A scheduling poll should remove coordination work, not introduce registration or calendar permissions. TimeVote asks the organiser for a meeting title, at least two exact future times, their duration, and one authoritative time zone. Participants answer every candidate with Available, If needed, or Unavailable and receive a private receipt for later changes.

Name one recognisable meeting

Use a title the group will recognise, such as “August book club” or “Weekly design check-in.” Put only the location or essential context in the optional fields. Keeping the purpose clear makes it easier for participants to judge whether each proposed time really works.

Use exact, realistic candidate times

Every candidate contains an exact start and duration. Add only times the organiser could genuinely confirm, and avoid duplicates. The poll time zone is authoritative; TimeVote also shows the equivalent in the participant’s device time zone when it differs.

Test the link, then share it once

Open the participant link in a private browser window before sending it. Confirm the title, dates, durations, and time zone. Keep the management URL private because it can confirm a final time, close or reopen responses, and replace the participant link. Share the participant link through the group’s existing channel and include a response deadline.

Compare all three counts before confirming

The best-match ranking prioritises Available, then Available plus If needed, then fewer Unavailable answers, and finally the earlier start. The manager still makes the decision and can confirm any candidate. If the poll is reopened, the confirmed result is cleared and responses can continue.

Use capability links with trusted groups

No-signup scheduling is convenient because access depends on possession of a link. Display names are self-reported and a forwarded participant link may reach more people. Use TimeVote for informal coordination among trusted groups, not attendance verification or legally binding bookings.