> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sailia-mintlify-5b02008a.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Waitlists

> Let customers join a waitlist when an activity session is fully booked.

When an activity session reaches capacity, waitlists give customers a way to register their interest and get notified if a spot opens up. This helps you capture demand you would otherwise lose and fill cancellations automatically.

## How waitlists work

1. A customer tries to book a session that is fully booked.
2. They are offered the option to join the waitlist for that session.
3. When a spot becomes available — due to a cancellation or capacity increase — Sailia sends a notification email to the next customer on the waitlist.
4. The customer receives a link to complete their booking before the spot is released to others.

<Note>
  Waitlist notifications are tracked as `waitlist-notified` events in [meter usage tracking](/api-reference/meter-tracking#built-in-meters), so you can monitor notification volume.
</Note>

## Enable waitlists

Waitlists are configured at the activity level:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the activity">
    Navigate to the activity you want to enable waitlists for.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable the waitlist option">
    In the activity settings, toggle the **Waitlist** option on. This allows customers to register interest when the session reaches capacity.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the activity">
    Save your changes. Customers now see a **Join waitlist** option on fully booked sessions instead of a sold-out message.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can enable waitlists on individual activities — not every activity needs one. Enable them on high-demand activities where cancellations are common.
</Tip>

## Managing the waitlist

From the bookings dashboard, you can:

* View the waitlist for any session, ordered by sign-up time
* See whether a waitlisted customer has been notified
* Manually remove a customer from the waitlist
* Monitor how many customers are waiting for each session
* Email everyone on the waitlist at once

## Email the waitlist

You can send a one-off email to every customer on a session's waitlist — useful for announcing schedule changes, offering an alternative session, or letting customers know about a new opening.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the session waitlist">
    Navigate to the activity session and open its waitlist panel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Email">
    In the waitlist header, click **Email** to open the email composer with all waitlisted customers pre-selected as recipients.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Compose and send">
    Write your message and send. Sailia branding is included by default.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Recipients are de-duplicated by email address (case-insensitive), and entries without an email are skipped. If no one on the waitlist has an email on file, you'll see a **No waitlist emails** warning instead of the composer.
</Note>

## Notifications

When a spot opens up, Sailia automatically sends an email to the next customer on the list. The email includes:

* The activity name and session date/time
* A booking link to claim the spot
* A deadline to complete the booking

If the customer does not book within the deadline, the spot is offered to the next person on the waitlist.

<Info>
  If you have [workflows](/integrations/workflows) configured, you can customize the content and timing of waitlist notification emails.
</Info>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Customer did not receive a waitlist notification">
    Verify the customer's email address on their profile. Waitlist notifications are sent automatically when a spot opens — check whether the session has had any cancellations. You can also set up a [workflow](/integrations/workflows) to customize notification timing and content.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Spot opened but waitlist customer was not notified">
    Notifications are sent to the next person on the list in sign-up order. If the spot was filled by a direct booking (not through the waitlist), the waitlist may not have been triggered. Review the booking source in the bookings dashboard.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related guides

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Activities" icon="calendar" href="/activities/activities">
    Set up activities and enable waitlists.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Online bookings" icon="globe" href="/activities/online-bookings">
    Learn how the booking flow works for customers.
  </Card>
</Columns>