# Waiting lists

> A waitlist appears automatically on every full session, and emails customers the moment a space opens up - no setting to turn on.

Who can do this: admins only.

When a session is full, the booking page swaps the checkout for a "Join waiting list" form. When a space opens up, Session emails everyone on the list whose requested number of spaces now fits. There's nothing to switch on: the waiting list appears automatically on every full session.

<Screenshot
  shot="customer-waiting-list"
  alt="The booking page for a full session, showing the 'This session is full' heading with a spaces-needed stepper and a Join waiting list button."
  caption="The waiting list form, shown automatically when a session is full."
  mat="peach"
/>

Joining the list doesn't hold a space. The email is an invitation to book, and the first to check out gets the space.

## What customers fill in

- **Spaces needed** - from 1 up to the session's [capacity](/docs/shared-capacity). Someone after 3 spaces is only emailed when at least 3 are free.
- **Name and email** - filled in already for signed-in customers.
- **Phone** - shown only if you collect phone numbers at checkout.
- **Marketing opt-in** - shown only if you collect marketing consent and haven't asked this customer before.

A customer who's already on the list sees a confirmation instead of the form, so they can't join twice.

## When customers get notified

Session re-checks real availability before emailing. The list is notified when:

- A booking on the session is [cancelled or refunded](/docs/refunds).
- A customer reduces the number of spaces on their booking.
- A booking is [rescheduled](/docs/manage-bookings-customers) to a different date, freeing space on the original.

Everyone whose requested spaces now fit is emailed at once with the [waiting list email](/docs/emails-automated) ("A space has opened up for ..."), with a button to the booking page. Customise it under [Email → Automated emails](/go/admin/email/automated) (the "Waiting list" template).

## When the waiting list doesn't email

- **Hidden or closed dates.** While a date is [hidden](/docs/instance-overrides#hide-a-single-session) or [closed](/docs/closed-dates), freed spaces email nobody. When you show or reopen it, anyone who now fits is emailed straight away.
- **Private hire.** A date bought out by a [private hire](/docs/private-sessions) shows "Not available" with no waiting list.
- **Dates not open yet.** A date beyond your [booking window](/docs/booking-window) shows "Not open for booking yet", with no waiting list.
- **Archived sessions.** An [archived](/docs/session-visibility#archive-a-session) session can't be booked, so its remaining dates never email the list.
- **Past sessions.** A session that has ended never triggers waiting list emails, even if you edit its bookings afterwards.

Spaces are counted the same way the booking page counts them, so a date where you've [changed the capacity](/docs/instance-overrides) uses that date's own number: lowering it emails nobody, and raising it frees the extra spaces for the list.

## See where demand is building

**On the session.** On [Bookings](/go/admin/home), a full session with people waiting is tagged "**3 waiting**" instead of "Full". Open it and click the "**3 waiting**" button in its heading to see each person's name, email, spaces requested and join time, oldest first. Each row is badged **Waiting** or **Notified** - Notified means they've been emailed but haven't booked yet, so the space is still available. You can also [add a booking](/docs/add-a-booking) for someone yourself, or raise the session's [capacity](/docs/shared-capacity).

**Across a session type.** [Reports](/go/admin/reports) has a **Waitlist** column in the session-type table showing total spaces requested over your date range. Hover it for how many customers are waiting, how many were notified, and how many dates had a queue.

**Date by date.** Reports → **Export** → **Session attendance** gives one row per date with **Waiting list people** and **Waiting list spaces**. The same file is in your [full data export](/docs/data-export).

The session heading counts **people**; the Reports column counts **spaces requested**; the CSV has both. All three include people notified who haven't booked.

## Common questions

1. **Can I turn the waiting list off?** No. It appears automatically on any full session, and there's no setting to enable or disable it.

2. **Why don't waiting list entries show in my bookings list?** The [admin bookings list](/docs/manage-bookings-admins) shows confirmed bookings only. See who's waiting from the "waiting" button on the session in [Bookings](/go/admin/home).

3. **Someone was emailed but the space had gone when they tried to book - why?** Everyone who fits is emailed at once, and the first to check out gets the space. The others stay on the list, marked **Notified**.

4. **Can I book someone in off the waiting list myself?** Yes, [add a booking](/docs/add-a-booking) for them as normal. Everyone eligible is emailed the moment a space opens, so it may already be taken.