What to do if a session is full: waiting lists and rescheduling

A waiting list for event registration is an automatic reserve list for a full session, where the next participant moves up in line as soon as someone cancels, without the organizer having to track this manually.

There’s always one session that fills up within two days and one that remains open until the very end. That’s not a planning error but the reality of a program that offers choices. The question is what happens next: does demand for that session remain, or does it disappear? Activo has been managing this since 1997, for more than 5,000 supported events.

What happens once the limit is reached

In the event registration system, each session has its own capacity limit. Once that limit is reached, the next registrant sees this immediately and is placed on the waitlist instead of being rejected. They know exactly where they stand, and you can keep track of them.

If someone cancels, the next person on the waitlist automatically moves up. You don’t have to do anything. That’s the difference from a spreadsheet, where a cancellation leaves an empty spot that no one fills.

The waiting list as a source of information, not as a residual list

A long waiting list tells you something. If fifty people are waiting for a session with thirty spots, that’s not a problem but a sign: that session could be offered a second time, or moved to a larger room.

Since you can see both the occupancy rate and the waiting list for each session, you can make that decision based on the numbers. At the training day organized by Junis Kinderopvang, which has over 1,200 employees, the session selection process was structured in this way.

Communicating with the waiting list

Participants on a waiting list are selected specifically. If you schedule the session a second time, you can email that exact group. If there are any changes to the program, you don’t have to bother your entire participant list. At Rijkswaterstaat, Activo managed projects of this kind involving multiple target groups and program components.

If someone is moved to a different seat at the last minute, you'll see that reflected in their personal schedule and in the Event App with the e-ticket, where they can find their current seating assignment and venue information.

On the day of the event

The final session selection can be printed on the badge, so it’s clear at the room entrance who is expected where. At the entrance, the e-ticket is scanned, followed by badge issuance; see access control at event venues.

After the event, you’ll know who attended each session without having to count manually. Participant data is processed in compliance with the GDPR, in line with your organization’s privacy and security requirements.

Frequently asked questions about waiting lists for event sessions