TABLE OF CONTENTS

Event Templates are the basis for all Event sales in ACME. This is where you set your Event's description and timing, determine Pricing, and apply Discounts and Coupons.


Prerequisites to Setting Up an Event


Prior to creating an Event Template, you should have a description and image ready. You will also need to have a Price List already configured.


As you create your Template, it can also help to have the following building blocks set up, though you can configure them later and add them to an existing Event Template. These are all configured elsewhere in the Back Office:


Event Templates vs. Event Instances


An Event Template sets up the general fields for your Event, while Event Instances are the particular ways you organize ticket sales to that event. One Event Template may have multiple Event Instances.


For example, you may want set different hours and prices for Weekday guests, Weekend guests, and Special Tours to your venue. Each of these would represent a separate Event Instance that you set up in your venue's main Event Template. (If you have multiple venues, or multiple collections in the same venue, you will likely set up a separate Event Template for each of them.)



Creating Event Instances


You create Event Instances by setting up Schedules in your Event Template. Each Schedule represents a separate Event Instance, and can specify different hours and prices. Schedules can use the same Price List as the Event Template they are part of, or they can use their own Price Lists.


In the example above, to create different hours and prices for Weekday guests, Weekend guests, and Special Tours, you'd create three separate Schedules within your venue's main Event Template. (You might call these schedules  "Weekday Schedule", "Weekend Schedule", and "Special Tour Schedule".) Each Schedule would have different hours and prices.


As new events arise (One-time Lectures, Special Parties, etc.), you can set up Schedules for each of them.


Note: Schedules remain linked to their Event Templates until deliberately unlinked. This means that by default, information in the Event Template will automatically populate the Schedules in that Template. If you edit information in an individual Schedule, however (if you change price descriptions, for example), those fields will be unlinked from the Template, and will not update automatically when the Template is updated. The remaining (unedited) fields will remain linked to the Template, and will still be updated automatically if the Template changes.


Creating a New Event Template

  1. Log in to the ACME Back Office.
  2. Click on "Events" in the left navigation panel.
  3. Select "Templates" from the expanded Events menu.
  4. Click "+ Create Template" in the upper right corner of the screen.
  5. Create your Event Name. This will appear as the title of the Event in all sales channels.
  6. Choose a Color from the color palette. 

You can select from the list of ADA-compliant colors, or you can use a custom color. The color you choose will stay with your Event in the Events Calendar and Events List in the Back Office, in Orders, and in the POS. This can help you identify your Event when looking at a list of many Events. When you select a color, ACME will automatically choose either white or black text, depending on which is more legible.


Description Tab


In the Description tab insert the following information:

  • Event Description: this will appear in the Event Details area of your B2C website, and when the Event is opened in the POS.
  • Short Description: this will appear when the B2C is in List View. If you leave this field blank, it will auto-populate with the first 300 characters of the Event Description.
  • Confirmation Email message: this will be emailed to consumers who purchase tickets via B2B or B2C.
  • Cancellation Email message: this will be emailed to consumers if an Event is canceled.


Click "Create & Continue". New options will open up at the bottom of the page:

  • Add images: click the "+ Add Files" button under "Graphics". These images will appear on your B2C website. If using multiple images, you can specify the primary image by hovering your mouse over the chosen image and clicking "Primary".
  • "Non-venue event": click this if your event is being hosted by a Third Party (i.e. if it takes place in a venue run by a different company). In the box "Purchase amount allocation (%)" (which will appear if you click "Non-venue event"), you can specify the percentage of money from ticket sales that will go to the Third Party.
  • Identifier Code: a space to create a General Ledger (GL) code. Only relevant if you use software (like Quickbooks) that requires GL codes.
  • Custom Fields: if you have Custom Fields set up, you can enter them here. (To learn more about Custom Fields, click here.)
  • Email Notifications: if you'd like to notify someone other than the purchaser when orders are placed (the event organizer, for example), click "Add another recipient" and enter the recipient's Name and Email. The recipient will receive an order summary (purchaser name, email, and quantity/type of tickets purchased) anytime an order is placed.


Click "Save" (in the upper right of the page) before proceeding.



Pricing Tab


Click the Pricing tab, and insert the following information:

  • Price List: select using the drop-down menu. The Price List you choose will appear on the screen. (To learn about Price Lists, click here.)
    1. Double-click the "Description" of any ticket type to change the description. Click away to save the change.
    2. Double-click the "Price" of any ticket type to change its price. Click away to save the change.
    3. Select the desired sales channel(s) you will use for each ticket category. Unchecking a box will disallow sales via that particular sales channel. (To learn about Sales Channels, click here)
  • Purchase Restrictions: click "Only members can purchase tickets for this event" to restrict tickets to members. Members will be asked to verify their membership in B2C to purchase tickets, and POS operators will have to search for and select a member record to sell tickets.

There are four tabs directly below "Purchase Restrictions":


General

  • Ticket expiration (days):controls the number of days that tickets to the Event are valid, beginning with the date selected during the order process.
    • Prevent tickets for the event from being scanned: is used if your organization does not scan tickets. 
    • Allow check-in before event begins (minutes) and Allow entry after start of event (minutes): specify the time period before and after an event begins that a ticket can be scanned.
    • Automatic rebooking: if checked, tickets for this event can be used for any date or time, provided the ticket has not expired and there is capacity in the desired event. See Scanning Tickets with ACME Access Control for more details.
    • Purchase Availability: Customize when tickets should no longer be sold for an event. This applies to both POS and eCommerce sales channels for Standard events.
    • Rebooking Fee: allows you to set a fee for rebooked orders. The fee can be removed in the POS or Back Office at the time of ordering by
    • Ticket Information: lets you add information that will be printed on BOCA tickets (i.e. tickets printed with a BOCA machine), and included in the ticket tiles on email confirmations.


Organizations, Members, and Coupon Tabs


These tabs are for assigning discounts to Organizations, Members, and Coupon Categories. To learn more about Discounts, click here.The process to configure each type is the same. To configure a discount:

  1. Click on the relevant tab (Organizations, Members, or Coupons).
  2. Click "Add Discount".
  3. Use the drop-down Category menu to select the Coupon Category, Organization Category, or Membership Level to which you want to offer a discount on the event.
  4. Use the drop-down Discount menu to associate a Discount with the Category you just selected.


Click "Save" (in the upper right of the page) before proceeding.



You've now configured the general information on your Event Template. See the Creating Event Schedules for more details.