Joining DrawNames.com and setting up a Group is easy! Just keep this window open if you wish, and follow these steps:

1. Collect the names and email addresses for each person in your group. It's very important to have correct email addresses so that members will receive notification of their ID, password, and drawn name. You may choose to use your own email address for some members (children, for example) so you may keep up with their information.

2. Click on "Join Draw Names" from the home page.

3. Fill in your own name and email address (and other information that you wish to include) to join. If you are already a member, just log in.

4. Click on "Create a Group."

5. Enter the name of your group and click on "Create Group."

6. Click on "Add members to this group."

7. Add all your members to the group. You do not have to add all your members at one time. You may return to this point at any time to add more members. When you have added all your members, you are ready to draw names!

8. To draw names for your group, just click on "Run Matching Program for this Group."

9. After you run the matching program, your matches will appear. You may access this page at any time by logging in and clicking on "Edit this Group." Please note that you are the only member of your group who has access to this page. All other group members will only see your Group name and the member drawn for them.

10. Each member of your group can log in to view their name drawn from the Group, set up their wish list, and edit their personal information. They can also see the wish lists of every member of your group. Of course, they can also set up their own Group if they wish!

Drawing names is simpler than drawing names from a hat! After you have joined Draw Names and set up your Group, you may run the matching program at any time. Just log in from the DrawNames.com home page, click on "Edit this Group," then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Run Matching Program for This Group." You will immediately see a screen with your matches. You may return to view your matches at any time by logging in and clicking on "Edit this Group."

To change your email address or edit any of your personal information, just log in from the DrawNames.com home page, click on "Review your Personal Information," then click on "Edit Details." Make any changes that you wish and click on "Save Changes."

To update your wish list, just log in from the DrawNames.com home page, click on "Review your Personal Information," then click on "Edit Wish List." Make any changes that you wish and click on "Save Changes."

Keeping your gift exchange a secret is easy. First of all, the gift exchange is already a secret to everyone except the Group leader. The Group members (other than the leader) only see their drawn name when they log in. The Group leader, however, will see the entire selection list when they log in and click on "Edit this Group." The Group leader will also receive a separate email with the Subject of "gift exchange match results."

So, in order to keep the gift exchange a secret, the Group leader must remember not to click on "Edit this Group" after running the matching program, and the Group leader must also remember not to open the email with the Subject of "gift exchange match results."

Occasionally a member will fail to receive their email notifications. To obtain your Member ID and password, first add info (at) drawnamesonline.com to your email address book. Then click on "forgot password?" on the home page and enter your email address that was used by your group leader. Your Member ID and password will be sent to that email address.

Not a problem, we all lose things sometimes! If you have lost your Member ID and password, first click on "forgot password?" on the home page. Enter your email address used for DrawNames.com and we will send your Member ID and password to that address.