Planning an event

Each event gets its own space: a team, a task list, a chat, files, and a rota if you need one. Everything about the summer fair lives in one place, and next year's committee can see how it went.

1. Create the event

Click + New event at the top of the page. (On a phone, it's on the Events page.)

Give it a name and a date. The rest is optional and can be filled in later: times, where it is, what you're raising money for and your target.

Running a classic? Open Start from a template for a summer fete, Christmas fair, quiz night, disco or bake sale. The name and a starter task list are filled in for you. Ran it last year? Start from one of your past events copies its task list, with the due dates moved to the new date, and its rota too if you like.

Start from a template (enlarge) — Start from a template

Start from a template, highlighted on the whole screen — Start from a template

As you type the name, Upfayre shows any past events with a similar one, with a link to what that team wrote afterwards. It's worth a read before you start.

Click Create event. You're the event's first admin.

2. Bring in your team

Open the Team tab and click + Invite. Search for anyone in your PTA by name or email, and choose whether they join as a Member or an Admin. You can also invite a whole group, such as a class, in one go. To invite someone who isn't on Upfayre yet, type their email address.

The Team tab (enlarge) — 1. The Team tab

The Team tab, highlighted on the whole screen — 1. The Team tab

Click + Invite (enlarge) — 2. Click + Invite

Click + Invite, highlighted on the whole screen — 2. Click + Invite

Admins can change the event, invite people, build the rota and archive the event when it's over.
Members can chat, take on tasks and sign up to the rota.

Anyone in your PTA who spots the event can also ask to join it, and you'll see their request on the Team tab.

3. Share out the jobs

Open the Tasks tab and click + Add task. Say what needs doing, when by, and who's doing it. You can assign a task to someone in your PTA or to a helper who isn't on Upfayre.

The Tasks tab (enlarge) — 1. The Tasks tab

The Tasks tab, highlighted on the whole screen — 1. The Tasks tab

Say what, and who's doing it (enlarge) — 2. Say what, and who's doing it

Say what, and who's doing it, highlighted on the whole screen — 2. Say what, and who's doing it

Everyone sees their own jobs, across every event, under My Tasks in the menu, sorted into overdue, due this week and coming up. Tick the circle next to a task when it's done. Click a task to start it, change it or leave a comment for the team.

My Tasks, in the menu (enlarge) — My Tasks, in the menu

My Tasks, in the menu, highlighted on the whole screen — My Tasks, in the menu

4. Talk it through

Every event has its own chat for the whole team, under the Chat tab. It's the place for everything that would otherwise get lost in a busy WhatsApp group. Type @ and a name to make sure someone sees a message. All your event chats are also together under Chat in the menu.

The Chat tab, highlighted on the whole screen — The Chat tab

Files attached in the chat are cleared after three months. For anything you want to keep, like the risk assessment, the float sheet or the poster, use the Files tab: make a folder with + New folder, then upload files or add links to them.

When you need them

A volunteer rota: see Volunteer rotas.
Tickets: see Selling tickets and merchandise.
Costs: tick Track costs for this event when you create it, or turn it on in the Settings tab. You get a Costs tab for budgets, what you actually spent, and who needs paying back.
Changing the details: Edit event details in the Settings tab. Settings is also where you move the date and list the event on your PTA's public page.