Installing the Event Management Portal

The video below runs through how to setup and install the Event Management Portal in Workbooks. Written instructions are also included below.

Introduction

Before starting the installation of the Plugin you will be taken to the Introduction page. Once the install is started we generally advise that you set aside up to two hours to set up the Plugin entirely. This is because this will require some manual configuration within your database before you can complete the install.

Once you start the install, if you end your session or close the plugin window you will need to uninstall the plugin and then reinstall it from this stage again. Any configuration performed by yourself or the plugin will remain in your database so you will not need to perform these actions again.

Step 1  – Configure Reports

If you have already created the Report described on the Prerequisites page you will be able to progress immediately to Stage 2 and continue the installation. 

However, if the Report has not been created as it is outlined on the Prerequisite Page you will see the following error page. You will need to follow the instructions on this page to create the Report as described before being able to move on to the next stage.

Once the Report has been created you will be able to use the Retry button and move to Step 2. 

Step 2 – Create Picklists

This step does not require any configuration from yourself, it is simply informing you which Picklists or Picklist Values are required by the Portal are not already within your Database. If a Picklist already exists with the same name as one required by the Plugin it will add the Values to the existing Picklist.

By selecting the Create/Modify Picklists button the plugin will create the required Picklists and Picklist Values automatically in the background for you and then move you on to Step 3 once it has finished.

Step 3 – Create Custom Fields

The Plugin will automatically create all of the required Custom Fields that are used by the Portal, once this is complete you can move on to the next step of the installation.

Custom Fields will be created on People, Invoice, Customer Order and Event Records, if you have a large number of Records the Custom Fields will be queued for creation at 7PM local time. 

Step 4 – Configure Custom DLI Fields

If you have already created the DLI as described on the Prerequisites page you will be able to continue to Stage 5 of the installation. 

However, if the DLI has not been created as it is outlined on the Prerequisite Page you will see the following error page. You will need to follow the instructions on this page to create the Field as described before being able to move on to the next stage.

Once the DLI has been created you will be able to progress to the next step of the installation.

Step 5 – Create Processes

This step will setup and configure all of the Processes needed in order for the Portal to function correctly – there are four Processes that are created from Scripts in the Script Library. 

Event Management (Web) – This Process will host all of your events online and allow potential attendees to register their interest.
Event Management Queues – This Scheduled Process looks at Orders created through the Portal and creates the associated Invoice and sends it to Attendees.
Event Management Prune Old API Data – This scheduled Process removes old information from API Data and deletes abandoned Draft Orders.
Event Management (Integration) – This is the plugin itself, it will create a Process to run the integration from.

By selecting the Create Processes button, the Processes will be created in the background and you will be taken to Step 6.

Step 6 – Custom Field Mappings

Field Mappings can be set up on Orders, Order Line Items and Invoices. When these are created by the Portal it will apply these additional defined mappings. This allows you to populate data on creation; for example, a created Sales Order can be assigned to the same User as the Event that it originated from. 

You will then need to populate the following Fields:

Trigger – here you can choose between on creation or on update as to when this Action will take place, on update would apply when an Order has been posted rather than created.

Destination Record – You have the choice between, Orders, Invoices and Order Line Items, select the Record you wish to update.

Destination Field – this will provide a list of all of the Field Names available on that Record – this is the Field you will be updating.

Source Record – You can choose between Orders, Order Line Items, Events and a Fixed Value this is where the data is being pulled from.

Fixed Text Value / Source Field – the Value you will be using to update the Record with.

Changing the Source Record from Fixed Value changes the Fixed Text Value to Source Field, allowing you to look up all of the Field Names from that Record.

Step 7 – Parameters

This step will help you configure and customise your Event Portal to your needs, all of these Parameters can be amended at a later date if required. We have documented how you can amend the Parameters after installation on our Knowledge Base.

Parameters control the behaviour and look of feel of the Event.

Assigned To Queues

Select the Queues that you wish for newly created Records to be Assigned to, if you have not already have the Queues in the database you will need to create new Queues for each Record. More information on creating Queues can be found on the Knowledge Base.

Styling

The Styling section allows you to start customising the look and feel of your Event Portal. All of the styling is powered by Bootstrap 4 to allow for a mobile responsive Event Portal.

Event’s first page – The Event’s first page allows you to choose the first page of your Event that an attendee will see in the Portal; by default it will show the Details page providing you with the overview of the Event. However, you can set this to be the Registration Page allowing attendees to sign up to an event instantly.

Default the Subheader to event dates – All Events have a Subheader field that can be populated with a brief one line summary. When this setting is enabled this Subheader will appear on the Event rather than the date.  If you have the setting configured and no Subheader the date will show instead.

Custom CSS – Here you can use a link to a CSS file that will allow you to fully customise the look and feel of your Event Portal to fit with your brand. Speak to your Web Developer for further information on this, if you do not have a CSS file available more information can be found here.

Default Background & Logo Image – In these Fields you can provide a URL to your chosen Default Background and Logo image. These are optional Fields but we would strongly recommend populating them to help your Event Portal look and feel like a part of your website. More information on adding images to the Upload Library can be found on our Knowledge Base.

Event Details

The Event Details section allows you to configure some additional settings within your Event Portal to help your Events appear more complete and professional.

Default person placeholder image – If a speaker does not have an image on their Speaker Record then this image will be used – similarly to the Default Background and Logo we would recommend that this is populated and stored in the Upload Library.

Google Map API Key – If you want to provide an embedded map for your Event location you can enter a Google Map API Key into this field which will then display on the Event Details Page. Details on how to get the API Key can be found here.

Payment Details

Payments can be made directly within the Event Portal itself, allowing Customers to purchase Tickets for Events.

Customer Invoice Template – Here you can select from a Picklist of available Invoice PDF Templates that will be used when sending confirmation to Attendees, as well as the design used if an Attendees wants to download invoices from the portal at a later date. This is optional, however without it the Event Portal will not be able to create PDFs for any orders placed.

Payment gateway – Here you can choose how payment can be taken through the Portal. At present the Event Portal only integrates with Stripe Payment, if you are planning on holding Events where you will want to take payment for tickets you will need to select Stripe.  You will need to ensure that you have an account with Stripe and have access to the Public and Secret Keys provided by stripe.

Additional Functionality

Use Voucher Codes – Enabling Voucher Codes allows you to make tickets available that may be hidden within the Portal. These can then be used as part of a promotional offer.

Show Available Tickets – When creating an Event you may want to limit the number of Tickets that are available to be sold, more information on this can be found here. 

Unlimited Available Tickets Text – If there is no limit on the number of tickets that can be sold for an Event you may want to change how this is displayed within the Portal. By default it will show “> 100”, this text will only appear if the Show Available Tickets setting is turned on.

Cache Expiry – Certain details from the Events and Products are stored in API Data, this is to help improve the overall performance of the Event Portal and allow it to respond faster when Attendees are signing up. 

Step 8 – System Picklists

This step allows you to select which Picklists you would like to use as default within the Portal – all of these Picklists will have been setup and configured by the Event Portal, however you may want to use your own custom Picklists if you already have them set up in the Database.

Step 9 – Email Templates

Within the Event Management Portal there are two automated emails that are sent out throughout the Process. This step allows you to configure the Email account and Templates that are used in these Processes.

Email Address – Here you can choose from the list of available Email Accounts setup and configured in Workbooks, all automated emails will then be sent from this address. More information on how to setup Email Accounts can be found on the Knowledge Base.

User confirmation template & Forgotten password template – From here you can select the Email Template that is sent out for each of these Processes. There are already templates available within the Template Library “Event Portal – Registration” and “Event Portal Forgotten Password” available to be used, however if you have your own Templates you would rather use, then these can be accessed through the My Template Library. More information on configuring Email Templates can be found on the Knowledge Base.

Step 10 – Password Policy

Here you can configure your Password Policy that is used when an Attendee registers an account within the Portal. Here you can configure the minimum number of characters, uppercase characters, lowercase characters, numbers and special characters.

We would recommend keeping the Password Policy as it is as your Portal will be holding personal data and will need to be secure.

Step 11 – Configure info texts

This is the final Stage, here you can configure the information text that will appear throughout your Event Portal at various stages. All of these are completely customisable and can be amended as required.

Closed registration text – Each event has a registration period associated with it, once this date has passed this text will appear at the top of the Tickets page within the Portal.

Text on the top of the details page – Here you are presented with options, depending on whether your Event is for People, Organisations or both. This text will appear when Users are confirming the details of who is placing the Order – whether they will be paying for it as an individual or through their Employer.

Create Password section – This text will be shown after a User has made their purchase and is presented with the option of continuing as a Guest or signing up for an Account.

Step 12 – Configuration Complete

Once the Wizard has been completed you will now be able to go to Portal with the link provided, this page also outlines how to change any of the configuration at a later date.

You have now completed the Plugin Install, any Events that you have configured and set to Published will now be available in the Portal. If you have not yet configured your Events we would recommend reviewing our Knowledge Base page that covers this in greater detail.