The six choices shown under Manifyst → Add Event are starting points, not permanent event types. They put you on the most useful tab and suggest a few defaults; every event still has the same Slots, Items, Form Fields, Signups, and Shortcode tabs.
| Starting point | Best for | What Manifyst suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer shifts | Setup crews, classroom helpers, festival booths, team jobs | Opens Slots after the event is saved; new slots use the site's default capacity |
| One-person appointments | Conferences, office hours, consultations | Sets the per-person signup limit to 1, opens Slots, and starts new slots at capacity 1 |
| Potluck or items | Food, supplies, equipment, wish lists | Opens Items after the event is saved; no time slot is required |
| Mixed shifts and items | An event needing both volunteers and supplies | Opens Slots first and reminds you to continue to Items |
| Repeating event | Weekly shift sheets, monthly meetings, any schedule that repeats | Turns on the Repeats schedule in Date & Time; each date becomes its own signup sheet |
| Start blank | An unusual setup or a coordinator who knows exactly what they need | Uses the normal event form without changing signup defaults |
You can still mix and match #
A potluck can gain time slots later. A volunteer event can add things to bring. Choosing a starting point never hides settings or changes the underlying kind of event.
Before the first save, Change starting point returns to the chooser without discarding the event details you already entered. After the event is saved, use its tabs to add or change whatever it needs.
For a first event, choose the closest match instead of Start blank. The suggested next step makes it harder to publish a signup sheet with no choices on it.
Continue with Creating an Event, Adding Time Slots, or Potlucks and Items to Bring.
