❖ Heads up! This article is intended for Agency Managers.

When you create Needs to share with your community of volunteers, you're able to establish the duration type for them. There are six duration types to choose from when creating a Need:

Picking the right duration type for your Needs depends on when they occur, if they repeat, and the number of required volunteers!

Duration Types and When to Use Them

The six duration types include:

Duration Type	Description
Is Ongoing	Select this duration type for Needs that are always needed and don't have a clearly defined end date. For example, you are always looking for volunteers to perform certain roles and tasks or for donation-based Needs. Examples include: Knit blankets for newborn babies in your free time! Help organize our office records. Park cleanup crew wanted! We're looking for Stitchers to sew bereavement gifts. Needs with this duration type remain available until you manually deactivate them. The Self Check-In tool isn't available to volunteers for Needs with this duration type. NOTE: You won't be able to edit an Is Ongoing Need to have shifts once you save the Need. Do not use this as a placeholder for Needs with shifts.
Runs Until	Select this duration type if you have a Need that is ongoing but has a defined end date. This is great for Needs like food drives, seasonal opportunities, or holiday-related events. Example include: Help us reach our Book Drive goals by December 2027! Let's reach 1000 coats in our Coat Drive by January 2029! Runs Until Needs show in the volunteer view until they expire or reach capacity. NOTE: You won't be able to edit a Runs Until Need to have shifts once you save the Need. Do not use this as a placeholder for Needs with shifts.
Happens On	Select this duration type for Needs that are scheduled for a specific date, like one-time events without scheduled shifts. Examples include: We need 20 volunteers to stuff back-to-school backpacks on August 1! Elves wanted to help Santa on December 20th! A Happens On Need shows in the volunteer view until it expires or reaches capacity. NOTE: You won't be able to edit a Happens On Need to have shifts once you save the Need. Do not use this as a placeholder for Needs with shifts.
Multi-Date	Select this duration type if you have Needs that happen over a set of consecutive dates. This is great for opportunities like mission trips that require a group to travel to a location, construction projects that require volunteers for a set period, weekend-long events, etc. Examples include: Our Secret Santa Workshop needs some helpers on December 15th, 16th, and 17th! Chaperones are needed for our annual school Lock-In, May 7-8th! NOTE: You won't be able to edit a Multi-Date Need to have shifts once you save the Need. Do not use this as a placeholder for Needs with shifts.
Custom Shifts	Select this duration type if you want to set up Needs with scheduled shifts that occur on the same day at different times or on different days at different times. Examples include: Tutors needed for 2.5-hour shifts at Hopeful Heart Elementary School's Writing Lab on Tuesday, March 5th from 8 am - 3 pm. We need help in the garden on May 18th from 9 am - 5 pm and again on May 21 from 2 pm - 6 pm. NOTE: You won't be able to adjust the Need's duration once you choose Custom Shifts.
Recurring Shifts	Select this duration type when you have Needs with shifts occurring at the same time and that repeat daily, weekly, or monthly. Examples include: Happy Paws and Claws needs Dog Walkers on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8 am - 12 pm. Ladle of Love needs soup ladlers every Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday from 6 am - 6 pm. NOTE: You won't be able to adjust the Need's duration once you choose Recurring Shifts.