Backups / Alternates / Floaters

You have the option of creating backup spots if you'd like to schedule extra participants for any given day of testing. Keep in mind you have to be in "picky" mode for backups to work. Some people call these "alternates," but the main idea is you can book extra participants just in case people flake, but you give them slightly different language explaining that if they are available and you don't need them, they typically will receive the incentive anyways. So they understand they are standing by during a specific time range.

There is the choice to create one backup spot per interview time, or have the backup spot span the whole day of testing. Here's how it works:

Step 1: Turn on backup mode

Head to scheduling >> calendar, click Backups to enter into backup mode, making sure you are in "picky" mode, and click once anywhere on the calendar area to add one or more backups spots:

Then once you're in Backup mode, the button will turn blue and click anywhere on the calendar to add a backup spot

Step 2: Edit backup emails

Go to scheduling >> emails and review the backup invite or details language potential backup participants will receive.

Step 3: Invite someone to be a backup 

Now you just open up the backup spot and invite the participant you'd like to schedule as a backup. That's it! 

In order to invite someone to be a backup, they have to choose a time that the backup covers. So in the example above, they have to choose 9am. Then they'll appear in both regular and backup spots so you can invite them:

Settings for Backups

There are a few settings that can give you more control over the backup flow.

Reminders

Do you want your backup participants to receive different language in their reminders? No problem. Head to scheduling >> reminders and hit the toggle to Backup Participants, then edit the reminder email. There are not currently text or robocall reminders for backup participants.

Separate details emails for backups

If you want a different set of details to be sent to your confirmed backup participants, make sure this toggle is on under scheduling >> settings 

Now that you've turned that setting on, go back to scheduling >> emails & landing pages, and you'll see the Backup Details email can be edited separately:

Multiple backups

If you'd like to have more than one backup at the exact same time, click any empty backup spot from calendar and change from single to Multiple Backups: