits

Automatic updates: When you create, edit, or cancel events in Sodalo, calendars auto-sync
No manual entry: Members don't have to manually add events
Reminders: Members can set personal reminders in their calendar app
Shared calendar: Everyone sees the same events

Event Email Notifications

Send targeted emails to event participants:

Email Types

Event Invitation (to all members)
RSVP Reminder (to members who haven't responded)
Attendee Update (to members who RSVP'd "attending")
Volunteer Reminder (to members who signed up for shifts)
Last-Minute Reminder (day before the event)

Sending Event Emails

Go to Email → New Email
Write your message
Click "Filter Recipients"
Choose filter:
Event RSVP: Attending (send only to confirmed attendees)
Event RSVP: Not Attending (follow up with people who can't make it)
Event RSVP: No Response (send reminders)
Event Volunteers (send to shift signups)
Click "Send"

Quick Event Email from Event Page

Go to the event detail page
Click "Email Attendees"
Choose recipient group
Write and send

Faster than going through the full email composer.

Best Practices

Event Titles

Good:
- "Monthly Meeting - May 2026"
- "Poker Night - Friday, April 25"
- "Food Drive Volunteer Day"

Confusing:
- "Meeting" (which meeting?)
- "Friday event" (which Friday?)
- "Thing" (what thing?)

Use Descriptions

Even for regular meetings, include:
- Agenda or topics
- What to bring
- Dress code
- Parking instructions
- Any changes from usual format

Set RSVP Deadlines

For events where you need headcount (dinners, tournaments, conferences):
- Set RSVP deadline 2-7 days before event
- Gives you time to finalize arrangements
- Send reminder 3 days before deadline

Track Attendance for Key Events

Track attendance for:
- Monthly meetings (if you have attendance requirements)
- Fundraisers (for thank-you letters)
- Training or orientation (for completion records)
- Board meetings (for minutes/quorum)

Use Volunteer Shifts for Complex Events

Break large events into shifts:
- Setup crew (morning)
- Registration desk (early afternoon)
- Food service (mid-afternoon)
- Cleanup crew (evening)

Easier than one giant "Volunteers Needed" call.

Recurring vs. Individual Events

Use recurring when:
- Events follow a strict pattern (same day, same time)
- You want to populate the calendar far in advance

Use individual events when:
- Dates vary (holidays affect schedule)
- Each event is unique in some way
- You only plan a few months ahead

Troubleshooting

"Members can't see the event"
- Check that "Members Only" is OFF if you want it public
- Check that the event date hasn't passed
- Verify the event is actually saved (not still in draft)

"RSVPs aren't showing up"
- Make sure "Enable RSVP" is toggled ON
- Check that members are logged in (only logged-in members can RSVP)
- Refresh the page

"The event shows as full but we have spots"
- Check max attendees setting
- Count total: attending members + their guests
- Increase max attendees if needed

"Volunteer shift shows as full but only 3 people signed up"
- Check the max volunteers for that shift
- You might have set max to 3
- Edit the shift and increase max

"Recurring events didn't create"
- Make sure you toggled "Make this a recurring event" ON
- Check that you selected a pattern (weekly, monthly, etc.)
- Set a "Repeat until" date or leave blank
- Save the event

"Calendar feed isn't updating in Google Calendar"
- Google Calendar refreshes feeds every 12-24 hours
- To force update: Remove the calendar and re-add it
- Or wait 24 hours for auto-refresh

Need Help?

For questions about complex events, custom needs, or troubleshooting:

Email: [email protected]

We're happy to help you set up event workflows that work for your organization.

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