Events Manager User Guide

Table of Contents #

1. Creating Events
2. Attaching Events to Groups
3. Setting Up Recurring Events
4. Managing Event Bookings and RSVPs
5. Event Categories and Tags
6. Advanced Event Features

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Creating Events #

Accessing Event Creation #

1. Log into the website with your authorized account
2. Navigate to Events from the main menu or dashboard
3. Click “Add Event” or “Create New Event” button
4. Alternative access: Look for “Events” in your admin dashboard menu

Basic Event Information #

Event Title and Description #

1. Event Title:
   • Use clear, descriptive names
   • Include key details like “Wine Tasting at Mountainview Vineyard”
   • Keep titles concise but informative
2. Event Description:
   • Write a comprehensive description of the event
   • Include what participants can expect
   • Add any special instructions or requirements
   • Use formatting (bold, bullets) for easy reading

Date and Time Settings #

1. Start Date: Select the event date from the calendar picker
2. Start Time: Set the event start time
3. End Date: Usually the same day unless it’s a multi-day event
4. End Time: Set when the event concludes
5. All Day Event: Check this box if the event runs all day
6. Time Zone: Verify the correct time zone is selected

Location Information #

1. Venue Selection:
   • Choose from existing venues in the dropdown
   • Or create a new venue if needed
2. Creating New Venues:
   • Click “Add New Venue” or “Create Venue”
   • Enter venue name (e.g., “Community Center”)
   • Add full address including city, state, zip
   • Include venue description and any special notes
   • Add venue contact information if available
3. Location Details:
   • Provide specific room or area information
   • Include parking instructions
   • Add any accessibility information

Event Visibility and Privacy #

1. Event Status:
   • Public: Visible to all website visitors
   • Private: Only visible to logged-in members
   • Group-Only: Visible only to specific group members
2. Registration Settings:
   • Open Registration: Anyone can register
   • Member Only: Only club members can register
   • Approval Required: Registration requires approval

Publishing Your Event #

1. Preview: Use the preview function to review your event details
2. Save Draft: Save as draft if you need to add more information later
3. Publish: Make the event live and visible to appropriate audiences
4. Schedule: Set a future publish date if needed

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Attaching Events to Groups #

Group Integration Overview #

Events Manager Pro integrates with BuddyPress groups, allowing you to:

• Create group-specific events
• Limit event visibility to group members
• Send notifications to group members
• Manage group event calendars

Method 1: Creating Events Within a Group #

From the Group Page #

1. Navigate to your group from the Groups menu
2. Look for “Events” tab on the group page
3. Click “Create Event” or “Add New Event”
4. Event automatically associates with the current group

Group Event Settings #

• Automatic Group Assignment: Event is automatically linked to the group
• Group Member Visibility: Only group members see the event (if set to private)
• Group Notifications: Group members receive notifications about the event

Method 2: Assigning Groups During Event Creation #

Group Selection in Event Editor #

1. Create a new event using the main Events menu
2. Find the “Groups” section in the event editor (usually in a sidebar or meta box)
3. Select Associated Groups:
   • Check boxes next to relevant groups
   • You can assign an event to multiple groups
   • Leave unchecked for club-wide events

Group Assignment Options #

• Primary Group: Main group responsible for the event
• Additional Groups: Other groups that might be interested
• Cross-Group Events: Events that appeal to multiple groups

Group-Specific Event Features #

Group Event Permissions #

1. Group Moderators: Can create events for their groups
2. Group Members: May have permission to create group events (depends on settings)
3. Event Approval: Group events may require moderator approval

Group Event Notifications #

• Automatic Notifications: Group members get notified about new group events
• Activity Stream: Events appear in group activity feeds
• Email Alerts: Members receive email notifications based on their settings

Managing Group Event Visibility #

1. Group Members Only: Event only visible to group members
2. Club-Wide with Group Tag: Visible to all but clearly marked as group event
3. Public with Group Association: Open to all but organized by specific group

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Setting Up Recurring Events #

Understanding Recurring Events #

Events Manager Pro allows you to create events that repeat on a schedule, such as:

• Weekly meetings (Bridge Club every Thursday)
• Monthly gatherings (First Wednesday Coffee)
• Annual events (Holiday Party each December)

Creating a Recurring Event #

Basic Recurring Event Setup #

1. Start with single event creation as described above
2. Find the “Recurrence” section in the event editor
3. Enable recurrence by checking “This is a recurring event”

Recurrence Patterns #

Daily Recurrence:

• Every X days: Specify interval (every 1 day, every 3 days, etc.)
• Weekdays only: Monday through Friday only
• Custom daily pattern: Set specific daily rules

Weekly Recurrence:

• Every X weeks: Set interval (weekly, bi-weekly, every 3 weeks)
• Days of week: Select which days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
• Example: “Every week on Thursday” for weekly bridge games

Monthly Recurrence:

• Day of month: Same date each month (15th of every month)
• Day of week: First Tuesday, third Wednesday, last Friday of month
• Every X months: Set interval (monthly, quarterly, etc.)

Yearly Recurrence:

• Annual events: Same date each year
• Holiday patterns: Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November)
• Seasonal events: First day of spring, etc.

Advanced Recurrence Options #

End Date Settings:

1. Never end: Continues indefinitely
2. End after X occurrences: Stop after specified number of events
3. End on specific date: Set a final date for the series

Exception Dates:

• Skip specific dates: Exclude holidays or other conflicts
• Holiday integration: Automatically skip major holidays
• Custom exceptions: Manually add dates to skip

Managing Recurring Events #

Editing Recurring Events #

When editing a recurring event, you’ll see options:

1. Edit this event only: Changes apply to single occurrence
2. Edit this and future events: Changes apply from this date forward
3. Edit all events in series: Changes apply to entire recurring series

Individual Event Modifications #

• Venue changes: Move single occurrence to different location
• Time adjustments: Change time for one instance
• Description updates: Add specific details to individual events
• Cancellations: Cancel single occurrence without affecting series

Bulk Management #

• View all occurrences: See list of all events in the series
• Bulk edit: Make changes to multiple events at once
• Export series: Download recurring event details
• Delete series: Remove all events in the recurring pattern

Common Recurring Event Examples #

Weekly Group Meetings #

Bridge Club – Weekly Game

• Pattern: Every Thursday
• Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
• Location: Community Center
• End: Never (ongoing)
• Group: Bridge Group
• Description: “Join us for friendly bridge games every Thursday afternoon”

Monthly Club Events #

First Wednesday Coffee

• Pattern: First Wednesday of every month
• Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Location: Rotating venues
• End: End of membership year
• Group: Club-wide event
• Note: Update location monthly in individual events

Seasonal Activities #

Book Group Monthly Meeting

• Pattern: Third Tuesday of every month
• Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Location: Members’ homes (rotating)
• End: May (summer break)
• Restart: September (new season)
• Group: Book Club

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Managing Event Bookings (Ticketed Events) #

Booking System Setup #

Events Manager Pro includes a comprehensive booking system for managing event attendance (for ticketed events).

Enabling Bookings #

1. Event Editor: Find “Bookings” section
2. Enable Bookings: Check “Enable bookings for this event”
3. Booking Settings: Configure registration options

Booking Configuration Options #

• Registration Required: Require advance registration
• Drop-in Allowed: Allow walk-up registration
• Member Only: Restrict to club members
• Guest Policy: Allow or restrict guest registration

Capacity Management #

1. Event Capacity: Set maximum number of attendees
2. Waiting List: Enable waiting list when event is full
3. Group Limits: Set limits per group or family
4. Registration Deadline: Cut-off date for registration

RSVP and Registration Features #

Registration Form Fields #

• Standard Fields: Name, email, phone number
• Custom Fields: Dietary restrictions, accessibility needs, emergency contact
• Member Information: Automatically populate for logged-in members
• Guest Information: Collect details for non-member guests

Confirmation and Communication #

• Automatic Confirmations: Email confirmations sent upon registration
• Reminder Emails: Automated reminders before event date
• Custom Messages: Personalized messages for different event types
• Cancellation Instructions: Clear policies for registration changes

Payment Integration (if enabled) #

• Paid Events: Collect fees during registration
• Payment Methods: Credit cards, PayPal, other options
• Invoicing: Generate invoices for group bookings
• Refund Policies: Clear guidelines for refunds

Managing Event Registrations #

Viewing Registration Lists #

1. Event Dashboard: Access from Events menu
2. Registration Reports: View all attendees for each event
3. Export Functions: Download attendee lists
4. Communication Tools: Contact registered attendees

Registration Management Tasks #

• Manual Registration: Add attendees directly
• Registration Edits: Modify attendee information
• Cancellation Processing: Handle registration cancellations
• Waiting List Management: Move people from waiting list to confirmed

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Event Categories and Tags #

Organizing Events with Categories #

Creating Event Categories #

1. Events Menu: Go to Events > Categories
2. Add New Category: Create categories that make sense for your club
3. Category Examples:
   • Social Events
   • Educational Programs
   • Group Meetings
   • Special Activities
   • Club Business

Using Categories #

• Event Assignment: Select appropriate category when creating events
• Multiple Categories: Events can belong to multiple categories
• Category Pages: Automatic pages showing all events in each category
• Navigation: Help members find events by type

Event Tags for Better Organization #

Tag Examples #

• Activity-based: #wine-tasting, #hiking, #cards
• Audience: #couples, #singles, #new-members
• Season: #summer-activity, #holiday-event
• Location: #community-center, #outdoor, #member-home

Tag Benefits #

• Search Functionality: Members can search by tags
• Related Events: Show similar events automatically
• Trend Analysis: See which activities are most popular
• Cross-Promotion: Connect related events and groups

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Advanced Event Features #

Event Templates #

Save time by creating templates for recurring event types:

Creating Templates #

1. Create a sample event with all standard details
2. Save as template for future use
3. Template categories: Different templates for different event types

Using Templates #

• Quick Event Creation: Start with template and modify as needed
• Consistency: Ensure similar events have consistent information
• Time Saving: Reduce repetitive data entry

Event Series (Beyond Recurring) #

Create connected events that are related but not necessarily recurring:

Example Series #

• Wine Education Series: Four different wine education events
• New Member Orientation: Welcome events throughout the year
• Seasonal Celebrations: Spring picnic, summer BBQ, fall festival, winter party

Multi-Day Events #

Handle events that span multiple days:

Setup Considerations #

• Start and end dates: Clear multi-day scheduling
• Daily schedules: Different activities each day
• Partial attendance: Allow registration for specific days
• Accommodation: Information about lodging if needed

Event Approval Workflow #

If your club requires event approval:

Approval Process #

1. Event Submission: Member creates event as draft
2. Review Process: Designated approvers review event details
3. Approval/Rejection: Events approved or sent back for changes
4. Publication: Approved events become visible

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Troubleshooting Common Issues #

Event Creation Problems #

• Permission Errors: Verify you have event creation permissions
• Group Assignment: Ensure proper group associations
• Venue Issues: Create venues before assigning to events
• Time Zone: Confirm correct time zone settings

Recurring Event Issues #

• Pattern Problems: Double-check recurrence settings
• Exception Handling: Verify holiday and exception dates
• Series Editing: Understand impact of changes on series
• End Date Logic: Ensure proper series termination

Booking and Registration Issues #

• Capacity Problems: Check event capacity settings
• Email Notifications: Verify email settings are working
• Payment Processing: Test payment systems before live events
• Member Authentication: Ensure member login is working

Getting Help #

• Documentation: Refer to Events Manager Pro documentation
• Website Administrator: Contact for technical issues
• Club Leadership: Consult for policy and approval questions
• User Community: Connect with other Events Manager Pro users

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