Frequently Asked Questions about the doodle signup system:
Here is a list of Q&A for those who need help with some of the subtleties of the doodle signup system:
1. I AM CANCELLING EARLY: (Note: there is a go-to-last penalty for any cancellation.) If I need to cancel and it is before 11pm the night before the session, what do I do?
You need to do two things. Firstly edit your entry on doodle to remove yourself from the session you need to cancel. Secondly, follow the procedure described in question 5 below.
2. I AM CANCELLING LATE: If I need to cancel and it is after 11pm the night before the session, but before the session has started (a "late cancellation"), what do I do?
You need to do three things. Firstly edit your entry on doodle to remove yourself from the session you need to cancel. Secondly, email the list and ask for someone to take the spot - please use a subject that lets people know that you are cancelling late and please mention by name the people in the waiting list (if any). If no-one takes your spot, remember to pay for the session. Thirdly, follow the procedure described in question 5 below.
3. I WAS A NO-SHOW: If I am a no-show and didn't get a chance to follow the procedure described in question 2 above, should I edit my entry and remove myself from that session?
No. Leave yourself as signed up so it is clear who should have attended. You need to pay for the session. You also need to follow the procedure described in question 5 below.
4. I AM ON THE WAITING LIST AND THERE IS A LATE CANCELLATION: How do late cancellations affect me if I am on the waiting list? Am I obliged to play? What should I do?
You are not obliged to play if you aren't in the first 15 at the 11pm commitment deadline. However if you want to play, and you're next in line, the spot is yours. What should happen is that the person who has cancelled late emails the list and asks for someone to take the spot - if you see an email like this and you are first in the waiting list please reply to say whether or not you want it, so if you don't want it and there is another person in the waiting list they can take the spot if they want it (they should email the list to let everyone know either way). If you notice the cancellation before an email is sent and you want the spot, please shortcut the process and email the list to let everyone know you're taking the spot. If you're in the waiting list and know you won't be able to fill in on a late cancellation on the day, feel free to edit your entry after the deadline to remove your booking for the session and so remove yourself from the waiting list, so you won't be bothered, just in case.
5. GO-TO-LAST PENALTIES: If I cancel or I am a no-show, what should I do about my remaining/future sessions?
You should go-to-last on your next session, as follows. If you are already signed up for another one or more future sessions, you should edit your entry and uncheck the box for the next session in which you wish to play, and then create a new row with "(last)" after your name containing just that session. However if you are not signed up for any other sessions, instead add yourself to the go-to-last list by adding a comment to the doodle page stating "I am on the go-to-last list for my next booking because I cancelled [or was no-show] for <date of session that you cancelled/missed>.", and then the next time you actually sign up for a session indicate yourself as "last" just for that session and immediately delete your comment.
6. If I am on the go-to-last list because of a previous cancellation or no-show, what do I do when I sign up for a new set of sessions on doodle, and what do I need to do later?
When you sign up, put "(last)" after your name for the first session you want to attend, and delete your doodle comment about your go-to-last penalty. If you want to attend other later sessions that are shown, create a new row for those sessions without "(last)" after your name, since you only go-to-last for the next session. After the initial rush of signups by other people, you will probably see that your "(last)" entry is half-way down the list. To make things clearer, at that stage Vaughan will probably move your "(last)" entry to the end of the column, but if he doesn't, everyone needs to take notice of any "(last)" signups when counting and work things out themselves.
7. What if there is more than one player with a "(last)" signup for a particular session?
The order in which people created their "(last)" entries determines priority among those entries. Vaughan will preserve this order if he moves the "(last)" entries to the bottom of a column.
8. Can I sign up after the 11pm commitment deadline, even at the last minute?
Yes, please do! To prevent confusion label your signup as "(last)" - see question 9 below. However if you are in the go-to-last list, it will not count as having served your penalty.
9. What happens to "(last)" signups after the 11pm commitment deadline, if other people sign up after the deadline?
Once the 11pm commitment deadline has passed, even if their signup was labelled "(last)", no player can be pushed out of the first 15, and also no-one can be pushed further down the waiting list by people who sign up after the deadline. Post-deadline signups simply join the end of the queue, whether or not some of the other signups are labelled "(last)". To prevent confusion, signups after the 11pm commitment deadline are to be labelled "(last)" - see question 8 above.
10. What do I do if I want to cancel my "(last)" session signup, before the 11pm commitment deadline?
It is exactly the same procedure as for question 1 above.
11. What do I do if I want to cancel my "(last)" session signup, after the 11pm commitment deadline?
If you are not in the first 15, then just delete your row for that signup. In that case you don't need to do anything else, and your go-to-last penalty will count as having been served. On the other hand, if you are in the first 15, this will be considered a late cancellation, and you should follow the procedure described in question 2 above.
12. If there are fewer than 15 players signed up, can I just show up without signing up?
No, you must sign up first, even if it's past the deadline, because (a) if more than one player doesn't sign up, more than 15 players might show up, and (b) we need to have a record of who attends to keep track of the club finances. Also see question 8 above in case it is relevant.
13. I haven't signed up for a while. I am sure that last time I left a comment putting myself on the go-to-last list, but now it's not there. What happened?
Go-to-last penalties aren't meant to be blemishes on your permanent record. :) If you haven't signed up for a while and your go-to-last comment is two months old, Vaughan will delete it. Your slate is clean.
Created by VW on 25 February 2014.
Last updated by VW on 22 July 2016.