Simple and easy? Check. Missing important features? Check.
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And I doubt they will ever be implemented. Some of them that were suggested over 4 years ago have not been added, despite the author acknowledging their usefulness and were “high on our radar”.
I expect I’ll be referred to other plugins as other reviewers were, so this review is mostly to alert potential users to this plugin’s important shortcomings, rather than a [likely] fruitless appeal to disinterested devs.One of the missing features is a time slot selector for the volunteer to choose their desired time of service. Going hand in hand with this would be specificity in the volunteer limit – i.e., the front page should inform the potential volunteer of how many volunteer slots are available for all times as set by the admin.
The absence of this basic functionality results in unnecessary delays and extra effort from everyone involved.
The volunteer signs up, the admin/organizer is notified, the admin/organizer must then contact the volunteer to ascertain when they’re available, the volunteer must then contact the admin/organizer to inform them if available/interested.
Actually, the admin/organizer would probably need to contact just about ALL the volunteers individually in some cases. What if a volunteer can only serve at say 3pm for an all-afternoon event. Another volunteer has claimed 3pm but is flexible and other time slots are empty. Volunteer #2 is willing to serve at a different time so volunteer #1 can take #2’s slot.
So on and so forth until agreements can be reached, if at all.
This can be a massive waste of time and effort, especially if it ultimately turns out the volunteer(s) can’t/won’t serve after all.All of that can be remedied with just 2 elements on the sign up page: a “remaining slots open” status notice (per time options set by admin) and a “I’m available at these times” multi-select dropdown on the sign up page.
The plugin would automatically shift time assignments around to eliminate empty slots, all without further effort/input from any volunteers or the admin.No fuss. No muss. Boom. Scheduling resolved in seconds.
There should also be an option for users to edit/delete their “pledge” (not that they would necessarily bother returning just to cancel; common courtesy is rare these days).
Users are assigned the role “Volunteer” when they sign up, so integration with member plugins such as Ultimate Member would be perfect. Or, at least there should be hooks so we can do it with our own functions.
Creating a separate UM form just for volunteers is easy, but we’d still need to hook into profile edits (we’d need the “I’m available at these times” dropdown there as well).+1 on the suggestion of a calendar format. Much enhanced aesthetics and functional layout.
As to complexity, these things add very little to the admin panel and front end pages. The learning curve remains insignificant. The UX is greatly enhanced and page display remains minimal.
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