By default, RSVPs are open the moment your event goes live — no extra setup needed. This article covers the optional controls for timing that, gating it behind a password, and working on it privately first.
Scheduling RSVPs open/close
In the event form, under the RSVP section, you can set an RSVPs open at and/or RSVPs close at time. Both are optional and independent — set one, both, or neither.
- RSVPs open at — before this time, the event page is visible but only the I'm interested button shows; RSVPs and payment are held. Attendees who mark themselves interested during this window get an email once RSVPs open (a background job checks hourly, so allow up to an hour of lag — it isn't instant).
- RSVPs close at — after this time, new RSVPs and payment stop even if seats remain. Useful for a catering headcount or a printing deadline. The event page stays up and visitors can still mark themselves interested; existing RSVPs aren't affected.
Both times use the event's timezone, not the visitor's browser timezone.
These controls are separate from the password-gate presale expiry below — an event can have an open/close window, a password gate with its own expiry, both, or neither.
Password gate and presales
In the Visibility section, turn on Require a password to hide the event behind a password. While it's on:
- The event page and RSVP button are only reachable to someone who enters the password.
- The event is hidden from Discover and from public host profiles — it isn't discoverable, only reachable by direct link.
- You (and any co-hosts, and admins) skip the gate automatically, as does anyone who already has an active RSVP.
Attendees sign in first, then enter the password to unlock the page.
Optionally set Open to everyone after a date/time. When that moment passes, the password requirement drops automatically and the event opens to everyone — this is the standard way to run a presale: gate the event, share the password with your early-access list, and let it open publicly on its own once the date hits. If the event is also marked discoverable, it starts appearing in Discover at that point too (subject to the normal Discover activity threshold — see below).
Drafts and publishing
An event starts as a draft until you publish it:
- Save as draft keeps the event private. It never appears on Discover, has no working public link, and can't accept RSVPs — visiting its URL as anyone other than you or a co-host 404s.
- The Host event list has a Drafts filter with a count badge, so you can find unfinished events without digging through your active list.
- Publish event flips it live. If you've also marked it discoverable, it starts showing on Discover once it crosses Discover's minimum-activity threshold — a brand-new event with no RSVPs yet may take a little time to surface there even though its direct link works immediately.
- Delete draft removes the event permanently. It's only offered while the event is still a draft (once published, use cancel instead — see the event lifecycle controls), and it's organizer-only: co-hosts with Editor access can edit a draft's content but can't delete it.
Sharing your event
Once an event is published, its detail page header shows two links:
- View public page → opens exactly what attendees see. No login is required to view it; login is only required to RSVP.
- Copy share link copies the canonical URL — something like
https://offkai.app/event/your-event-title-<code>— straight to your clipboard.
Drop that link in Discord, a group chat, or wherever your community already lives. If the event is password-gated, remember the link alone won't get anyone in — send the password separately.
Related
- Creating and publishing your event
- Private and waitlisted events — the attendee's-eye view of presales and password gates.