Frequently Asked Questions

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Getting Started

  • Q: Why should I use MyPunchbowl to plan my party or event?  

    A: MyPunchbowl offers tools for every phase of party planning in an easy-to-use, innovative user interface. Key features include:
    • • "Pick a Date" feature uses guest input to help you find the best date for your event
    • • "Save the Date" functionality to inform your guests early in the planning process
    • • Ability to create customized invitations to send to family and friends
    • • Personal photo upload and photo search from Yahoo Flickr®.
    • • Easy import of your email addresses from all major sources
    • • Stress-free RSVP to ensure a more personal interaction between you and your guests
    • • A party message board to network and socialize before and after a party
    • • A party store locator to find a local party store near you
    • • Numerous "after party" features to reminisce and share party memories

  • Q: Does it cost money to use MyPunchbowl?  

    A: No, MyPunchbowl is completely free!

  • Q: What are the web browser requirements for MyPunchbowl?  

    A: MyPunchbowl has been tested on most popular web browsers including Microsoft's Internet Explorer (version 6 or higher) Firefox (version 1.5 or higher) and Netscape-based browsers (version 8.1 or higher). We recommend using the most up-to-date version available for your browser.

  • Q: Does MyPunchbowl work on Apple's Safari browser?  

    A: We are aware of some layout and other issues that you may encounter when using Apple's Safari browser. We're working to resolve these issues. The good news is that we've tested MyPunchbowl with the latest beta version of Apple Safari and we believe all of the issues will be resolved when Apple releases their next version.

Privacy Policy & Terms and Conditions

  • Q: Is my personal information protected when I use MyPunchbowl?  

    A: Your privacy is very important to us. Any personal information that you give us such as your email address, your home address or any other details will only be shown to guests that you invite to your party. We will never sell your personal information to a third party. When you sign up for MyPunchbowl, you will be automatically signed up for our monthly newsletter. If you don't want to get our monthly newsletter, simply unsubscribe (at the bottom of the newsletter) the first time you receive it.

  • Q: What is the Privacy Policy of MyPunchbowl?  

    A: Our complete Privacy Policy is located here.

  • Q: What are the Terms and Conditions for using MyPunchbowl? 

    A: Our complete Terms and Conditions statement is located here.

  • Q: What copyright and trademarks does Punchbowl Software Inc. claim? 

    All contents of http://www.mypunchbowl.com and http://www.punchbowlsoftware.com are copyright of Punchbowl Software Inc. The usage of MyPunchbowl, Punchbowl, or Punchbowl Software as a word, phrase, logo, graphic symbol, slogan, or other device as it relates to party or event planning are trademarks of Punchbowl Software Inc.

MyPunchbowl Buzz

  • Q: Does the Buzz RSS feed work in my feed reader? 

    A: Yes, the Buzz feed should work in most RSS readers. Drop us a line if you have a problem: support@punchbowlsoftware.com

User Accounts

  • Q: Will my guests need to create an account to see their invitation or to respond to an invitation?  

    A: No, your guests do not need to create an account. Your guests will be able to see their invitation and respond without creating an account.

  • Q: I forgot my password or I want to change my password. How can I change my password?  

    A: From the home page, click "Sign In." In this window, click the "I forgot" link. Enter your information, and we will send you an email that allows you to change your password.

  • Q: How can I change the account information I registered with MyPunchbowl?  

    A: Sign in to your MyPunchbowl account and click the Profile tab.

  • Q: Can parties I'm invited to at different email addresses appear in my account? 

    A:Yes! Many people have more than one email address, for example at work and and home. We make it easy for you to view all parties you have been invited to at any of your email addresses in your MyPunchbowl account. Log into your MyPunchbowl account and click the Profile tab. Add your additional email addresses to the "Additional Email Addresses" section (make sure that you do not have a MyPunchbowl account associated with any of your additional email addresses). Now you will see parties you are invited to at any of your email addresses on your dashboard under "Parties I'm Invited To".

  • Q: Why is the From email address mail@mail.mypunchbowl.com and not my personal email address? 

    In order to ensure delivery of MyPunchbowl emails, the "From" address must be from our servers (it is critical that the mail server and email address match). Therefore, the From address when you send emails from MyPunchbowl will always be YourName mail@mail.mypunchbowl.com. Note that if a guest responds to your email from MyPunchbowl, the "Reply To" address is your address that you signed up with (YourName youremail@yourdomain.com).

  • Q: How can I permanently delete my MyPunchbowl account?  

    A: If you want to permanently delete your account, just send us a quick note with the email address that you used when you signed up for the account. Send an email to support@punchbowlsoftware.com

  • Q: I permanently deleted a party in my account. How do I get it back?  

    A: If you choose to permanently delete a party, there is no way to recover it. That's why we give you a warning message before you delete it. We're really sorry, but there is nothing we can do. We recommend that you don't permanently delete parties. Keep them for the memories!

  • Q: Why doesn't MyPunchbowl include an Address Book where I can store my contacts?  

    A: We don't like having to keep two separate address books, and doubt that you do either. We have a better way: simply use the import feature to quickly and easily import your contacts from wherever you keep them. It's that easy!

Dashboard

  • Q: How are parties in My Current Parties list sorted? 

    A: If you are hosting more than one party, it helps to understand the order the parties are listed in your MyPunchbowl Dashboard. The first party in the "My Current Parties" section is the next upcoming party that you are hosting. The next future parties are then listed in order of when they will happen (soonest ones first). After your last upcoming party, the most recent past party is listed, and then all of the past parties previous to that one, arranged in order of the most recent past party first. Parties that do not have a date are listed at the bottom. After 30 days, a past party will move out of "My Current Parties" into the Past Parties tab.

Pick a Date

  • Q: How does Pick a Date work? 

    A: Pick a Date uses a sophisticated algorithm to drive consensus among your guests. First the host offers up a few date and time options for the event and sends the Pick a Date to the guests. As guests respond, their names are placed under only one of the date and time options that they indicate fits their schedule (this is visible to all other guests). The algorithm groups guests together to drive consensus to the most popular date and time option. Finally, MyPunchbowl recommends the best date to the host.

  • Q: How many date options can I choose as a host? 

    A: You can choose an unlimited number of date options. That said, we suggest being reasonable ... your guests might not appreciate having to choose from 37 different options. We also recommend choosing no less than 2 options; otherwise there’s no picking to be done!

  • Q: What is "Rank" for? (for hosts) 

    A: This is where you, the host, can specify if one or more of your dates is better for you. In certain “tie breaker” scenarios where your guests are evenly split between dates, we will look to see if any of the options are better for the host. If all your options are equally good for you, leave Rank at “OK for me.”

  • Q: What do I type in "Notes"? (for hosts) 

    A: You can use Notes to add any pertinent information about this date option that you want your guests to know. For example, you may want to remind your guests that a date falls near a holiday. If you don’t have any Notes, leave it blank!

  • Q: How does Import email addresses work? 

    A: Import allows you to grab names and email addresses from your contacts and copy them into MyPunchbowl. You can access your contacts in AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, Gmail, Outlook/Outlook Express, Plaxo, and other contact managers. MyPunchbowl does not store the contacts, so you don't have to worry about maintaining another address book.

  • Q: What does VIP mean? 

    A: It stands for Very Important Person. The guests you mark as VIPs are the people that just HAVE to be there. Its the birthday boy or girl at the birthday party .. it’s the wedding couple at the engagement party ... its your 3 closest friends at the graduation party. Our software will weight VIP responses more heavily than other guests to help drive consensus around the dates that work for them.

  • Q: Do guests see which people are marked VIP? 

    No, only the host can see which guests are marked VIPs.

  • Q: Why do guest names only appear under one date & time option? 

    A: Our Pick a Date algorithm groups guests together to drive consensus towards a single date and time option.

  • Q: Will my name be put under an option that I can't make? 

    A: Never. Your name will only be placed under an option that you mark as “Works for me” or “OK, but not great”.

  • Q: As a host, why can't I change or add an option after my guests have started responding? 

    A: Your guests may only view your Pick a Date once. If you change a date or time or add an option after some guests have responded you will invalidate their responses (because they responded to the original options).

  • Q: What if my schedule changes and I have to send out new dates? 

    A: If you need to send out new date options after your guests have responded, you will need to create a new party and send a new Pick a Date. You can easily notify your guests of this change by using “Send a message to guests” on the Dates page of the current party. In the new party, be sure to use the Recycle button on the Guests page to quickly fill the guest list.

  • Q: How do I see my guest's responses to each option? 

    A: You can see your guest’s responses to each date by clicking on “show raw responses” on the Pick a Date > Dates page (only available after guests have begun responding).

Save the Date

  • Q: When should I use Save the Date?  

    A: Send a Save the Date when you are planning an event and want your guests to know early in the planning process. You don't need to know all the details of the event, just the date! Send it weeks or even months before the event to help increase the number of people who can come to your event.

  • Q: How does Import email addresses work?  

    A: Import allows you to grab names and email addresses from your contacts and copy them into MyPunchbowl. You can access your contacts in AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, Gmail, Outlook/Outlook Express, Plaxo, and other contact managers. MyPunchbowl does not store the contacts, so you don't have to worry about maintaining another address book.

  • Q: Why would I need to "Send a message to guests"? 

    A: If you need to update your guests with new information, or an important change to your event, you can easily send a message to all invited guests.

  • Q: Can I use my Save the Date guest list when I send a full invitation? 

    A: When you are ready to send out a full invitation to the event, your guests are automatically copied from Save the Date to the Guest List page of your invitation. You can then add, remove or edit guests before you send out the full invitation.

Invitations

  • Q: My guests did not receive my invitation. What can I do? 

    A: Despite our best efforts, sometimes invitations get caught in your guest's spam or junk filters. We offer the option to send your guests a link to your invitation using your personal email account. To use this feature, go to your Invitation > Manage Guests page and click "Help! My guests have not received the invitation"

  • Q: How long does it take for invitations to reach my guests? 

    A: Depending on a variety of factors, it can take a few hours or more for an invitation email to actually arrive in a guest's inbox. If you just sent your invitation and none of your guests seem to have received it, we suggesting waiting a good 2-4 hours. If it has been many hours and some of your guests still haven't received the invitation, see the FAQ above "My guests did not receive my invitation. What can I do?"

  • Q: Does MyPunchbowl offer any themed templates? 

    A: Yes. You can choose from a wide variety of themed templates for your invitation including birthday, bachelor/bachelorette parties, cocktails, holidays, and many more. We're constantly adding new ones too! Go to the Personalize > Choose a Design page to see our templates.

  • Q: How do I save changes to my invitation?  

    A: With MyPunchbowl, you never need to save your information. All data is saved automatically as you enter the information!

  • Q: What if I want to change the information after I sent out the invitation?  

    A: A MyPunchbowl invitation is like your own personal website - any changes you make will be seen by your guests the next time they view the page. You don't have to notify them, unless you want to (use the "send a message to guests" on the Guest List page to do this).

  • Q: How does Import email addresses work? 

    A: Import allows you to grab names and email addresses from your contacts and copy them into MyPunchbowl. You can access your contacts in AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, Gmail, Outlook/Outlook Express, Plaxo, and other contact managers. MyPunchbowl does not store the contacts, so you don't have to worry about maintaining another address book.

  • Q: Can I re-use a guest list from an old party? Is that what the Re-use button is for? 

    A: Yes! On the Invitation > Invite Guests page, click the "Re-use" button to load a guest list from an existing party.

  • Q: Is there a limit on how many guests I can invite to an event? 

    A: No, there is currently no limit on the number of guests you can invite to an event.

  • Q: Can I send myself a test invitation? 

    A: Yes, you can send yourself a test invitation to see exactly what your guests will receive.  Simply finish your invitation and add one or more guests on the Invite Guests page. Click "Send a Test" at the bottom of the Email to Guests section. You will receive an email at your account email address.  This is the same invitation that guests will receive!

  • Q: Can guests see who else is invited? 

    A: It depends on what your host chooses- the host decides whether or not the guest list is displayed in the invitation. This setting is on the Manage Guests page > RSVP Options.

  • Q: Can I make my event public so anyone can add their name to the guest list? 

    A: Yes! On the Invite Guests page, click "More Options" and click the Public button (you need to be signed in to your account to see this). You can send out or post the url publicly and guests can add their name to the guest list.

  • Q: Can I print the invitation? 

    A: Yes, on the Invitation > Invitation Info page, click the "Printer-friendly" link in the lower right corner of the top section.

    We've created a custom version of the invitation that is suitable for printing. At this time, ths complexities of printing from web browsers preclude us from offering an exact replica of your invitation for printing.

  • Q: How does RSVP work?  

    A: Guests who respond "Yes" are brought to the Party Message Board and the Potluck list (if you made one) where they can communicate with other guests who are also coming. Guests who respond "No" are given an option to send a private email note to the host.

  • Q: How does the Date Viewed column in Manage Guests work? 

    A: After you send your invitations, you will see a column on the Manage Guests page called "Date Viewed." If you hold your mouse over the date you can see more info. The Date Viewed column tracks two things:

    - If the guest viewed the invitation email (*Note - this is only recorded if the guest allows image downloading in their email)

    - If the guest clicked through to your MyPunchbowl invitation page

  • Q: How do I resend an invitation? 

    A: If a guest did not receive your invitation, first make sure that you used the correct email address. To resend an invitation, go to the bottom of your Manage Guests page and click Resend Invitations.

  • Q: If I add new guests to an invitation, is the email sent to all existing guests as well? 

    A: No. When you add new guests on the Invite More Guests page, and then send the email at the bottom of that page, the invitation only goes to the new guests, it will not be sent to your existing guests (on the Manage Guests page).

  • Q: How do the "Display guest list" RSVP Options work? 

    A: Use the "Display guest list" RSVP Options check boxes to specify if and how your guests see the guest list. If you decide to display the guest list on the invitation, you can also specify what guest responses you'd like to show in the invitation, including just the list of who's invited.

     

    You may notice that you can't check Who's Invited until you uncheck Yes responses, No responses, or Not Responded. Why is this? Because if you are showing Yes responses, No responses and Not Responded, that's everyone! Showing Who's Invited would be redundant.

  • Q: Can I export the guest list? 

    A: Yes, you can export a .csv file of your guest list. Just click "Export" at the top of Manage Guests page.

  • Q: Who can use the Party Message Board? 

    A: Only guests who respond "Yes" are able to view and post on the Party Message Board.

  • Q: Can a guest set their own reminder? 

    A: Yes. When they receive your invitation, guests can respond Yes, No, or Remind Me Later. Guests can choose when they want to receive the reminder email.

  • Q: Why would I use "Personal Messages"? 

    A: You can add a short personalized message to the invitation for each guest. Make guests feel special by personally saying hello.

  • Q: What is the purpose of the "Send as Bulletin" checkbox? 

    A: If you check this box, the guest will receive the invitation with the text: "[Host name] wants to let you know about this event. No RSVP is needed." This is a great way to send an announcement, or to send an invite for that cousin of yours who lives on the other side of the country ... you know that they can't come, but you'd like them to receive the invitation.

  • Q: As the host, can I change a guest's response? 

    A: Yes! If your friend calls you at work to tell you that she is coming, simply click in the RSVP column in your Guest List and change the response.

  • Q: Can I print the guest list? 

    A: Yes! On the Invitation > Manage Guests page, click "printer-friendly" in the upper right corner.

  • Q: Can I see MyPunchbowl parties I've been invited to in my account? 

    A: Yes! MyPunchbowl parties you’ve been invited to will show up in your account

  • Q: Can a guest forward the invitation to a friend?  

    A: Yes. To do this, the guest can simply click the "Forward to a friend" button in the invitation. As a host, you can identify these guests in your Guest List by the blank "Date sent" column.

  • Q: Can I prevent a guest from forwarding the invitation? 

    A: We allow the host to hide the "Forward" button in the invitation. To hide this button, go to your Manage Guests page and click "Change RSVP Options". Uncheck "Allow guests to forward the invitation".

    Remember, we cannot prevent guests from forwarding the invitation email from their email program.

  • Q: I changed the date (or location) for my party, how do I tell my guests? 

    A: If you need to update your guests with new information or want to communicate an important change to your event, click "Send a message to guests" at the bottom of your Invitation > Manage Guests page.

  • Q: How do I cancel my event? 

    A: If you need to cancel your party and you have already invited the guests, you can inform your guests of the cancellation by clicking “Send a message to guests” at the bottom of your Manage Guests page. We also suggest indicating that the event is cancelled in the party title, or Message to Guests field of the invitation.

    If you are going to keep the party in your Dashboard (for example if you will be rescheduling the party or if you want to keep the guest list available to re-use at a future time), make sure to turn off email reminders to guests for the canceled party. To do this, click “change RSVP Options” in your Manage Guests page and deselect “Send an automatic reminder email”.

    To permanently delete the party, locate the party in your Dashboard and click "Delete" next to it.

    Note that if just the party date or location has changed, you don’t actually need to cancel the party and send out new invitations, you can simply use the “Send a message to guests” section to inform the guests of the updated information.

Checklist & Potluck list

  • Q: Why can't my guests see my Potluck list? 

    A: Only guests who have responded "Yes" are able to view the Potluck list.

    Additionally, after completing your Checklist you must add items to the Potluck list by clicking the green "+" (plus sign) next to the item. Only items that are added to the Potluck list (on the right side of the Invitation > Checklist page) can be seen by your guests.

  • Q: Can I change the quantity of a Potluck item that a guest says they want to bring? 

    A: Only a guest can change the quantity of an item they are bringing from the Potluck list.  If a guest needs to change the item or amount of an item they are bringing, they need to first go to the Potluck tab in the invitation and delete the item from the "You're Bringing" section.  Then choose the correct item and quantity from the list of available Potluck items by clicking "I'll Bring This".

  • Q: Can I print the Checklist? 

    A: Yes! Click "Printer-friendly" in the upper right corner of the Checklist.

After Party

  • Q: How will my guests hear about the After Party? 

    A: It's up to the host to invite your guests to the after party. Use the After Party "message to guests" to kick it off!

  • Q: I'd like to add photos, but I don't have a Flickr account. What do I do?  

    A: Right now, we only support sharing photos through Flickr. It's easy to get a Flickr account ... and it's free! Just visit http://www.flickr.com

  • Q: Why can't I see my Flickr photos in the After Party Photos page? 

    A: For photos to show up in the After Party Photos page, they must be:

    - in a photo set OR have at least one tag
    - made public

    You can find help with these topics at Flickr's help page.

Product Trivia

  • Q: Why is the site called "MyPunchbowl"?  

    A: Pronouns are in! Haven't you heard of MySpace or YouTube? Beyond that obvious connection, we realized that punchbowls are often the center of a party. A punchbowl is the centerpiece of a great food table, and people love to gather around the punchbowl. We also like the connotation that a punchbowl provides--fill it up with everything you need for your party! My friends, my house, my party…MyPunchbowl.

  • Q: Cool site! What technology is used for MyPunchbowl? 

    A: Thanks for asking! MyPunchbowl is a Ruby on Rails application, with lots of Ajax. We use a MySQL database. Contact us if you want to learn more geeky details.

  • Q: Who is your hosting provider? 

    A: MyPunchbowl is hosted by our friends at Engine Yard. If you are looking for a good place to get started, you may be interested to know that our original hosting provider (in the early days) was OCS Solutions.

Customer Support

  • Q: I need help! How do I reach customer support?  

    A: Please contact us. We're here to help (unless we are at a party). You can email us at support@punchbowlsoftware.com or call us at 650-814-3393.