Create a Volunteer Hours Tracking Form (Guide)

Looking to streamline how you manage volunteers for your nonprofit, school, or community event? A volunteer hours tracking form is the perfect place to start. These forms help you monitor and record when and how long volunteers have contributed, making it easier to recognize efforts, report totals, and meet compliance or grant requirements.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to build a custom volunteer hours tracking form using Knack, a no-code platform that makes it easy to create powerful, database-driven web apps without writing a single line of code. Whether you need a simple hours log or a more advanced system to track volunteer time by shift, date, or activity, Knack gives you the flexibility to build exactly what you need.

Key Takeaways

• A volunteer hours tracking form is a digital form used to record the time and duration of service that individuals contribute to an organization, event, or cause.
• Knack’s no-code platform enables organizations to create custom volunteer time tracking systems using pre-built components, drag-and-drop functionality, AI, and more.
• Volunteer hours forms typically include input fields for volunteer personal details, dates served, start and end times, total hours, type of activity, and optional notes or supervisor approvals.

Understanding Forms in Knack

Forms are one of the most essential tools you’ll use to collect and manage data in Knack. A form is a dynamic interface that connects directly to your app’s database, allowing users to submit or update information in real time. Each one is tied to a specific table in your database and automatically includes fields from that table as inputs. You can customize which fields appear, adjust the layout, and even set rules for how the form behaves based on user roles or actions.

What Do Forms Look Like in a Live App?

In a live Knack app, forms appear as user-friendly input screens. These forms are powered by the fields you define in your database, meaning that if you have a “Volunteers” table with fields like “Name,” “Email,” and “Availability,” your form will automatically include inputs for each of those fields. Each input on the form is mapped to a specific field in your database, ensuring all your data stays organized and consistent.

Types of Forms You Can Build

Knack lets you build different types of forms depending on what you want users to do, including:

• Forms for creating new records: These are ideal for logging hours after each shift, including when and how long volunteers served.
• Forms for updating existing records: Use these when volunteers need to adjust previously logged hours or correct time entries.
• Forms for inserting connected records: These forms let users link related data together, like assigning a volunteer time entry to a specific event, project, or location.
  

Related: Workflow Automation Guide

Creating a Volunteer Hours Tracking Form With Knack

Knack’s no-code platform is designed with both beginners and tech experts in mind. It’s intuitive and easy to use while offering access to more advanced features. Follow the steps below to create a custom volunteer hours tracking form—no coding necessary. For additional guidance, visit our Learning Center or Developer Docs.

Step 1: Adding a New Form

• In your app, click the “Pages” button in the toolbar on the left-hand side.
• Select the page you wish to add a form to, or add a new page.
• On that page, click the “+ Add View” button and choose the Form View.
• Select the data table(s) to which your form will connect.

Step 2: Customizing Form Inputs and Layout

• Navigate to the Form Menu, click “Settings,” then choose “Add Inputs.”
• Add, edit, or remove the fields you want applicants to complete (e.g., date of service, hours volunteered, task performed, supervisor name).
• Select the data type for each field, such as short text, multiple choice, or yes/no. Make sure the data type you select matches the information the field is intended to collect.
• Mark whether the applicant is required to complete the field and add instructions if necessary.
• Click “Static,” then add elements like dividers and headings to better organize the form and make it more visually appealing.
• Edit any copy within the form to fit your needs and make it more intuitive (e.g., update the “Submit” button to “Log Hours”).

Related: How to Create a Scheduling Form

Step 3: Enabling E-Commerce (If Needed)

If you plan to collect fees through your form, you must enable e-commerce capabilities and integrate your chosen payment processor. Here’s how:

• Go to the Form Menu, click “Settings,” then “Add a Payment View” located within the E-Commerce section.
• Choose which field will be used to show the total amount due.
• Select “+ Add New Processor” and choose between Stripe and PayPal.
• Enter your payment processor credentials, then click “Add Payment Processor.”

Enhancing User Experience with Form Rules

Once your basic volunteer hours form is up and running, you can take things a step further by improving the user experience with form rules. Knack’s form rules let you add logic and automation to your forms to make them more dynamic, intuitive, and efficient. They can all be configured within the Actions & Rules section of the Form Menu.

Display Rules

Display rules let you control what users see as they interact with your form. These rules make your form feel more personal and relevant by responding to user input in real time. You can show or hide fields based on user selections. For example, you might only display a “Skills” field if the user selects “Skilled Volunteer” from a dropdown. You can also dynamically rename inputs based on selections to add clarity or personalize the experience, like changing “Availability” to “Shift Duration” when an event is selected.

Submit Rules

Submit rules determine what happens after someone hits the submit button. Instead of just saving the data and stopping there, you can display a confirmation message with helpful next steps or contact information. You can also redirect users to a custom thank-you page, a summary of their logged hours, or even a volunteer dashboard after they submit the form.

Record Actions

Record rules allow you to automatically update or create other records in your app based on a form submission. These enable you to automatically assign volunteers to a category or update their cumulative total hours served based on how they answered certain questions. Record actions can also update connected records, like updating an event’s “Total Volunteer Hours” every time a time entry is submitted.

Related: How to Create a Payment Form (Guide)

Automating Email Notifications

Keeping your volunteers and team informed doesn’t have to involve constant manual follow-up. With Knack, you can set up automated email notifications that send as soon as a form is submitted. These messages can welcome new volunteers, share next steps, or alert staff to new sign-ups effortlessly. All automated email notifications can be set up in the Emails section of the Form Menu.

Sending Confirmation Emails

One type of email automation Knack offers is confirmation emails. These are sent to volunteers as soon as their forms are submitted. This not only lets them know their hours were logged successfully, but it also gives them any important next steps, like upcoming events in need of volunteers or how to get in touch.

You can personalize these emails using dynamic field values, such as the volunteer’s name, the number of hours logged, the event they served, or their running total of hours served. For example: “Hi [Volunteer Name], thanks for logging [Hours] hours for [Event Name]! You’ve now served [Cumulative Hours] total hours—thanks for your support!”

Sending Admin Notifications

You can also automate notifications to your internal team whenever someone submits a new form. This way, staff members don’t need to keep checking the app for updates.

We recommend including key form data in the email, such as the volunteer’s name, availability, and preferred role. This enables your team to quickly review new sign-ups without logging into the backend of the app. It’s a simple way to keep your process organized and responsive.

Advanced Form Features

Advanced features can level up your volunteer hours tracking form, and the good news is you don’t need to be a developer to use them. Thanks to Knack’s user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop tools, anyone can add smart, dynamic elements that make their forms more powerful.

Using Connection Fields

Connection fields allow you to link one record to another. This creates meaningful relationships between your data, so everything stays organized and easy to manage. You can also filter connected records to keep the form clean and relevant. For example, if a volunteer selects a certain date, you can show only the events happening on that day. This reduces confusion and helps volunteers make the right choices without digging through unrelated options. To do this, open the Connection Field’s settings in your form and set display rules or filters based on other field values.

Adding Custom Options for Multiple Choice Fields

Sometimes, your volunteers have answers that don’t fit neatly into a dropdown. With Knack, you can add an “Other” option to a multiple choice or dropdown field. You can then pair it with a text input field that only appears when “Other” is selected, so users can type in a custom response. To implement this, all you have to do is create a standard multiple choice or dropdown field and add “Other” as an option. Then, use a display rule to show a text input field only when “Other” is selected.

Using Forms for Calculations

Need to track hours or generate totals on the fly? Knack forms can handle basic calculations automatically. For example, you can calculate total time volunteered based on start and end times or generate a cumulative total of all hours logged by a volunteer. To enable calculations, create equation fields in your database and include them in the form. These fields will update automatically as users enter values into the related fields.

Essential Information to Include in a Volunteer Hours Tracking Form

Although every organization will have its own requirements, there’s some information that nearly all volunteer hours forms should collect. Use the following suggestions as a starting point to ensure you can efficiently collect all necessary information.

1. Personal Information

• Full Name 
• Email Address
• Phone Number 
• Mailing Address (optional, useful for correspondence or background checks)

2. Service Details

• Date of Service
• Start Time and End Time (or) Total Hours Volunteered
• Type of Activity or Task Performed
• Supervisor Name or Approval 

3. Optional but Useful Information

Additional Questions

• Do You Have Any Feedback For This Event?
• Do You Plan to Volunteer for Future Events?
• Do You Have Event Photos You’d Like to Share With Us for Social Media Purposes?

Supporting Documentation Upload

• Signed Time Sheet
• Supervisor Notes

Design and User Experience Considerations

When your form is simple to navigate and pleasant to use, you’re more likely to get complete, accurate submissions. Here are a few ways to design a volunteer form that looks good and works well.

Form Length and Structure

When it comes to forms, less is often more. Keep it concise by only asking for what you really need upfront—additional info can always be collected later.

• Balance required vs. optional fields to avoid overwhelming users with too many questions.
• Use conditional fields to show only the questions that are relevant based on previous answers (like displaying shift preferences only if someone is available on weekends).
• Group related questions into sections—think “Personal Info,” “Volunteer Preferences,” and “Agreements”—to make the form feel more organized and approachable.

Accessibility and Mobile-Friendliness

Many volunteers will be filling out your volunteer form on their phones, so it’s important to design with accessibility and mobile usability in mind. Knack’s forms are responsive by default, but you should:

• Add clear instructions or placeholder text for each field so volunteers know exactly what’s being asked.
• Consider including a progress bar on longer forms so users know how far along they are. This helps reduce drop-offs and keeps them motivated to finish.

Confirmation and Follow-Up

Once someone submits the form, don’t leave them hanging. A smooth wrap-up shows your organization is professional and prepared.

• Display a thank you message on the confirmation screen or send a follow-up email informing volunteers that their submission was successful.
• Provide next steps, like upcoming training sessions, onboarding materials, or a timeline for follow-up.
• Include contact info in case they have any questions or need help. Something as simple as “Questions? Email [Name] at [Email]” goes a long way in building trust.

Create a Volunteer Hours Tracking Form With Knack

Whether you’re organizing a one-time community event or managing a growing nonprofit, Knack gives you the tools to create a form that fits your exact needs. From simple sign-ups to dynamic, data-driven workflows, you can design a user-friendly experience for both volunteers and your team—no coding required.

With features like conditional logic, automated email notifications, and connected records, Knack makes it easy to track hours, monitor volunteer contributions, and save time in the process.

Ready to simplify your volunteer hours management? Sign up with Knack and start building for free today!