How to Create a Potluck Sign Up

You can create a free potluck sign up on SignUpGenius in about five minutes. Add a slot for each dish, set how many you need, and share one link. Guests claim a dish without making an account, and reminders go out automatically.

Potluck Template

Don't want to build one from scratch? Use our pre-built Potluck Template to get yours created quickly and organize your potluck in minutes.

Free Potluck Template

Getting Started

After logging in:

• From your Dashboard click the orange Create button
• Hover over Sign Ups and click Get Started

Design Tab

• Add a Title: Something specific works well here like “Jones Family Potluck” or “Office Summer Potluck”
• Add Group: This is your list of attendees. Be sure to have their email addresses handy.
• Type/Category: General works for Type | Category is up to you.
• Theme Design: Choose a Theme and pick a design from the list of options that populate.

Slots Tab

Slots are how you will organize your dishes and other needs, as well as the quantity for each.

• Choose Format: Most potlucks are one-off events so choose the Sort by Date or Single Date RSVP if you want to track the number of people attending.
• Choose End Date: Select a date before your event when you want to close the sign up.
• Add Slots: This is where you will add the items you want for the potluck.
  • Click Add Slots
  • Add Slot Title: e.g. "Dessert" or "Pumpkin Pie"
  • Number Wanted: Select how many of that item do you need
  • Add Comments for specific slots if applicable.

👉 Check out options for Hide Number Wanted and Waitlist for additional customization options. Available on paid plans only. See Pricing

• Collect Money: Check this box if you want to request money or donations from people who sign up.

• Click Save and Add Another to keep adding items
• Click Save to go back to the sign up page.
• Click Save and Continue to move to Settings.

Settings Tab

This is where you will fine tune the details for participants and things like notifications.

Ask Participants For:

• All participants will be required to enter their name
• Decide if you want the following info to be required or optional:
  • Email
  • Comments
  • Phone Number (under +More)
  • Address (under +More)

👉 Add Custom Questions to your sign up if you want to gather additional information like allergies or dietary restrictions. Paid plans only

Preferences

• General
  • Item Swap: Choose whether to allow participants to swap items with each other. (Recommended)
  • Ads & Branding: Remove ads and SignUpGenius branding with paid plans.
• Notifications
  • Update Notifications: Choose whether to receive email notifications when participants take an action in the sign up
  • Automatic Reminders: Choose when to send reminder emails to participants. A couple of days usually works. (Recommended)
• Restrictions
  • Click Enhanced Security to add options like
    • Require a SignUpGenius account for participants
    • Require an access code
    • Reject sign ups from people not in your Group (contact list)

👉Additional features like Quantity Limits and Start/Stop Dates are great additions for potluck sign ups. Available on paid plans.

• Integrations (Paid Plans)
  • Adds features like Back to Website button and a subscribable calendar. Not necessary for basic potluck sign ups in most cases.
• Click Save and Continue

Preview Your Sign Up

• See what your sign up page will look like when participants land on the page and when they choose to sign up for a slot.
• Click Save Draft if you want to come back later for more edits.
• Click Publish when you are done and ready to go live!

Share Tab

• Share Link
  • Use the link provided to send the sign up to anyone you like via any method you like.
• Email: Send an email straight from SignUpGenius to your group (contacts) to let them know it's ready. Click Compose Message to customize your email.
  • Invite by text is available for paid plans members.
• Social: Share via an available social channel with one click.
• Click View anytime to check out your newly made sign up

Manage Your Sign Up

Manage responses in real time

• Watch slot counts so you do not end up with ten brownies and no mains.
• Use Edit to add or cap slots as the list fills.
• If needed, Message Participants with updates or a callout for what is still needed.

Reuse for next time

• Click Duplicate to copy the set-up for your next Friendsgiving, church lunch, or team banquet.