Supporting Your Entrants
Understand the entrant experience on AwardKit, the emails AwardKit sends entrants automatically, and how to handle common entrant requests.
As an organizer, knowing what your entrants see helps you support them and communicate effectively. This page summarizes the full entrant journey so you know exactly what happens at each step.
What entrants need to know
- There is no registration wall. Entrants open the entry link and land on the form. Their work autosaves as they type. At submit, a 6-digit code emailed to them confirms their address and quietly becomes their account. Entrants never set a password and never pay anything to AwardKit; the only money in the system is your program's entry fee, if you charge one.
- Getting back in works the same way. Opening an entry page from a new device shows Get back to your entry with an Email me a code button. Every code is single-use. Team members can open the entry with their own email too.
- Audience voters and judges don't sign in. They use unique links you share.
- Entrants are tied to email. The address they confirm is where every AwardKit notification goes. Throwaway addresses from disposable email providers are rejected at the code step, so an entrant on one of those has to use a real inbox.
Emails AwardKit sends entrants automatically
AwardKit sends transactional emails throughout the program lifecycle:
| Subject line | When it's sent | Recipients | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-in code | "{code} is your AwardKit code" | At submit and whenever an entrant asks for a code | The address being confirmed |
| Entry submitted | "Entry Submitted: {entry}" | Immediately after a free entry, or once a pay-now payment settles | The lead entrant |
| Payment due | "Payment due for {program}: {amount}" | When the entrant chooses Pay later | The lead entrant |
| Payment receipt | "You're all set: payment received for {program} ({total})" | When a payment succeeds; doubles as the tax invoice when you charge tax | The payer |
| Balance reminder | "Payment due for {program}: {amount}" | Inside the last 72 hours before entries close, while a balance is unpaid | The lead entrant |
| Payment failed | "Payment failed for {program}: {amount} still due" | When a delayed payment method fails after checkout | The payer |
| Refund processed | "Refund processed for {program}: {amount}" | When you refund an entry fee in Stripe | The payer |
| Added to an entry | "You've been added to "{entry}" for {program}" | When the lead lists them as a team member; links to the entry | Each team member except the lead |
| Certificate ready | "Your certificate from {program} is ready" | The first time you publish results | Every entrant with a submitted entry |
| Announcement | "{program}: {title}" | When you post an announcement with email enabled | Every entrant on the program |
All AwardKit emails link back to the entry on AwardKit. If the entrant is not recognized on that device, the link lands on the code prompt, which is what you want.
After submitting an entry
When an entrant submits through your entry form, they confirm their email, land on their entry page with "Entry received! Good luck!", and receive the entry submitted email.
If your program charges entry fees, the entrant either pays via Stripe Checkout at submission or chooses Pay later, add more entries and settles every unpaid entry in one checkout before entries close. Unpaid entries show as Unpaid in your Entries table and are not in the running until paid. See Payments for the organizer side and Paying entry fees for what the entrant sees.
The entry page lets them view their full entry, edit while entries are open, see their payment status, submit another entry like it, and (after results) access certificates.
Editing entries after the deadline
If an entrant needs to make a late edit, open their entry from your dashboard and use Edit as Organizer to make changes on their behalf. This bypasses the deadline.
During audience voting
If you share an audience voting link, entrants and the public can browse all entries and cast votes through that link. No AwardKit account is required for voters, and the link is open during the round's judging window.
The voting experience depends on the voting method you chose. Progress saves automatically, so voters can close the browser and come back. In a blind round, the audience sees anonymized entries too.
After results are published
When you publish results, entrants receive the certificate email. On their entry page, they see:
- Award badges if their entry won any prizes
- Certificates for every team member, with Add to LinkedIn buttons and unique verification URLs
See After the program for a detailed breakdown of certificates, the entry gallery, and tips for communicating results.
Common entrant questions
| Question | How to help |
|---|---|
| "I can't find my entry confirmation email" | Open Entries, click their entry, then Copy entry link. Send it to them; they click Email me a code on the page and enter the code sent to the address on the entry. |
| "I never got the code" | Codes come from AwardKit within seconds; ask them to check spam and use Resend code. Addresses at disposable email providers are rejected; they need a real inbox. |
| "I need to edit but entries are closed" | Open their entry from your dashboard and use Edit as Organizer to make changes, or temporarily reopen entries. |
| "My payment failed but my entry is saved" | The entry is received. Their entry page shows Restart payment (expired or declined checkout) or Pay balance (fee on their balance). Nothing they typed is lost. |
| "I chose Pay later; is my entry in?" | It is received and shows as Unpaid. It counts once paid, and payment is due before entries close. They pay from the banner on the program page. |
| "Where are my certificates?" | Certificates appear after you publish results. If you haven't published yet, let them know. If you have, send them the link to their entry page. |
| "My team member isn't on the entry" | The lead can edit the entry (while open) to add members. Or use Edit as Organizer to add them after the deadline. Added members get the "You've been added" email. |
| "Can someone else submit on my behalf?" | Yes. Use Add entry under Entries to create an entry with their email as the lead. Adding an entry sends no email, so copy the entry link and send it to them; they get in with a code. |
Announcements
Post announcements to your program page and broadcast email updates to every entrant. Coordinate timing, FAQ updates, and finalist news in one place.
After the Program
Publish award program results, distribute certificates, share the entry gallery, communicate outcomes to entrants, and duplicate the program for next season.