New Year, New Programs and Events!

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New Year, New Programs and Events!
The start of a New Year means it’s time to configure the upcoming year’s events in Altru! Whether you are arranging a golf tournament, planning summer camps or workshops; the type of event we create will determine what we can configure within the event and what information is gathered at the time of ticket purchase. In Altru, there are 4 types of events:
  • Special Events
  • Scheduled Programs
  • Preregistered Programs
  • Daily Admission Programs
Some important questions to consider when choosing how to configure your event are: Does this event occur multiple times, do you need the name of each person attending, do you need to print tickets or use discounts. The graph below will help determine how to choose the type of event to create in Altru.
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This blog will focus on the creation and configuration of Special Events, Scheduled Programs, and Preregistered Programs. Daily Admission Programs are untimed programs that occur daily. They simply require you add the daily admission program to begin selling tickets. These programs are designed for untimed all day general admission sales.

Special Events
Special events typically occur once a year and are generally used for events such as Galas or Golf Tournaments. These types of events have the ability to track detailed information such as lodging options, expenses and event speakers. We are also able to send invitations through our Special Event Record. Special Events can be sold through Advance, Daily, or Online sales. We can also add a payment in the back office. It is important to remember Special Events do not use tickets or discounts and cannot issue partial refunds when entered through Daily, Advance, or Online Sales.

To add a Special Event we go to Events, Add New > Special Event. On the Add an Event screen, we will enter the Name of the event and important details such as the start date, start time, and location. The add an event screen is also where we will configure if this event allows designations on fees.
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Note: It is important to remember that we must configure if the event allows designations on fees prior to registering any constituents for the event. If the designation tab is missing on an event record and no constituents have been registered, we can edit the event to allow designations.

Once the event record is created, we will then configure the details of the event such as the registration options, invitations, designations, etc. To add registration options, navigate to the Options tab > Select Add. Here we will select the registration type, name, registration count, registration fee, and cost. The registration count field is used to enter the number of registrations associated with the registration type. For example, if a Couple registration type should include 2 registrations, enter 2. The Registration fee is the amount the Patron will pay. The cost would be the cost your organization incurs.
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Note: If you do not see a registration type in the drop down, you may first need to add registration types.

To add a designation, we will navigate to the Designations Tab > Select Edit. In the Edit Designations screen, we can search and select the designation associated with our Event. When registering constituents, we will see that the tax deductible portion of their registration will go to this designation.
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Now that we have configured our event, added registration options and a designation, we can now send event invitations, sell event registrations, and acknowledge these registrations.
Scheduled Programs

Scheduled Programs are events that recur daily, weekly, or monthly at a defined time. These are events such as tours and performances that you do not need a list of attendees (or roster), just maybe a list of constituents who purchased tickets. Scheduled programs can be sold through Daily, Advance, Group and Online Sales.

To add a scheduled program, we will go to Tickets > Add a Scheduled Program. On the Add a Scheduled Program Screen we can enter the Program Name, Description, Location, Capacity, Prices, and Restrict ticket sales to certain memberships.
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Once the Program has been added, we can then schedule the event occurrences within the Program. We can do this by navigating to Tickets > Schedule Program Events. On the Program Search screen, we will search and select our Program. On the Schedule Events screen we can enter event details such as the Name, Description, Location and Capacity. We will also enter the date and time recurrences of the events we are scheduled.
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Don’t forget to add a ticket template to the tickets tab if we will be selling tickets, configure any discounts, add a button to the daily sales page, and approve the Program for web forms before you begin selling tickets!

Preregistered Programs
 
Preregistered Programs are similar to Scheduled Programs in that they allow you to track events that recur daily, weekly or monthly at a defined time. However, these programs require Patrons to provide the names of each person they are buying tickets for allowing you to get a roster of attendees. This type of event also allows you to add specific questions the Patron will be asked to answer at the time of purchase. We can use these questions to gather information such as an emergency contact, t-shirt size, allergies, etc.

To add a Preregistered Program, we will go to Tickets > Add a Scheduled Program. On the Add a Scheduled Program Screen we can enter the Program Name, Description, Location, Capacity, Prices, and Restrict ticket sales to certain memberships. It is important to remember that we must mark the box Requires Registration when creating the event!
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Note: If you forgot to require registration when creating the program, we are unable to change a scheduled program to require registration after it has been created. If no tickets have been sold to any program events, we can delete and recreate the event. If tickets have already been purchased for program events, we will need to mark the program inactive and recreate.

Once the Program has been added, we can then schedule the event occurrences within the Program. We can do this by navigating to Tickets > Schedule Program Events. On the Program Search screen, we will search and select our Preregistered Program. On the Schedule Events screen we can enter event details such as the Name, Description, Location and Capacity. We will also enter the date and time recurrences of the events we are scheduled.
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Now that we have created our Preregistered Program and Scheduled Programs, we can add registration questions to be answered when purchasing tickets to this program. We will do this from the Program Record by navigating to the Registration Information Tab, click Add > Question. To add an existing question, we can select the appropriate Registration Section and Registration question in the drop down. To add a new question, click the Add a question button.
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We will then enter the field name, field type, choose if the question should show online, and configure the price types the question will apply to.
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Don’t forget to add a ticket template to the tickets tab if you will be selling tickets, configure any discounts, add a button to the daily sales page, and approve for web forms before you begin selling tickets! After ticket sales begin, you may want to see a list of all registrants with required questions and answers.
 
Stay tuned for the next blog in our Program Series: Summer Camps!
 
News ARCHIVED | Blackbaud Altru® Tips and Tricks 01/17/2017 10:12am EST

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