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Getting started: staffing your event with Event Staff, step by step

operatordirectorLast verified Sep 30, 2026

Add your people to Staff Directory, set up roles and shifts once, say how many people you need where, ask who's available, build the schedule, and publish. On event day staff check in from their phones, and afterward you confirm hours so they can be paid. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes the first time and less after that.

Where:

Left sidebar → Staff Directory for your roster, then Event Staff → Select Event for everything else.

Before the event (1 to 2 weeks out)

Step 1: Add your staff to Staff Directory. Click Add Staff Member for one person or Upload List for a spreadsheet. Set each person's type to Event Staff. Anyone typed as a coach or official won't show up on the Event Staff page. A mobile number is required, because that's how we reach them. See SD-01 and SD-02.

Step 2: Make sure your event is set up. The event needs its dates and its complexes (locations). If either is missing, go to Actions → Edit this event. See ES-05.

Step 3: Set up roles and shifts (one time). On Event Staff → Roles & Shifts, click Use standard roles and Use standard shifts, remove what you don't use, and add your own. You only do this once; every future event reuses it. See ES-01.

Step 4: Say how many people you need. On Map to Complexes, enter how many of each role you need at each complex on each day, then click Save Mapping. See ES-02.

Step 5: Ask who's available. On Schedule, open Communicate ▾ → Availability Blast and click Send Blast. Each person gets a text for each event day and replies FULL, AM, PM, EVE, or NO. Answers appear in the Event Staff Pool. See ES-03.

Step 6: Build the schedule. Click + Add Staffing Slots, choose the complex, date, role, shift, quantity, and rate, then click + Assign on each slot and pick a person. The list puts the most available people first and warns you if someone is already booked elsewhere that day. Click Save Draft any time. See ES-02.

Step 7: Publish. Click Publish. Each person gets a text with their role, location, date, and time and replies YES or NO. You'll see a summary of who was texted and anyone we couldn't reach. See ES-04.

The week of the event

Step 8: Follow up. Watch the Status column. "Awaiting reply" means they haven't answered yet; use Communicate ▾ → Resend or message them from the Tasks tab. When someone says NO, their slot reopens so you can fill it. See ES-10 and ES-11.

Step 9: Check that texts went through. Open Communicate ▾ → Delivery Details. Fix anything marked Failed, Opted out, or No phone on file. See ES-13.

Step 10: Send event-day instructions (optional). Communicate ▾ → Send Worker Manual texts everyone a link to your parking, arrival, and check-in details.

Event day

Step 11: Staff check in and out from their phones. Teddy texts each confirmed person their check-in link shortly before their shift. Watch the Check-in and Check-out columns. If someone forgets, set their Status by hand. See ES-06.

After the event

Step 12: Confirm hours. For hourly staff, check each person's Hours. Click actual or sched, or type the right number, especially for anyone with no check-out. See ES-07.

Step 13: Pay. Once someone is checked in, has accepted, and has a pay amount, they're ready to be paid. Tourney Direct sends the payments. See ES-08.

Good to know

  • Nothing is texted to your staff until you click Send Blast, Publish, or send a message yourself. Save Draft never texts anyone.
  • Stuck? Email info@tourneydirect.com.
Related:Where do I manage Event Staff, and what's on the page?How do I set up Event Staff roles and shifts?How do I build the Event Staff schedule for an event?How do I ask my Event Staff for their availability?How do I publish the Event Staff schedule and get staff confirmations?How does check-in and check-out work for Event Staff on event day?How are Event Staff hours and pay amounts calculated?How do I pay my Event Staff?