Online forms
Forms for signing up to a meeting, gathering suggestions or running short surveys. Responses are collected in a spreadsheet that only the organiser can see.
Tools
Tools
A club rarely needs an expensive set of software. Six types of tool are usually enough, and what matters is not how many you have but that each one does its own job, so members do not have to remember a dozen different places where things live.
The fewer places a club lives in, the fewer people get lost along the way.
How this section works: we talk about types of tools, not specific software or platforms. Different developers call similar features by different names, so look for them by description.
Types of tools
Six types that together make up a club's digital toolkit.
Shared calendars
A schedule members subscribe to once. A change of time shows up for everyone at once, and reminders are sent automatically.
Group chats
A place for quick questions and discussion. Pinned messages, moderator permissions and the option to limit who can post are all useful.
Video calls and live streams
A video call suits a conversation where everyone takes part; a live stream suits a concert or talk that people watch without joining in.
Cloud folders
Shared storage for photos, programmes and recordings. It works best when the folder has several owners and it is clear who can add and delete files.
Announcement editors
Apps for simple posters and cards with ready-made templates. Choose large type and contrasting colours, and always repeat the key details as text.
Club news (in Russian)
How to choose
- Ease of use for your least experienced members matters more than a long feature list: check whether someone who only uses their phone for calls could manage the tool.
- Find out where form responses and messages are stored and who, apart from you, has access to them.
- Make sure management can be handed over to another organiser if you move away or need a break.
- Check whether you can export the member list, photos and messages if the club decides to move to another platform.
- See whether it offers two-factor sign-in and separate permissions for the owner, moderators and members.
Read next
- Guides
Practical guides for club organisers, from announcing a meeting to collecting sign-ups. The article catalogue is here too.
- Comparisons
Chat or mailing list, live stream or recording, cloud or external drive: what suits a club and why.
- Problems
Nobody showed up, spam in the chat, a choppy stream, muffled sound, photos posted without asking: what to do, step by step.
- Safety
Club accounts, member data, photos and video: how not to lose access or let down the people who trust you.
- Glossary
Terms in plain words: sign-ups and mailing lists, streaming and sound, personal data and accessibility.
Sources
- Federal Law No. 152-FZ on Personal Data (Russia)
- W3C — WCAG 2.1
Information on personal data, the use of people's images and accessibility requirements was checked against the texts of the law and guidelines as of the date this page was prepared. Software and services for clubs change quickly, so we describe their features in general terms and do not name specific products.