What's the difference between RSVP and attendance?
Last verified October 18, 2026
An RSVP is what a member says they'll do before an event. Attendance (the register) is what a lead records actually happened. They're stored side by side, and a lead's mark always wins.
You need: Manage meetings permission to take attendance
Side by side
| RSVP | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets it | The member (or a lead on their behalf) | People with Manage meetings |
| When | Any time before the event ends | From one hour before the start |
| Answers | Going, Maybe, Not going (depends on the RSVP mode) | Present, Absent, Excused |
| Counts toward attendance stats | No | Yes |
Coaches and mentors only get Present and Absent on the register.
Taking the register
- Open Schedule and click the event.
- Scroll to Attendance. Until an hour before the start, this list shows RSVPs and the note "opens an hour before the start".
- Once it opens, tap Present, Absent or Excused for each person. Tap the same option again to clear it.
Each row also shows what the person said, like "said going", and any reason they gave. If the event has named attendees, use show whole team to see everyone.
When nobody takes the register
An RSVP of "going" or "maybe" is never treated as proof someone came. Those rows stay blank until a lead marks them.
A "not going" answer does fill in on its own, labelled "from RSVP":
- On Can't make it only events, it always reads as Excused.
- On Full RSVP events, it depends on your team's setting.
The team setting
Go to Settings, then General, and find Attendance. You need Manage settings. Click the card to switch between:
- Saying "not going" still counts as an absence (the default)
- Saying "not going" excuses the absence
This only affects Full RSVP events where nobody marked the person. Any mark a lead makes overrides it.