How to create a signup form with limited slots

A signup form with limited slots is a registration document with a fixed number of responses it can accept. The form closes when it reaches full capacity, reaches a deadline, or both. These forms help manage signups for workshops, appointments, volunteer shifts, classes, or any other event where space is limited. Without proper slot limitations, you risk overbooking, disappointing participants, and incurring administrative headaches.

In this guide, you’ll learn two approaches to building a booking form with limited availability:

• Time and response limits (Form Status) for total capacity and deadlines
• Inventory Widget for item-by-item or slot-by-slot availability that updates in real time

Jotform makes this process straightforward with ready-to-use signup form templates, a simple no-code form builder, and built-in limiting tools that require zero technical knowledge to set up. You can create a professional, capacity-based registration form in minutes without writing code or hiring a developer.

First, create a signup form

Both limiting methods begin the same way: You’ll create your basic signup form first, then apply the limiting mechanism that fits your needs. The process is identical whether you’re working on a capacity-based registration form or a first-come, first-served signup form. This simple two-step approach keeps form-building simple and flexible.

Jotform’s signup form template library contains dozens of pre-built options designed for events, classes, appointments, volunteer coordination, and more. You can start with a template and customize it in minutes, or, depending on your comfort level and timeline, you can start from a blank form if you prefer complete control over every element.  

Pick a signup template (the fastest option) or start from scratch

Using a signup template:

1. Open the signup form category page.
2. Browse templates and choose one that matches your circumstances, such as event registration, class signup, appointment booking, or volunteer shifts. Click Use Template to add it to your account.
3. Customize branding, fields, and messaging easily in Form Builder using our drag-and-drop editor.

Our templates come preloaded with relevant signup fields, like name, email, phone (optional), and session or time-slot selection fields. Rearranging, adding, or removing fields to match your specific signup scenario is simple. 

The drag-and-drop interface makes customization intuitive, even for first-time form builders. Just click any field to edit its label, settings, or validation rules. You can even add your logo or your brand colors; the style editor gives you control without touching a line of code.

Starting from scratch:

1. Create a new blank form in your Jotform account.
2. Add the fields you need, such as name, email, phone (if needed), and your signup selection field (session, date, time slot, role, or service).
3. Apply your branding, or style your form as you wish.

Whether you use a template or build from scratch, the same slot-limiting steps apply. Either way, you’ll be building a signup form; templates just give you a starting point that can save you some initial setup time, while blank forms give you total control.

Essentials checklist

Every signup form with limited slots should include

• Contact fields: Name, email, phone (optional, but recommended for follow-up). Email is especially critical because it allows you to send confirmation messages, updates, and reminders automatically. Phone numbers give you a backup contact method if emails bounce or you need to reach someone urgently about a last-minute schedule change.
• Signup selection: Session, date, time, role, or service field (depending on your use case). This is where registrants indicate their preference.
• Confirmation: This is a thank you message the respondent sees after submitting the form; you can also choose to send an optional autoresponder email to confirm their registration. The thank you message should acknowledge their signup and provide next steps, while the autoresponder email gives attendees a written confirmation they can save or print.

These essential elements capture the necessary information, let your registrants choose their preferred options, and provide immediate confirmation upon signup. When people receive instant confirmation, they’re less likely to submit multiple forms or contact you to confirm.

Next, we’ll move on to the two methods of adding limits to your signup form.

Method 1: Limit signups with time and response limits

This method works best when you’re limiting total registrations for your entire form or enforcing a deadline. The Form Status feature automatically disables your form at a particular date and time, when it reaches a specified submission limit, or whichever comes first. For example, you could cap signups at 25 seats, close registration on Friday at 5 p.m., or combine both conditions to create a registration form with a capacity limit that also cuts off new signups on your timeline.

By setting time and response limits, you can prevent overbooking without the need to monitor signups manually, eliminate the risk of forgetting to close registration, and create a clean “registration closed” experience that directs latecomers to next steps or a waitlist. Automation saves you from the hassle of constantly checking your inbox or dashboard to see how many people have signed up. You can learn more about assigning status to form submissions in Jotform’s help documentation.

How to set a submission limit (limited slots) in 7 steps

Follow these simple steps to create a signup form with limited slots based on total capacity:

1. Open your form in Form Builder.
2. Go to Settings in the top navigation.
3. Open the Form Status section.
4. Select Disable at Submission Limit.
5. Enter the maximum number of submissions (your total available slots).
6. Add an unambiguous closed message that appears when registrations have reached the limit, such as “Registration is now closed. We’ve reached capacity for this event. Join our waitlist at [URL] to receive a notification if a spot opens.”
7. Save to apply your changes, and test the behavior by viewing your form. You can submit a test entry if you’re close to launch and want to verify the user experience.

How to add a time cutoff (limited time window) in 3 steps

If you need to close registration by a specific date and time regardless of how many open slots remain, follow these steps to set up your first-come, first-served signup form with a cutoff time:

1. In Form Status settings, select Disable on Specific Date.
2. Set your cutoff date and time. Remember to include your time zone if registrants are in multiple regions.
3. Add a closed message like “Registration for this event has closed. Visit our events page to see upcoming opportunities.”

Method 2: Limit signups with the Inventory Widget

Use this method when you need slot-by-slot or option-level limits (for different sessions, time slots, or items) rather than one overall cap. The Inventory Widget tracks remaining quantity for each option and automatically prevents the user from selecting any option when it reaches zero. This provides users with real-time availability, preventing double booking and giving potential registrants accurate and timely information about which slots are still open. When they can easily determine which sessions have space and which are full, they can make informed decisions without needing to contact you to ask about availability.

Examples:

• Monday 10 a.m. session (eight spots remaining)
• Tuesday 2 p.m. session (three spots remaining)
• Wednesday 4 p.m. session (fully booked)

Each time someone selects an option and submits the form, the system automatically lowers that option’s available quantity by one. When availability reaches zero, that specific option becomes unavailable while other slots remain open. 

This is how you create a signup form with limited slots at the individual option level. The Inventory Widget lets your event signup form limit responses automatically. Without your intervention, the inventory adjusts instantly with every form submission.

How to add the Inventory Widget to your form in 5 steps

Setting up option-level tracking is as simple as adding and configuring the Inventory Widget as follows:

1. In Form Builder, click Add Element in the left sidebar.
2. Open the Widgets tab, search for “Inventory,” and click to add it to your form.
3. Configure General settings, including Description (what registrants see, like “Tuesday Workshop Session”), Available Quantity (starting number of slots), and Quantity Input Type (usually “Manual” for signups).
4. You can adjust additional settings such as Counter Label (spots remaining), Hide Quantity if you prefer not to show the countdown, and Error Message that displays when a slot is full.
5. Click Update to save and apply your widget settings, and preview the form to test its behavior.

Don’t forget to add one Inventory Widget per slot (if you need multiple options)

It’s important to note that each Inventory Widget tracks a single item, so you need one widget per distinct slot or option you’re offering.

Example:

• Monday Morning Session (10 a.m.) — Available Quantity: 12
• Monday Afternoon Session (2 p.m.) — Available Quantity: 12
• Tuesday Morning Session (10 a.m.) — Available Quantity: 12

If registrants should only select one time slot, make this clear in your form instructions, or structure your form to make the single choice obvious. It can help to add helper text, such as “Please select your preferred session below. You may register for one session only.”

This is significant because basic, static dropdown or radio button choice fields don’t automatically decrement availability. The Inventory Widget is dynamic: It counts down with each submission and prevents overbooking.

Create your signup form with limited slots in minutes

With this helpful guide, you can build a professional limited-capacity registration form. Either start with a template from Jotform’s library or create a form from scratch, then choose the limiting method that works best for your particular scenario. The entire process, from selecting a template to enabling slot limits, typically takes less than 15 minutes once you know which approach fits your needs.

Here’s your quick decision guide:

• Use Form Status for total submission limits and deadlines that apply to the entire form.
• Use the Inventory Widget for option-level, real-time slot tracking when different sessions or items have independent capacity limits.

Jotform’s combination of templates, no-code visual builder, and powerful limiting tools makes ours the best online form builder for anyone managing capacity-based signups. Whether you’re coordinating a small workshop with 10 participants or a large-scale volunteer program with hundreds of slots across multiple days, you can set up your signup form with limited slots in minutes. With our response-tracking automation, you can focus less on keeping track of registrations and more on preparing for your event. 

Try a signup template today or start building a signup form from scratch that meets your exact needs. Your booking form with limited availability is just a few clicks away.