The Sequences module is used to manage a step-by-step process on VOME. Although it can be used for general process management or internal task tracking, it is most often used to manage volunteer onboarding after someone submits an Application Form.
A Sequence is made up of individual Steps. Each Step can be configured to either provide information, collect information, or do both. This gives your organization the flexibility to build onboarding flows that match your exact process.
You can use Sequences to:
guide volunteers through onboarding
collect documents, forms, and signatures
provide orientation and training materials
track internal admin tasks
manage qualifications over time
If you are looking for broader guidance on how to structure onboarding, read:
How should I organize onboarding on VOME?
Yes — this depends on the Visibility setting of the Sequence.
When configuring a Sequence, you can choose whether it is:
If the Sequence is visible to admins only:
assigned users are not notified that they have been assigned to the Sequence
they cannot view the Sequence from their profile
the Sequence functions only as an internal admin workflow
This setup is useful when the Sequence is only being used to track internal process steps.
If the Sequence is visible to assigned users:
users are notified when they have been assigned to the Sequence
they can view their Steps and statuses
they can interact directly with volunteer-facing Steps
This is one of the most valuable settings in the Sequences module because it allows VOME to become the central place where volunteers complete onboarding tasks instead of relying on separate emails, attachments, and manual follow-up.
Best practice: Use Visible to assigned users when volunteers need to actively complete onboarding tasks in VOME.
Note: VOME users only see their assigned Sequences when those Sequences are Active or Paused. Finished or inactive Sequences are not shown to them.
When a Sequence is visible to assigned users, volunteers can interact directly with their onboarding process in VOME.
This means they can:
see what step they are currently on
understand what has already been completed
upload documents
complete forms
watch videos
book required sessions
follow a clear onboarding path
This reduces redundant back-and-forth communication and gives admins a more organized way to manage progress.
Instead of sending separate emails for each requirement, your team can use one structured Sequence where volunteers complete tasks directly from their profile.
Each Step can be uniquely designed with its own settings to either provide information, collect information, or do both.
VOME offers a range of Step types, including:
File Upload
Interview
Orientation
Training
Fillable PDF
Fillable Form
Video
Checklist
Custom
Background Check
E-Learning
Some of these steps are more dynamic and interactive, including:
Fillable PDF, for completing PDF documents directly on VOME
Fillable Form, for completing a VOME Form inside a Sequence
Video, where VOME can track whether the volunteer watched the content
Background Check, when using Sterling Volunteers
E-Learning, through SCORM Cloud integration with your LMS
Other step types are commonly used to provide instructions, share materials, collect files, or manage internal checkpoints.
The best way to collect answers, uploaded files, and digital consent inside a Sequence is to use a Fillable Form step.
A Fillable Form step allows you to use a VOME Form inside the Sequence, which means the volunteer can:
answer questions
upload files
provide digital consent
complete other form-based requirements
This is the recommended setup when you want a Step to collect structured responses from a volunteer.
For more detailed guidance, read:
How do I create a Sequence step for people to fill out a form (i.e., answer questions, attach files, provide digital consent, etc.)
A good practice is to let volunteers book an Orientation or Training session directly through a Fillable Form step.
A common setup looks like this:
Create an Opportunity for the Orientation or Training.
Add Shifts that represent the available session dates and times.
Build a VOME Form that includes the dynamic Shift Calendar section.
Use that Form inside a Fillable Form step in the Sequence.
This gives volunteers an easy way to register for the correct session directly from their onboarding flow.
Because this is usually a private process that only volunteers in that step can access, it often makes sense to enable:
Auto-approve Opportunity
Instant Book
When both settings are enabled, the volunteer can choose their session and be booked right away.
This is often one of the simplest ways to manage self-serve registration for onboarding-related sessions.
Yes. VOME allows you to automatically assign Profile Tags based on Step completion or when a person moves from one Step to another.
This is especially useful when Profile Tags are being used as qualification markers across the platform.
For example:
a volunteer completes a Fillable PDF step to sign a waiver
once that step is completed, VOME automatically assigns the Profile Tag Waiver Signed
that Profile Tag then remains visible on the volunteer’s profile across the platform
This can make it easier to identify volunteers in:
the Database
reports
scheduling views
Sequence reporting
other qualification workflows
A good way to think of Profile Tags is as labels that help identify key attributes or completed milestones on a volunteer profile.
Use auto-assigned Profile Tags when a completed Step represents an important piece of data that you may want to report on later.
Yes. There is no limit to the number of Sequences a volunteer can be assigned to.
This is useful when:
one Sequence manages general onboarding
another Sequence manages role-specific requirements
another Sequence manages a later qualification or follow-up process
A volunteer’s journey on VOME may involve multiple Sequences over time.
No. A volunteer cannot be assigned to the same Sequence again from scratch if they have already gone through it.
However, you can move the volunteer back to a previous Step within that same Sequence if you need them to repeat part of the process.
If your goal is for the volunteer to go through the full Sequence again as a new process, the best practice is to duplicate the Sequence and use the duplicate version instead. That way, the volunteer can complete the same flow again, but it will be tracked as a separate Sequence.
VOME supports shared requirement tracking across the platform.
For example, if you create a requirement such as a waiver, interview, orientation session, or training session, that requirement can be reused in multiple Sequences.
If the same volunteer is assigned to multiple Sequences that include the same requirement:
their status is updated centrally
completion carries across the platform
you do not need to manage the same requirement separately in each place
For example, imagine you require all volunteers to complete the same liability waiver.
You would create that requirement once, then use it in multiple Sequences. Once the volunteer completes it and the requirement is marked complete, that status is reflected anywhere else the same requirement appears.
This same concept also applies to other centralized requirement types and aligns with how screening checklists work for Opportunities.
Each Step has its own configuration, and this is one of the most important things to understand when using Sequences well.
A Step can be configured based on:
whether it is visible to the volunteer
whether it is designed to provide or collect information
whether admin review is required
whether completion can happen automatically
whether moving to the next step should happen automatically
whether a Profile Tag should be assigned on completion
This means that even within the same Sequence, different Steps can behave very differently depending on what your process requires.
Best practice: Configure each Step around its exact purpose instead of trying to make every step behave the same way.
For most organizations, Sequences work best when you:
use them to manage a clear step-by-step process
make the Sequence visible to assigned users when volunteers need to complete tasks directly
use Fillable Form steps when you need to collect answers, files, or consent
use Fillable PDF steps when you want volunteers to complete PDF documents on VOME
use Video, Background Check, and E-Learning steps when those tools match your onboarding process
use private Forms with a Shift Calendar when volunteers need to book Orientation or Training sessions
use auto-assigned Profile Tags when step completion should create a reusable qualification marker
reuse shared requirements across Sequences whenever possible