Add or Edit a Conference Session (in Speaker and Session Management)

This page explains how to add and edit conference sessions in the Speaker and Session Management module.

The session layout determines which fields appear on the page. The layout is set on Setup > Session Layout. If sessions have already been added, the Speaker and Session Management Module cannot be disabled for the event unless you cancel or delete those sessions.

Top-Right Controls

Session Visibility shows the current visibility.
Click to select the other option: Regular or Private.
Regular is the default view. The session's visibility is unrestricted in session catalogs.
The usual limitation still applies: sessions are only available if published to the attendee type.
Private is visible in session catalogs only to attendees who are pre-registered for the session.
Session Tasks allow viewing existing tasks.
Session Tasks allow adding new tasks.
Session Tasks allow marking open tasks as Complete.
Session Tasks allow opening completed tasks.
Speakers can mark their own tasks as complete online on the Tasks page of the Speaker Portal.
Reviewer Stats show statistics for the current session.
Average Score equals total scores divided by the number of reviewers who have scored the session.
Reviewers' Progress is a colored horizontal bar showing the percentages of reviewers who have not reviewed (red), reviewed (green), or requested modifications (yellow). If no reviewers have been allocated, the bar is gray and labeled "N/A".
Requested Modifications lists the reviewers who have sent the submission back for modifications. Each name is a link.
Remaining Reviewers lists reviewers who have not yet scored the session. Each name is a link.
Session Status shows the current status. Click to change it to Qualified, Cancelled, or Publish.
The number on the Publish icon shows how many attendee types the session has been published to. In the example, that number is 0.
To publish a session, click the button to display a list of attendee types.
Select the attendee type(s) for whom the session must be displayed as an option in session catalogs or on a form. This may also apply to Attendee Types on Registration Sessions or Assign Sessions.
Click Publish Attendee Type(s).

Session Details

Video: Creating a Session (2 min.) is available.
The fields for each session are determined by the Session layout set up for the event in Setup > Session Layout.
This usually includes custom fields set up on Setup > Custom Fields.
The standard fields in the default layout are described below.
If the layout in your event has been customized, some of these fields may not be present, and other Standard Fields may have been added.

Standard Fields (Default Layout)

Session Name – (Required) Should be unique in the event. May include only letters, numbers, dashes, and spaces. Maximum length: 255 characters.
Note: For a digital session (see Session Webinar below), the Session Name should be the same as the Webinar name.
Session Type – (Required) Select a session type.
Standard values (unless you've deleted any) are Keynotes, Hands-on Labs, Breakout Sessions, Interactive Sessions.
You can add custom types on the Sessions page, or right here while adding or editing a session, thus:
Type its name in the text box.
Select a Color to be used on the Scheduler grid view on the Sessions page.
Click Add New.
Session Code – (Required) Unique code identifying the session.
Note: You may edit the Session Code of an existing session.
Track – Select a track from Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Tracks.
Tags – Select any of the tags set up for the current account. Start typing to display matching tags incrementally. You can select multiple tags per session item. Click the small x next to a tag to delete it. Tags are for use with the Points value of the session as a metric for integration connectors and for reporting.
Points – The number of points allocated per Tag. Used when attendees' interest metrics are calculated. The aggregate number of points per tag can be exported via a connector to a third-party application or seen in the Interest Metrics Report.
Duration – The length of the session, in Hours and Minutes. Used when you schedule the session on the SCHEDULER grid view on the Sessions page. Minimum duration: 5 minutes. Caution: If any of the session's instances have already been scheduled, you cannot increase the session duration if that would cause an overlap with another instance.
Industries – Select "target" industries for this session, if applicable. The list available is those assigned to this event (Setup > Industries). Note: Not included in the default layout. You would need to add this field when customizing the layout in Setup > Session Layout.
Job Functions – Select "target" job functions for this session, if applicable. The list available is those assigned to this event (Setup > Job Functions). Note: Not included in the default layout. You would need to add this field when customizing the layout in Setup > Session Layout.
Session Level – Select the level of difficulty, if applicable. The standard levels included (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) can be customized.
You can add custom levels on the Sessions page, or right here while adding or editing a session, thus:
Type its name in the Add New text box.
Select a Color to be used on the Scheduler grid view on the Session List.
Click Add New.
Session Label – An optional short label for reports. Not included in the default layout. You would need to add this field when customizing the layout in Setup > Session Layout.
CEU Credits – Enter the number of Continuing Education credits applicable.
Number of Instances – (Required) How many times this session takes place. Default = 1. Must be an integer greater than zero. You may schedule this many instances of the session under Schedules on this page, or on the Scheduler grid view on the Sessions page.
Speaker(s) – Any existing master speakers on this session are listed. Click Add Speaker to add a master speaker. Select from the list of speakers set up for this event. To remove a speaker from the session, click the red X after their name.
Note re double-booking: If the session has been scheduled, you cannot assign a speaker who already has a session scheduled at that time. The first speaker you add has a green star automatically, indicating they’re the Primary Speaker. Additional speakers you add have a gray star, indicating they’re a Co-Speaker. Click a star to toggle it, changing a Co-Speaker to a Primary Speaker or vice versa.

Schedules

Instances – A list of the instances of this session. Click one to view and edit its details. If there’s only one, its details are shown automatically.
Q: How do I remove a session from the schedule? A: Click the Unschedule button on the SCHEDULER view on the Sessions page.
Details shown for each instance:
Start Date – The date of this session instance.
Start Time – The time this instance begins on that date.
End Time – The time this instance ends.
Note: For a digital session (Session Webinar below), the Date and Times should be the same as those of the webinar.
Location – Select a Location from those set up on Locations.
Note: For a session which is only digital (Session Webinar below), this should be a dummy location such as “Webinar” or the name of the webinar platform (probably Zoom or ON24). For a hybrid session, this would be the physical location.
Capacity – The maximum number of attendees at this instance of the session. Attendees can select sessions on forms or a Session Catalog, and can be assigned to them on Bulk Assignment.
Warning: For digital sessions (Session Webinar below), the capacity should equal the capacity of the webinar itself, as set on the webinar platform (such as Zoom or ON24).
Warning: For unlimited capacity, leave the field blank; do not set it to zero, which would mean no capacity at all.
Waitlist Limit – The maximum number of attendees that can be waitlisted for this instance. Applies once a session occurrence is fully subscribed; that is, once the number of attendees registered for it has reached Capacity. Up to this number of attendees can then be added to a waiting list, pending cancellations.
Note: Blank = unlimited waitlisting. Zero = no waitlisting.
Override Capacity – If selected, a planner may override the Capacity for this instance of the session when assigning registrants (for example, using Bulk Assignment, Process Waitlist, or 2.0 API).
Warning: Do not select this for digital sessions. The capacity should equal the capacity of the webinar itself; overriding that could result in attendees not being registered for the webinar.
Note: An attendee’s Registration History shows if sessions were assigned using this override.
Session Webinar – For digital sessions, where you are using a third-party platform such as Zoom or ON24 to host the webinar, you can either:
Create the webinar on that platform (only if Zoom or ON24) by clicking Create webinar/meeting, or
Connect to the webinar on that platform by clicking webinar/meeting.
The heading and buttons are displayed only if Digital Events is enabled for the event in Plan > Configure > Options.
The session instance has a Location (see Location above) and is Scheduled (has a Start Date/Time).
The note: You can only connect one webinar to a session, and vice versa.
Best Practice: Do not connect sessions to webinars if you are connecting the event to a webinar on Event Setup > Details or Event Setup > Overview.
Webinar Option 1: Create Webinar
This option is only available for Zoom and ON24.
Note: Before you can create a webinar from here, as explained in Digital Events Overview, an administrator must have set up a Connection to that platform in Certain Signal.
Steps: Click Create webinar/meeting and complete the details:
Select a webinar/meeting Service configured for your account (likely Zoom Webinar, Zoom Meeting, or ON24 Webinar).
Select a Connection (as set up in Signal).
Select a Presentation Type (live or on-demand).
Select Host(s).
Click Next.
The webinar will be created on your chosen platform.
Webinar Option 2: Connect to Webinar
Note: Two more things must be done before you can enter webinar details here, as explained in Digital Events Overview.
You first create the webinar on the webinar platform you are using (probably Zoom or ON24).
You will need the ID from that webinar.
An administrator must have set up a Connection to that platform in Certain Signal.
Click Connect Online Session to open a panel in which you enter the webinar details.
Webin ar Service for this Session – (Required) Select the integration being used for this event. The options available depend on what’s enabled for your account.
Zoom Webinar, Zoom Meeting, ON24 Webinar, Custom.
Integration Connection – (Required) Select the Connection set up in Signal for the selected Integration Type.
Meeting/Webinar Id – (Required) Enter the Id from your webinar platform.
In Zoom, for example, that’s the Webinar Id when you set the webinar up there.
Note: You can only use a given Meeting/Webinar Id once in an account; you can’t use the same one for more than one session or event.
Note: The Session Name should be the same as the name of the webinar.
Click Connect Online Session to apply the details.
The details of that meeting are displayed from the webinar platform.
Warning: You cannot change the webinar link after you’ve confirmed it.
If the webinar schedule changes on the webinar platform, be sure to correct the details in the session instance as well.
If the webinar is cancelled on the webinar platform, be sure to cancel the session and registrations in Certain.
Delete Webinar — Click to remove the association with the webinar. Possible only if there are no registrations for the session.

Additional Details section

Abstract File – Shows the file name of the uploaded abstract document. Click the file name to open the document.
To add an abstract, click Upload File and drop a file into the box, or click Choose File to browse for a file.
File formats – .doc, .docx, .ppt, .pptx, .pdf, .xlsx, .xls.
Caution: Only one abstract document can be uploaded at a time. If you upload a new one, it will replace the original.
Abstract Description – Use the HTML editor to enter a description or summary of the abstract. This is for internal use, not for attendees to read. Maximum length: 4000 characters.
Session Presentations – Shows the Document Name and Size of the presentation files if any have been uploaded. One session may have more than one presentation.
To open a presentation, click the Document Name hyperlink.
The relevant program must be installed on your computer (for example, Microsoft PowerPoint).
To add a presentation, click Upload File and drop a file into the box, or click Choose File to browse for one on your computer.
File formats – .doc, .docx, .ppt, .pptx, .pdf, .xlsx, .xls.
To delete a presentation, click under Action.
Session Description – Describes the session. Include this on a registration form’s session section. Edit using the HTML editor. Maximum length: 4000 characters.
Session Notes – Any internal notes about this session, for the planner. Maximum length: 500 characters.
Session Fee – Not included in the default layout. You would need to add Fee when customizing the layout on Setup > Session Layout.
See Also – List of related articles and topics.
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