Overview
You can add customized, event-specific database fields to collect information from event registrants, such as seating choice, meal choice, or extra-charge options.
You can customize the appearance of the event registration form by modifying the event registration system page.
Registration form fields
The default event registration form consists of two sections:
- contact fields
- events fields
Values entered in contact fields on event registration forms will not update corresponding fields in the registrant's contact record, but are stored separately within event registration records. See Customizing your contact database fields for more information.
To customize an event registration form, follow these steps:
- Hover over the Events menu and select the Events list option.
- Within the event list, click on the event whose form you want to customize.
- Click the Registration form link.
- Click Edit.
- From the screen that appears, you can choose which contact fields to include, and add custom event fields for this event only. If you want registrants to be able to – or be required to – upload one or more documents, add a file attachment type field.
You cannot de-select the e-mail field. - When you are finishing making your changes, click Save.
Adding fields
To add a new field, click Add new field. For new fields, you can set the field type and change field settings.
Field types
The following field types are available:
Text
Simple text field, used for short entries.
Multiline text
Used for longer text entries of up to 3,000 characters.
Multiple choice
A set of checkboxes. See Adding choices to multi-option fields.
Multiple choice with extra charge
A set of checkboxes, each with an associated cost. Allows you to provide additional event options at a separate cost.
Radio buttons
A set of mutually exclusive choices, arranged like buttons on a car radio. See Adding choices to multi-option fields.
Radio buttons with extra charge
A set of mutually exclusive choices, arranged like buttons on a car radio, each with an associated cost. Allows you to provide additional event options at a separate cost.
Extra charge calculation
Provides the ability to order multiple items, or to charge an additional fee proportional to a value entered by the registrant. For organizational members, you might want to charge an extra fee based on their revenue, number of staff, or grants they've received. For more information, see Using the extra charge calculation field.
Dropdown
A set of mutually exclusive choices, arranged in a drop-down list. See Adding choices to multi-option fields.
File attachment
Allows an event registrant to upload documents and images as part of their event registration. The supported document types are: TXT, PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PTT, PPTX, ZIP, CSV. The supported image types are: JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIF, TIFF. For more information on working with file attachment fields, click here.
Rules and terms
A checkbox with a link to documentation of waivers, terms of use, contractual conditions, etc. For more information, see Using the rules and terms field.
Date
Displays a calendar control that can be used to select a date.
Section divider
Used to group and separate fields.
Field settings
For each field, the following settings are available:
Field label
The name used to identify the field. The field label must be unique among all event fields and contact fields.
Required field
Controls whether the field has to be filled out before the form can be submitted. For all self-service online forms, (member application, email subscription, donation, and event registration), the Email field is always required.
Items
For multiple choice, radio buttons, and dropdown fields, you choose the options to be displayed. Click an existing option to change or remove it. Click Add new item to add more items to the list. See Adding choices to multi-option fields.
Field instructions
Instructions explaining how to use this field. For information on controlling the appearance of field instructions, see Adding field instructions.
Deleting fields
Deleting a field will lose the data stored in that field for all current event registrants.
To delete a field, click it within the list, then click the delete link on the right.
After you delete a field, it appears crossed out in the field list until you save your changes.
While the field appears crossed out, you can restore it by clicking the restore link.
Reordering fields
To change the order in which fields appear, you can drag and drop fields within the list, or you can click the green up and down arrows beside a field.
Changing colors and fonts
You can change the colors and text styles used on your event registration form from the Colors and styles screen. For a complete list of the elements you can modify, see Event calendar gadget.
Any changes you make will be applied to other gadgets that use the same settings.
Modifying the event registration system page
You customize the system page used to display the event registration form by adding content.
To customize the event registration system page, follow these steps:
- Hover over the Website menu and select the System pages option.
- Within the system page list, select Event registration.
- Click the Edit button.
Now, you can modify the system page in a number of ways. You can:
- Change the page template from the page settings on the left.
- Hover over the blue box – the system gadget that displays the actual registration form – and click the Settings icon to display the settings for the system gadget.
- Click the Gadget or Layout drop-downs to insert gadgets and layouts above or below the system gadget.
When you are finished modifying the event registration system page, click the Save button.
Using an event registration form
When visitors to your site click the Register button for an event, the following event registration forms appear:
- First, they will be asked to enter their email address. If they are logged in, their email will already be filled in (though they can change it, to register another person).
- If there are multiple ticket types, they will then be asked to select a ticket type.
Depending on whether they are logged on or not, some member-only ticket types may not be available. If they are not logged in, but their email is stored in your contact database, they will be prompted to log in. If their email is not stored in your contact database, they will be prompted to apply for membership. - Now, the main registration form appears.
Once they complete the form and click Next, the event record is created and they will be prompted to confirm the registration. - After the registration is confirmed, a new contact record will be added and an email will be automatically sent to them with their password and other login information. Depending on the payment method you chose for your event, the registrant may be given the option of paying the registration fee off or online.
Working with file attachments
If you want event registrants to be able to upload documents and images as part of their event registration, you need to add a file attachment type field to the event registration form.
On the registration form, the field will appear as a Choose files button that the registrant can click to upload up to 20 files, with each file a maximum of 20 MB.
The supported document formats are: TXT, PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PTT, PPTX, ZIP, CSV. The supported image formats are: JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIF, TIFF.
If you designate your file attachment field as a required field, then registrants will have to upload at least one file before proceeding with their registration.
After the registrant uploads a file and confirms the registration, administrators can view the file attachment(s) from the registrant's registration details.
Administrators can edit the registration details and add files or remove files from the registration.
Registrants can view their attachments by clicking their event registration within the list on the My event registrations tab of their private member profiles.
Registrants cannot replace or delete file attachments after submitting the registration form.
For more ideas on ways you can use file attachments to help your events run smoothly, click here.
