Adding program items to an event
Program items are specific itinerary options that registrants can choose from once they have selected a registration option. These itinerary options can be configured to only appear once specific registration options are selected, or for all registration options. They can also be configured to be automatically selected once a registration option is selected. To define program items, do the following:
- Navigate to the event Showcase tab.
- In the Program area, select Add.
- (Info tab) Enter in the general information for the program item:
- Enter a Program item code and Program item name. The code must be alphanumeric, contain no spaces, and be unique among all registration options and program items in the event.
- Enter the Description of the program item.
- Enter the Start date and time and the End date and time for the program item. The date and time range is based on the system Time zone setting.
- Enable Display to staff users only to display the program items to only staff users.
- Enable time-based itinerary conflicts - This option will be automatically selected for new program items if Enable time-based itinerary conflicts in program items by default is enabled for the overall event (event definition). When enabled, people registering for program items containing conflicting time schedules will be notified of the program item time conflicts. The warning will appear in the event registration window and again in the cart. If you want registrants to be able to checkout even with itinerary conflicts, make sure Allow non-staff registrants to complete registration with conflicts in their itinerary is enabled in the event definition. Deselect this option if you do not want time-based conflicts to apply to this program item.
- Add or select Conflict codes as an alternative or an addition to time-based conflicts. For example, use conflict codes for program items that do not have time-based conflicts, but do have an overall scheduling conflict.
- Add a new conflict code when you want to start a new conflict that will eventually be added to other program items. To add a conflict code, type your desired code in the Conflict code field, then select Add conflict code. Continue adding as many conflict codes as necessary.
- Select conflict codes when there is already an existing program item with a defined conflict code for which you want to create a conflict with.
Note: Conflict codes are exclusive to each event, and are not shared between events. To permanently delete a conflict code from the list, make sure it is not being used by any program item, then save the program items. Reopen the program item, and the conflict code will no longer display.
- Enter program items in the Linked program item field to associate them with a parent program item. This will automatically enroll registrants of the parent program item to the linked program items.
- Enter values for Capacity, Max quantity per registrant, Category, or Track.
- Capacity – If you set a maximum capacity, once that limit is reached, iMIS disables relevant registration buttons and links and prompts registrants to review any registrations pending in the cart, if affected. Entering no value allows unlimited registrations.
- Max quantity per registrant – If the Max quantity per registrant attribute for this event was set to greater than 1, you can add a number of guests to your registration. For example, if the attribute was set to 4, you can specify up to a maximum of four registrants as part of your registration (yourself and three guests).
- Category – Designates one or more terms, separated by semicolons, as being relevant categories for this function. For example, if the program item targets both intermediate and advanced practitioners, you might enter Intermediate;Advanced.
- Track – Designates one or more terms, separated by semicolons, as being relevant tracks for this function. For example, if the function serves both managers and technologists, you might enter Management;Technical.
- Enable Print tickets to allow tickets to be printed for registrants of this program item. When enabled, a Print tickets button appears on the Dashboard for the event. You can print tickets With badges or Without badges.
- If there are multiple program items with the same start date and time, you can enter a Sort sequence to determine what order they appear in the program. Program items with the same start date and time will be sorted by this value, lowest to highest (items with a value of 0 will be the first in the order). The date and time range is based on the system Time zone setting.
- Award continuing education units to attendees when event is closed - Select to define continuing education unit types and the number of units to be awarded. See Defining and marking CEU attendance on the web for information on setting up CEUs and marking attendance.
- Continuing education type - Select a CEU type from the drop-down. This drop-down will not display if no CEU types have been defined.
- Units to award - Enter the number of units to be awarded.
- Select an image from the Image Selector or upload a new one to the Document system.
- Enter HTML text in the Additional information panel. There is no limit on size. See Understanding the toolbar icons for more information about how to use the Additional information HTML editor.
Note: A program item ending at 10 a.m. and another program item beginning at 10 a.m. are not recognized as time conflicting. If there is no ending time for a program item, a time-based conflict will not be recognized.
Note: If you delete the parent program item, it does not remove the linked program items from your itinerary. You must manually delete linked program items to remove them from your itinerary.
Click for detailsThe program item's capacity, including the quantity selected per registrant, counts toward the event's total capacity.
Note: This limitation can be overridden by staff.
Note: The Max quantity per registrant attribute cannot be greater than 255.
Note: If this option is enabled and you mark all attendees as absent, you will receive the following message when trying to close an event: All attendees were marked absent for the following functions. Do you wish to close the event anyway?
Note: The maximum supported characters for an event Image file path is 255 characters. Event program item images support 100 characters.
Note: To display program item images, enable Display program item images in the Event Program Display content item.
Adding downloadable documents to an eventEvent managers can add downloadable content to an event, such as slides or manuals for an upcoming webinar. This allows attendees to view the slides or manual before and after the event. To add downloadable content to an event, use the Content Link Manager.
- (Pricing tab) Set the prices for the program item:
- You can set both Default and Members price fields, so that your members can enjoy the benefit of a reduced fee. Note that the price you enter auto-fills the Members price. Leave it (to prevent any discounting) or override the price by lowering the amount, or selecting Comp for those members to not be charged a fee. When your members view an event, they will see only the appropriate fee.
- Select whether the program item will be made available to the pricing groups in your system by checking or unchecking the Not available option. Selecting Not available excludes all members of the pricing group from registering, or being registered, with a few caveats:
- If a contact qualifies for more than one pricing group, and any of the program items are visible, the contact will be able to view the registration options.
Example: Rush Lincoln is a regular member and part of the South Chapter. He is registering for the Music Educators Conference. The Keeping performance skills sharp program item is not available to the Members pricing group. However, South Chapter members can register at a price of $50. Therefore, Rush will pay $50 in registration fees for this program item.
If both the Member and South Chapter pricing groups were marked as Not Available, Rush would not be able to register himself for the Keeping performance skills sharp program item. - Staff can register a pricing group member, even if Not available is checked.
- Non-staff users can register a member of an eligible pricing group, even if the event function is not available to them.
- If a contact qualifies for more than one pricing group, and any of the program items are visible, the contact will be able to view the registration options.
- You can also set additional Pricing Groups for both registration options and program items. These pricing groups allow you to define a regular price, along with early and late pricing for specific groups.
- If you entered an Early Cutoff date for your event, the Early Price fields will be available. If you entered a Regular Cutoff date, Late Price fields will be available.
- Select an Income Account for each of the pricing groups, so that transactions related to the respective pricing group will be recorded to the specified GL account. Please note the following:
- If a pricing group's Income Account is set to Default, the income account for the registration option (defined on the Accounting tab) will be used.
- If the registration option's Income is defined as Default, the pricing group (if also Default) will use the system settings for Income. This is defined in Financial Entities on the Default Accounts tab.
- To make the registration option complimentary, select the Comp option.
- If you entered an Early Cut-Off date for your event, the Early Price fields will be available. If you entered a Regular Cut-Off date, Late Price fields will be available.
- Select an Income Account for each of the pricing groups, so that transactions related to the respective pricing group will be recorded to the specified GL account. Please note the following:
- If a pricing group's Income Account is set to Default, the income account for the program item (defined on the Accounting tab) will be used.
- If the program item's Income is defined as default, the pricing group (if also Default) will use the system settings for Income. This is defined in Financial Entities on the Default Accounts tab.
- To make the program item complimentary (or to include it as part of the event registration), select Comp for Default or Members prices, or both.
- (Accounting tab) Review the settings and make any required changes for the item:
- Financial entity - From the drop-down, select the financial entity to be associated with this program item. If this option is left blank the program item will use the financial entity defined for the overall event.
- If you have enabled Canadian taxation or VAT taxation in iMIS, you can select the Tax category.
- If you have enabled Canadian taxation or VAT taxation in iMIS, you can select the Tax category. The Tax category specifies the taxation rules to be applied. The taxation method is set up for your default organization (Go to Settings > Finance > Financial entities).
- If your organization uses the Canadian taxation method with GST as the taxation authority, select GST/HST or PST. If the program item is non-taxable, do not select an option. If the program item is taxable, select one or both options.
- If your organization uses the Canadian taxation method with GSTINC as the taxation authority (generally countries in the Asia-Pacific region), select Taxable or Non-Taxable.
- If your organization uses the VAT taxation method, select Taxable or Non-Taxable. If the program item is Taxable, enter the VAT Tax Code you want to apply.
Note: See Taxation for more information on setting up Canadian and European (VAT) taxation methods in iMIS.
Click for details- Charitable item - Enable this option if you would like this program item to be considered a gift. The fees for the program item will appear in the registrant’s Giving History.
- Fair market value - This amount is the value that a donor receives for making a Gift.
- Income - Choose the GL account to assign to the program item. The Default option will use the system default account for events. If needed, you can also choose a Deferred income account to assign to the program item. The Deferred income option is available if you are licensed appropriately.
Note: Be sure to use a charitable financial entity for program items that are considered gifts.
- (Questions tab) Select Add new to include program-item specific questions. If you would like to adjust an existing question, select a row and click Edit selected.
- Type in your question:
- Select the checkbox if you would like to indicate that an answer to the question is Required. When the Required option is enabled, system administrators and staff users can submit registrations without answering the required questions, while public users must answer all required questions before submitting.
- Select the answer type from the drop down.
- Yes/No – The registrant can only select either Yes or No.
- Numeric integer – The registrant can enter only whole numbers (positive or negative).
- Numeric decimal – Registrant can enter any number with up to four decimal places. If more are entered, they will be truncated to the fourth place (not rounded).
- Single-line text – The registrant can enter an answer of only one line in a text box.
- Multi-line text – The registrant can enter lengthy answers in a multiple-line text box.
- Dropdown list – The registrant can select one of several listed options.
- Modify the question as needed.
- To adjust an existing question, click the edit icon on the question row.
- To hide a question from registrants, select the Hidden checkbox in the Questions configuration area.
- To change the presentation order of your questions, click the up and down arrows on the questions tab.
- The modifications made on the Questions tab determine the content viewed by registrants after they have added a program item to their itinerary.
- If a SysAdmin makes changes to forms while a registrant is completing a form, it is possible that either the question or the registrant response will be lost. Make your changes and updates at a time that few people will be registering.
- Click Save.
There are six different answer types available:Event organizers configure drop-down lists either explicitly, defining each option manually, or by query, defining a static group of list options for an individual question through a pre-arranged query.
The Display Value field determines the text seen by registrants. The Data Value field is only used in the database. For example, if you chose to display long sentence answers to registrants, the Data Value field would enable you to record abbreviated versions of those options in the database.
In order for responses to each group of questions to be saved, registrants must select Save Response before checking out.
Click for details - (Registration options tab) Configure the program item to only appear for certain registration options.
- Edit a program item and select the Registration options tab.
- For each registration option, choose how the current program item should display when a registrant chooses this registration option:
- Display and allow user to add/remove – The current program item displays the registration option, and the registrant can register for it. This option is available only if the item allows registration.
- Display and do not allow user to add/remove – The current program item displays for the registration option, however, staff users can register contacts for the program item. The setting is still honored for public users who will be unable to register for the program item.
- Do not display – The program item does not display for the registration option. However, staff users can view the program item. The setting is still honored for public users.
- (optional) Enable Register by default?. When Register by default? is selected and either Display and do not allow user to add/remove or Do not display are chosen, registrants will be auto-enrolled for that program item.
- When you have chosen display options for each registration option, click Save & Close.
- Click Save & Close.
Note: Event questions can be reported on using the FormDefinitionFieldData and FormFieldResponseData business objects.
Note: If you are working with a copied even or used a template to create the event, the event questions are copied over and cannot be deleted. If needed, you can hide questions. See Adding program items to an event for information on how to hide event questions.
As an event planner, you can easily customize how program items should display for each registration option. You can define the display options from the context of a specific registration option or a specific program item. For example, you can configure the guest registration option to only display the guest-allowed program items.
Note: When a registrant selects a different registration option, program items added to registrations by default are not automatically removed.