Some events aren't about shifts — they're about who brings what. Items are Manifyst's answer to the potluck sign-up sheet: a list of things you need, each with a quantity, that participants claim in whole or in part.
Items work with or without slots. An event can be pure potluck (no slots at all), or a shift schedule where volunteers also claim supplies.
Add items #
Open the event and choose the Items tab.
- Add Item creates a new line on the list.
- Each item shows how many are Needed, how many have been Claimed, and how many Remaining — the numbers update as claims come in.
- Stock History opens the audit trail for that item, every claim and release in order. See Activity Log and Stock History.
In the item form, Item is the name participants read ("Cookies (2 dozen)"), Description is where a constraint belongs ("Nut-free, please"), and Quantity needed is how many claims the item accepts in total. Sort order positions it in the list, and Active (claimable) takes an item off the board without deleting the claims already made.
Deleting an item removes the claims people have already made on it, so prefer switching it inactive if the list is live.
What participants see #
- The Items to Bring list shows every active item with its description.
- Each line carries a running count — "2 of 4 claimed" — so people can see what is still needed.
- Sign Up to Bring Items opens the same signup form used for slots, with a quantity box beside each item.
A participant can claim more than one of an item (two of the four dozen cookies) and can claim several items in one signup. Fully claimed items are marked as such and can no longer be taken.
Combining items with slots #
On an event that has both, the signup form shows the slot they clicked plus the item list. A participant can take a shift, claim items, or do both in a single submission.
Manifyst tracks the seat and each item claim separately, which matters when a slot is full: if the shift portion lands on the waitlist, the item claims are still confirmed. Bringing the cookies doesn't depend on getting a spot on the crew.
