Guide & FAQ

Everything you need to know about datly.

Create a poll

Standard poll (fixed date options)

1
Click "Create poll" on the start page or in the navigation.
2
Choose poll type "Date poll", enter a title and optionally a description.
3
Add one or more date options using the date picker. You can also add specific time slots for each date.
4
Optionally: enter an email address for notifications and set an expiry date for the poll.
5
Click "Create poll". You will receive a shareable participation link and a private admin link.
Tip: Save the admin link – it is the only way to manage your poll later. If you are logged in, you will always find your polls in "My Polls".

Free picker poll (calendar)

1
Choose poll type "Free date picker" when creating the poll.
2
Participants see a 2-month calendar and can click on all days they are available. No pre-defined options needed.
3
The shared calendar shows at a glance which days work best: green circle = everyone available, yellow circle = some available, purple circle = your own selection – always shown as a full purple circle, regardless of whether others have also chosen that day.

Voting

Standard poll

1
Open the participation link you received.
2
Enter your name and your email address. The email is required for anonymous voters and is used for your personal edit link and notifications.
3
Vote for each date option:
Yes – I can Maybe – if necessary No – I cannot
4
Click "Submit vote". You will receive a personal edit link to adjust your vote later.

Free picker poll

1
Enter your name and your email address. The email is required for anonymous voters.
2
Click on all days in the calendar when you are available. A color legend appears directly below the calendar: purple = your own selection (always shown as a full purple circle), green = everyone available, yellow = some available.
3
Click "Submit availability".
Edit link: After voting, you receive an email with a personal edit link. You can use it to update your vote at any time – without an account.

Results & final date

Common dates (green section above the grid) shows all dates where every participant said "Yes" at a glance.
The results grid shows all votes per date. Columns are color-coded: green = all can, yellow = some can. Use the / arrow buttons to page through many dates.
Once you have decided: click "Set final date" in the admin. All participants are immediately notified by email. A calendar file (.ics) is available for download.

Admin features

The admin page is accessible only via your private admin link.

Close / reopen
Close the poll to prevent further votes. Can be reopened at any time.
Set final date
Pick the winning date. The poll closes automatically and all participants are notified.
Edit votes
Click "Edit" in the results grid to correct votes or remove participants.
Send reminder
Manually send a reminder email to specific addresses – e.g. for people who haven't voted yet.
Edit poll
Change title, description, expiry date or notification email at any time.
CSV export
Download all votes as a CSV file for further processing in Excel or other tools.
Edit options
Add or remove date options after the poll has started.

Account & benefits

datly works completely without an account. Registration is optional, but offers several benefits:

  • All your polls in one place under "My Polls"
  • No need to save admin links separately
  • Your votes are linked to your account – visible across devices
  • Automatic notifications in your preferred language (DE/EN)
  • Anonymous votes made with your email are automatically linked when you register

FAQ

Do I need an account to create a poll?

No. You can create polls without registering. You will receive an admin link to manage your poll. With an account, all your polls are always accessible in "My Polls".

What is the difference between "Date poll" and "Free date picker"?

With a Date poll you define specific date options (with or without times). Participants vote Yes / Maybe / No for each option. With a Free date picker there are no predefined options – participants select their available days on a 2-month calendar.

Can I add time slots to a date?

Yes. When adding a date in the poll creator, you can optionally enter a start and end time. Multiple time slots for the same date are also possible – just add the same date multiple times with different times.

What happens when the poll expires?

If there is exactly one date option, it is automatically set as the final date and all participants are notified. With multiple options, the poll admin receives an email prompting them to choose a date.

Can I change my vote later?

Yes. After voting you receive a personal edit link by email. You can use it to update your vote at any time – without an account. Logged-in users can simply return to the poll to update their vote.

Is an email address required to vote?

Yes. Anonymous voters (without an account) must enter an email address. It is used to send your personal edit link and optional vote notifications. Logged-in users already have an email address stored in their account.

Can I vote under the same name as someone else?

No. Each name can only be used once per poll. If a name is already taken, you will see an error message.

Why is my email address locked in the vote form?

If you have already voted with an email address, it is shown as read-only. This protects your identity. Your display name can be changed at any time – the email is the identity anchor.

Can I vote if I already have a registered account?

Yes. Simply sign in and open the poll link. Your vote is automatically linked to your account. You can update your vote at any time by returning to the poll – no edit link needed.

What does the notification checkbox do?

When you provide your email address while voting, you can optionally check the notification box. You will then receive an email when others vote or when a final date is confirmed.

What happens if I vote with an email address that belongs to an existing account?

For security reasons this is not allowed. You will be prompted to sign in with your existing account instead.

What is Quick Vote?

Quick Vote lets you vote with a single click. In the green "Common dates" section, click any of the suggested dates – the voting form is instantly pre-filled with "Yes" for those dates. Then click "Vote now" to confirm. Quick Vote is only available when the poll is still open.

What does "Common dates" mean?

"Common dates" (green section above the vote grid) shows all date options where every single participant voted "Yes". These are the ideal dates for everyone.

What do the colors in the vote grid header mean?

Green = all participants can. Yellow = some participants can. Blue = default (no majority).

How do I navigate the results grid when there are many dates?

Use the ‹ and › arrow buttons above the grid to page through the dates. The display shows the current page (e.g. "1 / 3"). The buttons disappear automatically if all dates fit on screen at once.

What do the colors in the free-poll calendar mean?

The circle color shows group availability: green = everyone available, yellow = some available, purple = your own selection. Your selected days are always shown as a full purple circle – even if others have also chosen the same day.

I lost my admin link. What can I do?

If you created the poll while logged in, you will find it in "My Polls". If you created it without an account, the admin link cannot be recovered – please contact support.

How do I notify participants that a final date has been set?

Automatically! When you click "Set final date" in the admin, all participants who provided an email address are immediately notified with the confirmed date and a calendar file (.ics).

Can I reopen a poll after closing it?

Yes. In the admin, click "Reopen poll". If a final date was set, it will also be removed so participants can vote again.

Can I edit or delete individual votes as admin?

Yes. In the results grid, click "Edit" to enter edit mode. You can then click on individual vote cells to change them, or remove participants using the trash icon. For free polls, removing a participant also removes their selected days from the overview — the calendar and grid always reflect the current state of votes.

Is there a calendar view in the admin area?

Yes. For free date picker polls, the admin area shows a calendar overview below the results grid. Green = all participants can, Yellow = some participants can. The calendar is read-only – changes can only be made via vote editing.

What happens to my anonymous votes when I register?

All anonymous votes made with your email address are automatically linked to your new account during registration. Nothing is lost.

Can I delete my account?

Yes. In your profile under "Account", you will find the option to permanently delete your account and all associated data.

Still have questions?

Contact support Create poll