How do user-generated questions and answers work?

The Questions & Answers (Q&A) feature lets artists ask questions about your calls directly on the public call page. When you answer, your response becomes publicly visible, helping other artists find information without needing to contact you directly. It's like having a built-in FAQ that grows organically based on what artists actually want to know!

What Is It?

The Q&A feature creates a public discussion area on each call's detail page where: - Artists can ask questions about your call (when logged in) - You can answer questions as a gallery administrator - All answered questions become publicly visible to help other artists - Unanswered questions are private until you publish an answer

Think of it as a community-driven FAQ that reduces repetitive questions and helps artists make informed decisions about submitting to your call.

Why Is It Nice to Have?

Reduces Repetitive Questions

Instead of answering the same question via email multiple times, you answer it once publicly. Future artists with the same question can find your answer instantly.

Example: If 10 artists ask "Do I need to ship my work physically?", you answer once and all 10 (plus future artists) see the answer.

Builds Trust and Transparency

Public Q&A shows that you're responsive and helpful. Artists can see that you answer questions promptly and thoroughly, which builds confidence in your organization.

Helps Artists Make Decisions

Artists often have specific questions that aren't covered in your call description. The Q&A section lets them get those answers without waiting for email responses, helping them decide whether to submit.

Saves Time

For you: Answer once, help many
For artists: Find answers instantly without emailing
For everyone: Less email clutter, more clarity

Creates a Knowledge Base

Over time, your Q&A section becomes a valuable resource. Common questions get answered, and artists can browse through past Q&As to find information relevant to their situation.

How It Works

For Artists: Asking Questions

Artist visits your call's public page
Scrolls to the "Questions & Answers" section (near the bottom of the page)
Clicks "Have a question? Ask the organizer" (only visible if logged in and deadline hasn't passed)
Enters their question (up to 1000 characters)
Submits the question

What happens: - The question is saved but not yet published (it's private) - You receive an email notification about the new question - The question appears in your admin dashboard and call detail page - The artist receives a confirmation message

Limitations: - Artists can ask up to three questions per day per call (rate limiting prevents spam) - Questions can only be asked if the call deadline hasn't passed - Artists must be logged in to ask questions

For Administrators: Answering Questions

When an artist asks a question, you'll be notified via email and can answer it in two places:

Option 1: From the Call Detail Page

Log in as an administrator
Navigate to the call (Calls → Select your call)
Scroll to the "Questions & Answers" section (you'll see it as an admin)
Find the unanswered question in the "Awaiting Response" section
Type your answer in the text box (up to 2000 characters)
Click "Publish Answer"

Option 2: From Your Dashboard

Log in as an administrator
Look at your dashboard (the main page after logging in)
Find the "Questions awaiting answers" widget (if you have unanswered questions)
Click on a question to open the answer modal
Type your answer and click "Publish answer"

What happens when you answer: - Your answer is saved and published immediately - The Q&A becomes publicly visible on the call page - The artist receives an email notification with your answer - The question moves from "Awaiting Response" to "Answered" section

Editing Answers

Yes, you can edit answers! Here's how:

Go to the call detail page (as an administrator)
Find the answered question in the "Answered" section
Click "Edit answer" button
Make your changes to the answer text
Click "Save changes"

Important notes about editing: - Edits are saved immediately and update the public display - The artist does NOT receive a new email when you edit (only when you first answer) - The "answered at" timestamp updates to reflect the edit time - You can edit answers as many times as needed

Why you might edit: - Fix typos or clarify wording - Add additional information you forgot - Update information that has changed - Improve the answer based on feedback

Who Sees What?

On the Public Call Page

Everyone can see: - All published Q&As (questions that have been answered) - Question text and answer text - Artist's display name (in "First L." format, e.g., "Jane D.") - Who answered (your name or "Gallery Admin") - When the question was asked and answered

Only logged-in artists can: - Ask new questions (if deadline hasn't passed) - See the "Ask a question" button

Anonymous visitors can: - View all published Q&As - See a message prompting them to sign in to ask questions

In the Admin View

Administrators see: - Unanswered questions in the "Awaiting Response" section - Question text - Who asked it (display name) - When it was asked - A form to answer it - Answered questions in the "Answered" section - Full question and answer - Who asked and who answered - When it was asked and answered - "Edit answer" button to make changes

Jurors do NOT see: - The Q&A section at all (it's admin-only in the admin view)

Privacy and Display Names

Artist privacy: - Artist names are displayed as "First L." format (e.g., "Jane D." instead of "Jane Doe") - This protects artist privacy while still showing that real people are asking questions - Artist email addresses are never shown publicly

Your privacy: - Your name (or "Gallery Admin") is shown as the answerer - This helps artists know the answer is official and from the gallery

The Complete Flow

Let's walk through a complete example:

Artist visits your call page
Sees existing Q&As (if any)
Has a question about shipping requirements
Artist clicks "Ask a question"
Logs in (if not already)
Types: "Do I need to ship my work physically, or can I submit digital files?"
Submits the question
You receive email notification
Email subject: "New question about [Call Title]"
Includes the question, artist name, and a link to answer it
You answer the question
Go to the call detail page
Find the question in "Awaiting Response"
Type: "You can submit digital files only. No physical shipping required. We'll display accepted work digitally."
Click "Publish Answer"
Q&A becomes public
Immediately appears on the public call page
Shows in the "Questions & Answers" section
Other artists can now see it
Artist receives email
Email subject: "Your question about [Call Title] was answered"
Includes your answer and a link to view it on the call page
Future artists benefit
When they visit the call page, they see your answer
They don't need to ask the same question
They can make an informed decision about submitting

Best Practices

Answer Promptly

The faster you answer, the more helpful it is. Artists are often deciding whether to submit, and quick answers help them move forward.

Pro tip: Set aside time each day to check for new questions, or enable email notifications so you know immediately when questions come in.

Be Clear and Complete

Write answers that stand alone—assume the reader hasn't read your full call description. Include enough context that the answer makes sense on its own.

Good answer:

"Yes, we accept digital submissions only. Please upload high-resolution images (minimum 300 DPI, at least 2000 pixels on the longest side) through the EntryThingy submission form. No physical shipping is required."

Less helpful answer:

"Yes, digital only."

Use It Proactively

If you notice artists frequently asking the same question via email, consider: - Adding that information to your call description - Or answering a public Q&A question about it so others can find it

Edit When Needed

Don't be afraid to edit answers if: - You made a typo - Information has changed - You want to add more detail - You realize the answer could be clearer

Keep It Professional but Friendly

Your answers represent your gallery. Be professional, but also warm and helpful. Remember, artists are evaluating whether to submit to your call based on how you communicate.

Email Notifications

When You Receive Emails

You'll receive an email notification when: - An artist asks a new question about your call

Email includes: - Call title - Artist's name and email - The question text - A direct link to answer the question

Who receives emails: - All email addresses listed in your platform's "Send email alert to" field (in Preferences) - Emails are sent to each address separately (not as a group)

When Artists Receive Emails

Artists receive an email when: - You answer their question (first time only—not when you edit)

Email includes: - Call title - Their original question - Your answer - A link to view the Q&A on the call page

Managing Questions

Viewing All Questions

From the call detail page: - Go to your call - Scroll to the "Questions & Answers" section - See unanswered questions at the top, answered questions below

From your dashboard: - The "Questions awaiting answers" widget shows up to 3 unanswered questions - Click "Open call" to go directly to that call's Q&A section

Answering Multiple Questions

If you have several unanswered questions: - Answer them one at a time from the call detail page - Or use the dashboard widget to answer quickly - Questions are ordered by most recent first

Rate Limiting

If an artist asks three questions today, they can't ask more until the oldest question ages past 24 hours.

What this means: - If an artist asks a question today, they can't ask another until tomorrow - This applies per call—they can ask questions on different calls - The rolling 24-hour window means questions expire individually 24 hours after they're asked

Troubleshooting

"I'm not receiving email notifications about new questions" - Check your Preferences → "Send email alert to" field - Make sure email addresses are correct (comma or semicolon separated) - Check your spam folder - Verify your email address is correct in your account settings

"I can't see the Q&A section on my call page" - Make sure you're logged in as an administrator - The Q&A section only appears for admins on the call detail page - On the public page, it appears for everyone (but only answered questions are visible)

"An artist says they can't ask a question" - They must be logged in as an artist (not admin/juror) - The call deadline must not have passed - They can only ask one question per day per call - Check that they're on the public call page (not the admin view)

"I want to delete a question" - Currently, questions can't be deleted once asked - You can choose not to answer it (it will remain private) - Or you can answer it and then edit the answer if needed

"Can I answer questions before they're asked?" - The Q&A feature is for artist-asked questions only - For information you want to share proactively, add it to your call description - Or create a custom question in your call settings if it's something you want to collect from all artists

Tips for Success

Make it part of your workflow: - Check for new questions daily (or enable email notifications) - Answer questions within 24-48 hours when possible - Use clear, helpful language

Think about common questions: - What questions do artists typically ask via email? - Consider proactively answering those in your call description - Or wait for artists to ask and answer publicly so others benefit

Use it to improve your calls: - If multiple artists ask the same question, consider adding that information to your call description - Use Q&A insights to identify areas where your call description could be clearer

Build your knowledge base: - Over time, your Q&A section becomes a valuable resource - Artists can browse past questions to find answers - It reduces the need for direct contact

Related Features

Call Description: Your main call description is still the primary place for information
Custom Questions: If you want to ask artists specific questions during submission, use custom questions (different from Q&A)
Email Notifications: Q&A uses your platform's email alert settings for notifications

Need More Help?

The Q&A feature is designed to make communication easier and more transparent. If you have questions about: - How to answer questions - Email notifications - Privacy concerns - Best practices

Don't hesitate to reach out—we're here to help you make the most of this feature!