Event Management and Ticket Sales

How Do I Create An Event?

To get started in creating an event, watch our video tutorial. You can also click the feature links below to jump to a specific topic in the article.

Features:

Create an event

Customize your event site

Sell tickets to an event

Sell event merchandise

Select a bank account to deposit funds

Set up your guest list

Send invitations

Sharing an event on social media

How to view your event

Create an event

1. In the left navigation bar, hover over Events and click Create an Event
2. Fill out the standard event information: event title, start and end times, venue, address, and a customized description of the event

• If the event is recurring, you can check the This Is a Repeating Event box and specify the details

3. Select Tag this event option to enable tags and check off the tags you would like added to the event
   • If you have not set up accounts in Tags you will need to complete this set up before assignment can be completed

4. Click the Quick-add button to make your event live right away, or choose Save & Customize to access more advanced options including: RSVPs, ticket sales, merchandise sales, invitations, adding custom photos and videos, and more

Note: The description field is your chance to detail the event in a personal way. Spruce it up and get your members and guests excited about coming. The more descriptive the better.

Customize your event site

Adding a personal touch to your upcoming event is a great way to boost excitement, and better establish a connection to your group.  The more engaged members are in a group, the more successful that group will be.

1. Click on Events in the left navigation bar
2. Select Manage Events from the submenu
3. Click on the event name
4. Scroll down to the Event Page section and select Customize With Videos, Images, & Other Content

From here you can customize the following:

• Event page URL
• Header
• Banner image (900 px wide recommended)
• Description box (520 px recommended for photos)
• Videos
• Photo albums
• Comments

5. To edit each section, simply click on the section, make desired changes, then hit Save and Close

Sell tickets to an event

Admins can sell tickets on an event site through the platform.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events and select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Scroll down to the RSVPs & Tickets section and select Tickets & Payment Items
4. On the Basics tab, fill out the information fields to create a ticket for the event, including inventory limits
5. Optional - Assign an Account
   • If you have not set up accounts in Chart of Accounts you will need to complete this set up before assignment can be completed
6. Select Save

7. There are two custom settings you can apply to your ticket sales:
   • Custom time frame for ticketing. For example, set up an early-bird ticket window
   • Variable ticket pricing. For example, set different prices for members and non-members
8. Click the Dates Available tab to select a ticketing window
9. Select the Special Pricing tab
10. Click the Edit button for the event ticket you wish to create special pricing for
11. Select Custom Pricing

• To set separate prices for each member level, click Customize by Member Level. A field will appear for each of your membership levels. Fill in the dollar amount for each level, as well as pricing for non-members.
• To set separate prices for members and non-members, fill in the dollar amounts

10. Click Save once complete

11. Hit Save, or click New Ticket/item and repeat the process

Note: By default, the Convenience Fee, which is the processing fee deducted from payments collected on the system, is charged to the organization.

• To assign the convenience fee to the payer, click More Options.
• Underneath Convenience Fee, select the radio button The Person Making the Payment Will Pay the Fee.

12. Click Save & Close when done

Sell event merchandise

Event merchandise can be sold on your event signup page. This feature is perfect for selling additional fundraising items, such as T-shirts.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events and select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Scroll down to the RSVPs & Tickets section and select Tickets & Payment Items
4. Click the New Ticket/Item button
5. Enter the merchandise item name, price, and limit per person

• If there is a limited number available, include a total inventory limit.

6. Optional - Assign an Account
   • If you have not set up accounts in Chart of Accounts you will need to complete this set up before assignment can be completed
7. Click Advanced Options
8. Include a detailed description of the merchandise item

• You can use the space to insert a picture of the product.

9. Choose New Ticket/Item to offer an additional item

• Use this option to offer the same item in various sizes.

Note: You can also limit the purchasing window by selecting an availability start and end time.

• If this item is a required purchase to attend the event, check the box Required to Attend Event.

10. Click Save

Select a bank account to deposit funds

Even if you have not yet set up a bank account to deposit funds, you can still create an Event. If you’re raising funds for your own group that has not yet selected a bank account to deposit funds, it’s important to note that you must do this in order to access collected funds. To view the process of how to select a bank account to deposit funds, please see Add and Verify a Bank Account in the Reporting and Account Settings section.

1. On the left navigation bar, click on Manage Events
2. Select the title of the event you wish to manage
3. In the features list, click Select a Bank Account to Deposit Funds

4. Click the dropdown menu to select a bank account or select Add a New Bank Account

• If you add a new bank account, you will be required to fill in the bank account’s information fields.

5. Click Save & Close

Set up your guest list  

Once you have created your event, you can begin populating your guest list to send invitations. Admins can create custom invitations and share them on social media or their group website.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events and select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Scroll down to the Guest List & Invitations section and select Guest List
4. Click the Add More Attendees button

5. Begin adding your guests using the following tabs:

• Add New: Import guests using an online address book or add new contacts manually.
• Choose From My Group: Choose existing group members by clicking on the check box next to their names. 

Note: You can only add members from one page at a time using this method. Make sure you press Save & Close before moving onto a new page of members.

• Choose Lists: Click the checkbox for each distribution list you would like to use. 

Note: We recommend using Choose Lists for setting up a your guest list more efficiently. To learn how to set up a distribution list, please see How to Create a Distribution List.

6. Once you have set up your guest list, click Save & Close to edit another section, OR click Continue to Invitations to finish the process

Send invitations

Once you’ve created an event, you can send trackable invites to your event site.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events and select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Scroll down to the Guest list & Invitations section and select Customize & Send Invitations
4. Customize your invitation by clicking on the subject line and the body
5. On the Send Invitations dropdown menu, select when the invitations will be sent 

Note: If you get a pop-up notification that the event is not published, you can still proceed, but remember to click Make This Event Live on the following page (unless you intend to keep the event hidden). Your event will remain hidden until you publish.

6. Click Send OR if you chose a later send date, click Schedule & Close

Share an event on social media

Broaden the reach of your communication by sharing your event on social media. This is a great way to boost awareness and raise attendance.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events and select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Choose from the quick links to share your event on various social media channels

How to view your event  

1. In the left navigation bar, click Events
2. Click the event name of the event you wish to view

• If you wish to view a past event, you will need to click Past Events first.

3. Click the blue View button on the right side of the screen

Get the link to your event / Customize the event page URL  

1. In the left navigation bar, hover over Events and click Manage Events
2. Click on the gear icon of the event you wish to view, then select View Event
3. Click Customize the Event Page URL under the event page section

Your event link will appear in both long and short form.

4. To customize the URL, click Customize
5. Add the specific text you want, then click Save

How to Enable the Event Check-in Feature

Monitoring member attendance for your events helps improve accountability within your membership while also easing admin burden in tracking member involvement. Our check-in functionality also helps you maintain visibility of overall event attendance. The check-in feature works great for events that require attendance for membership meetings, study sessions, or volunteer events, but you can use it for any type of activity.

Check-in can be completed either by a member using a passcode or manually completed by an admin. Only members of the group will be able to check in using the passcode option. Members must have a login to complete check-in. Admins can still add anyone to the guest list, whether they’re a member or not, but non-members will not be included in the check-in report.

1. In the left navigation bar hover over Events and click Create Event in the submenu
2. After adding your event details click Yes to enable check-in

Choose how you'd like members to check in to the event:

• User enter a passcode 
• Admins manually check in attendees

Note: If you select manual check-in, you can save your edits and skip to the section entitled How to Edit or Complete Check-in for Members

The default selection from the dropdown is User Enter a Passcode, and an event check-in passcode will automatically generate.

Note: If you need a new passcode for any reason, click the refresh button and a new one will generate.  Be aware that if you generate another passcode after you’ve already sent invitations, the original passcode will no longer be valid. You’ll need to notify members of the updated code if you’ve sent them a previous passcode.

3. You can choose a custom date & time for your event check-in or set it for the date & time of your event

4. Once you’ve completed the information for check-in, click Save & Customize to continue creating your event

How to Send the Passcode to Members

You can choose to send the passcode to your members in any manner you like, however, if you opt to email it or include it as part of your invitation your members can complete check-in without physically being present at your event.

Best Practice: Post the passcode on-site at your event in a place where it can be seen so members can complete the check-in only upon their arrival.

How to Add a Participation Tracker to an Event

Enterprise plan

You can opt to add a participation tracker to your group’s events so that your members can be awarded points or hours (or any type of value you choose) for attending. This is a great way to ensure member attendance for an event, and it also provides admins insight into their members’ participation in your organization’s activities.

To assign a participation tracker to an event you’ll first need to create a new event or edit an existing event. (Learn how to create an event.)

The second requirement is that event check-in must be enabled. (Learn how to enable the event check-in feature.)

How to add a participation tracker to an existing event:

1. To complete adding a tracker to your event, click Yes to add points to the event check-in

• An additional dropdown will appear wherein you can select a tracker.

2. Select the tracker to use with this event from the dropdown menu

• You also have the option to create a new tracker at the bottom of the dropdown menu.

3. Enter a participation label and the amount awarded for the assigned check-in value, such as points or credits

To create a new tracker:

1. Select Create a New Tracker from the dropdown menu
2. Complete the tracker information by adding a tracker name, the name of the value you’re tracking, participation label, and award amount

3. Continue the event creation or edit process by clicking the Save & Customize button

How to Check In to an Event Using a Passcode (Member View)

There are two ways to access the event check-in page depending on whether RSVPs for the event is enabled or not.

If RSVPs were enabled and you have already RSVP’d "Yes" for the event:

1. Log in to your memberplanet account
2. Locate the event in your dashboard and click on the event name

3. Click on the Check-in button, which will appear clickable during the check-in window

4. Enter the passcode which you have received from your administrator

If RSVPs have not been enabled for the event:

1. Click on Events in the left navigation bar
2. Locate the event from your upcoming events list and click the gear icon
3. Select View Event from the dropdown

4. Click the check-in button and enter the passcode

• If you’ve entered the correct passcode, you’ll receive a success message

How to Edit or Manually Complete Check-in for Members

If you’ve selected manual check-in this is how you’ll complete the process during your event. If you’ve opted to use a passcode this is where you can view the check-in status of your invitees.

1. Hover over Events on the left navigation bar and click Manage Events
2. Click on the event name you want to edit/complete check-in for
3. Scroll down to the Guest List & Invitations section and click on Guest List

• In the Check-in Status column, you can see members who have already completed check-in and who is still pending.
• A timestamp when a member completed check-in via passcode will automatically appear in the Check In Time column when they’ve successfully completed the process.

To edit the check-in status of a member:

4. To edit a status or complete check-in, click on the dropdown in the Check-in Status column
5. Select either Checked-in or Pending

You can restore those who have checked-in back to pending in the same way, even if they’ve used a passcode for check-in.

How to Enable and Share RSVPs

After you’ve created an event, you have several options for creating and managing your RSVPs. RSVPs can begin based on when the event is published, by specific date and time, or by the number of days before the event starts. Options to choose your specific date and time or number of days will pop up upon selection.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events and select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Scroll down to the RSVPs & Tickets section and select RSVP Options
4. Click on the Enable RSVPs button

5. Use the dropdown menus to customize when your RSVPs will open and close

Note: Closing your RSVPs will not close your event, so members and guests will still be able to view the event page.

Additional options for enabled RSVPs:

• Choose the dropdown menu for Max Attendees to limit the amount of people at your event
• Reply choices
• Upon clicking the checkbox Attendees May Bring Guests, a number of options will appear for further specification
• Choose the Send an Email Alert when someone RSVPs option to add admin or member emails for alert
• The custom Add a Thank-you Message to the Confirmation Email allows admins to write a new email message that will be sent to guests upon replying
• To use an existing email from the email builder to be sent select Send an Existing Email Campaign as a Thank-you When Someone RSVPs checkbox

Add custom fields to an event RSVP form

You may want to collect additional detailed information using the RSVP form. Along with the preexisting RSVP field options, you are able to create and add an unlimited number of custom fields.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events and select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Scroll down to the RSVPs & Tickets section and select Custom RSVP Fields

4. Click on the Add a Custom Field button

5. Fill out data pertaining to your custom field
6. Click Save, or repeat steps 4 - 6 to add more custom fields
7. Click Save & Close

Sharing RSVPs

Members can share RSVPs via email without worry that it will cause attendance tracking issues.

If the intended recipient shares their invite with someone else, that person can RSVP by following these steps:

1. Click RSVP Now from within the email

2. User should click the Not You? link if their name does not match the person's name on the invite

3. User will be directed to the RSVP page where they can enter basic information and click Continue to complete the RSVP

How to View the Event Check-in Report

You can see when a member completed check-in under the Check-in Created Date column. You can also view a member’s current status in the Check-in Status column.

1. Hover over Events on the left navigation bar and click Manage Events
2. Click on the event name you want to view the check-in report for

• If the event date has passed, you may need to click on Past Events to navigate to it

3. Click on Check-in Report

All members on the guest list will be on the report.

Note: Non-members included on the guest list will not be included on the check-in report.

The check-in report will update statuses continuously as members complete check-in either by passcode or manual admin check-in.

You can view when a member completed check-in under the Check-in Created Date column.

View a member’s current status in the Check-in Status column.

View Event Reports and Additional Event Functions

 Admins have access to view event reports and make use of additional event functionality:

Record an RSVP or offline payment

View event responses

View/edit RSVPs

Copy an event

Collect payments with the mobile app

View email history

Share an event on an external site

Record an RSVP or offline payment

In the case that someone wants to pay by cash or check, or wants to RSVP but doesn’t have access to the site, admins can record an RSVP or an offline payment. This is especially helpful if you have event attendees who show up at the door (even for a free event), and you want to account for them to keep your records accurate.

To record an RSVP:

1. On the left navigation bar, click on Events
2. Click on the event name

• If it is a past event that you are trying to update, you will need to click on Past Events to navigate to it.

3. In the RSVPs & Tickets section, select Record an RSVP 

4. Fill out the information fields

5. Optional - Assign a Deposit
   • If you have not set up accounts in Deposit you will need to complete this set up before assignment can be completed
6. Click the Continue button

To record an offline payment/edit an RSVP:

Note: To record an offline payment or edit an RSVP, the person's RSVP must have already been recorded even if the payment was not made online. The event form must also include a payment item.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events, then select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Click on View All RSVPs in the upper-right corner
4. Click on the gear icon for the person you wish to record
5. Select Record Payment in the dropdown menu 

7. Fill out the information fields

8. Optional - Assign a Deposit
   • If you have not set up accounts in Deposit you will need to complete this set up before assignment can be completed
9. Click Continue to complete

View event form responses

Admins can monitor and track RSVPs, ticket sales, and merchandise purchases for events.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events, then select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Select View All RSVPs on the right side of the page
4. View responses by using the filter dropdown menu to see the following:

• All RSVPs
• Attending
• Not attending
• Might attend

View/edit RSVPs

Admins can also view or edit an existing RSVP in the case that someone changes their mind or wants to correct a mistake.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events, then select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Scroll down to the Guest List & Invitations section and select Guest List
4. Click on the gear icon for the person you wish to edit the RSVP for
5. select Edit RSVP from the dropdown menu
6. Fill out the information fields
7. Click the Continue button

Copy an event

Copying an event site is ideal for recurring events or using existing event site you’ve created as a template. By copying it, you won’t have to overwrite your existing event site.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events, then select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Click Copy on the right side of the screen
4. Type in information for your new event site, including title and date/time
5. Click Copy Event

Note: Once copied you will be able to edit the new event copy.

Collect payments with the mobile app 

Through memberplanet’s mobile app, admins can collect payments for their group on the go and at the door of an event. To learn more, please see our Mobile App section.

View email history

memberplanet logs and tracks your emailed event invitations, so you can return at any time to see which ones were delivered and which, if any, need to be resent. It is a best practice to send a couple rounds of invitations, since some emails get lost in a busy inbox.

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over events, then select Manage Events

2. Click on the event name
3. At the top of the page will be a breakdown of RSVPs and Invites Sent

4. To view who has received the invitations in further detail, click View Email History on the right side of the screen
5. Click the View Full Tracking Details button
6. From here, you can view who has opened the invite and/or replied

Share an event on an external site

1. On the left navigation bar, hover over Events and select Manage Events
2. Click on the event name
3. Scroll down to the Event Page section and select Create an Event Button for Your External Website
4. Admins have one of two options to select:

• Choose a Button: Use the dropdown menu to select the desired button text, then click on the color of your choice.
• Upload Your Own Image: Click the Choose Image button, and drag and drop your desired image into the allotted area, or click to browse and upload. Complete the prompts to upload and crop your image if needed, then click Get Code Snippet.

Note: Recommended image size is 580 px wide or smaller.

• A shaded box will contain the HTML code for your button.

5. Copy the entire HTML segment, and paste it into your website

Each external website builder is different. Check out the customer support for your website hosting company for instructions on embedding the code.

Glossary - Event Management and Ticket Sales

Custom Field Label: the name an admin gives to a custom field, which is visible to a member.

Custom Field Type: the format in which the field will be populated by a member.

Convenience Fee: the processing fee deducted from payments collected on the system. By default, the fee is charged to the organization.