Registration Groups in Certain

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Keywords: Certain, Registration Groups, group assignment

Document ID: https://platform-support.certain.com/hc/en-us/articles/8119122134295-Registration-Groups-in-Certain#split1

This article is a guide to using the Registration Groups sub-module in Certain.

This advanced feature of the Certain platform is not enabled in an account by default. If you are interested in the feature after reading this article, email , including your account name.

The functionality in this sub-module is available to users with a user type of Registration Support or higher. Groups can only be added by an Event Builder or an Administrator.

Contents

What are “Groups” in Certain?

“Groups” are a way of combining sets of registrations for management and reporting purposes.

You can have as many groups as you like.

A registrant can be assigned to just one group.

A registrant must have an attendee type before the registrant can be assigned to a group.

A group of registrants often needs to share a set of common travel schedules and activities. Hosted buyers, for example, are registrants requiring specific processes and care at an event. Hosted buyers may need to be managed in groups.

Why Would I Use Groups in my Event?

Groups ease the management of registrants attending an event as a group.

A trade show can use groups for hotel chains sending representatives as hosted buyers. A trade show can use one group for each hotel chain. A trade show can use one group for each country.

From the provider or host perspective, tracking performance indicators for groups can matter. Tracking can include the number of actual registrations versus the expected number per group.

About Setting Up and Using Groups

The steps involved in setting up and using groups in Certain are explained in some detail in the rest of this document.

This section provides a brief summary.

Switching the feature on in the event

Enable the Registrations Group sub-module in Plan > Configure > Options.

Setting Up the Groups

If required, set up Group Custom Fields to extend the information held about each group.

Add named groups.

Each group is restricted to one or more specified attendee types.

More than one group can be restricted to the same attendee type(s).

You can set the “target” number of registrants in each group. You can set inventory limits.

Agenda items and session occurrence can be assigned to group members automatically. You can specify Appointment Rotations, Event Airports and Transportation Preferences for a group. Group member choices can be limited based on those group settings.

Using the Groups

You can assign registrants to just one group.

You can also assign registrants to no group.

You can assign registrants via a registration form. A registration form can let registrants select their group from a list. A registration form can also let registrants enter a group code that the organizers sent.

You can use form logic to customize the list from which registrants choose. Form logic can also determine the group assignment for registrants.

You can assign registrants manually on the admin side. You can assign registrants in bulk by selecting multiple registrants on one page. You can assign registrants individually in a registrant’s registration record.

You can track the estimated and actual numbers of registrants in each group. Group members can be assigned as coordinators to ease communication.

Group information can be available in reports, email templates, and forms.

Enabling the Registration Groups Sub-Module

In the event, go to Plan > Configure > Options.

Select Registration Groups under Event Module in Functional Areas Needed by This Event.

The Plan menu link in the event top navigation bar now includes a link to the Groups page. The Groups page is described below. Use the Groups page to set up the groups.

Setting up Groups

As an Event Builder, in the event, go to Plan > Groups.

The Group List page lists groups that have already been added.

Custom Fields for Groups

Add one or more custom fields for groups.

These custom fields enable storing additional information about groups.

These custom fields display on the Group Summary report.

To add custom fields, go to Plan > Groups > Custom Fields. Type a name for the first custom field. Click Add. Repeat the process for additional custom fields.

You can set values for these custom fields when adding or editing a group.

Adding a Group

Click Add New to add a group.

Click Add New to edit a group.

Follow these steps to set up a new group.

1. Give the group a Name. Give the group a unique Code.

2. Select an Associated User, if required. When a user associated with any groups goes to the Groups page, the user sees only those groups by default. This behavior enables “account managers” to see only the groups for which the account manager is responsible. Account managers can still choose to see all groups.

3. Optionally add a Description of the group. Optionally add Notes about the group.

4. Select one or more Attendee Types to which this group is restricted.

5. Save the group. Saving the group adds further sections to the page. Use the added sections to edit further information.

Attendee Types

Specify the Target Number of registrants in the group for each Attendee Type.

An Actual Number is displayed.

The Actual Number shows the current number of registrants in the group for the selected attendee type.

When adding a new group, the Actual Number starts at zero. When editing an existing group, the Actual Number reflects current assignments.

Specify an Inventory figure for each attendee type. The Inventory figure limits the maximum number of attendees in the group for that attendee type.

> Note: This Inventory, if entered, is used to limit assignment to the group on a registration form. > When the membership of the group has reached its Inventory level, an attendee selecting that group sees a warning message. > The warning message prompts the attendee to contact their group coordinator for next steps. > The Inventory limit is only used in forms. > An event planner can still assign attendees to the group manually. > Manual assignment can occur even if the group has reached or exceeded the set Inventory.

Agenda Items

Select agenda items that have unlimited inventory.

Assign those agenda items automatically to any attendee who registers as a member of the group via a registration form.

Agenda items may have fees. Fees can include fixed fee and percentage discounts. Fees make it possible to use a group as a “promo code.” Using a group as a “promo code” can apply discounts automatically.

Session Occurrences

If the Speaker and Session Management Module is enabled for the event, select session occurrences.

Session occurrences can be assigned automatically to any attendee who registers as a member of the group.

Rotations

If the Appointment Rotations sub-module (of the Appointments Module) is enabled for the event, select rotations.

Rotations can be available to registrants in the Group Rotations section of the registration form.

Rotations are available based on the registrant’s group.

Custom Fields

If group custom fields exist, assign values for up to ten custom fields here for each group.

Assigning Group Membership

A registrant can be assigned to one group.

Assignment can also include assigning a registrant to no group.

Group assignment can be done in four ways.

Letting Registrants Select Their Group

On a registration form, allow registrants to select a group from a list.

Allow registrants to enter their group code.

Group code entry uses the group code supplied by email as an example.

To enable this, add a Groups section to the form. Add the Groups section in Plan > Forms.

> Note: The groups available on the form for the registrant are restricted to groups for the registrant’s attendee type. > The Groups section needs to appear after the attendee type has been selected or assigned.

Select one of these two check boxes.

The attendee selects the group from a list.

The list contains group codes available to the attendee’s attendee type.

The attendee enters the group code as a precise match to the group code that the organizers sent.

You can make the Group Code a required field. You can customize the label for Group Code. You can customize error messages. Error messages can include cases where the attendee enters an invalid code.

The following field is applicable whichever of the two options is selected.

Validate against total group inventory

If selected, inventory validation for group capacity includes inventory for all attendee types in the group.

This validation covers assignment to the selected group.

Example in Group A:

If an attendee of Attendee Type Z selects Group A, assignment occurs because group capacity has not been reached.

If an attendee of Attendee Type X or Y selects Group A, assignment depends on whether the Validate against total group inventory option is selected.

Not selected: Attendee will not be assigned because capacity for their attendee type has not been reached. Selected: Attendee will be assigned because capacities across all attendee types in that group are included.

Two places remain for attendee type Z.

Using Form Logic

Form Logic can also achieve group selection behavior.

Form Logic uses conditions for the logic rules.

An example limits groups to certain countries of origin.

In the event, go to Plan > Forms. Select or add the form. Click the Logic page link.

Add a new rule. Select the Display Action: “ Display Groups ”.

Choose how the attendee selects their group.

1. by typing their group code, for example the group code supplied by email, or 2. by selecting it from a list of all groups available to the attendee type.

> Note: The groups available on the form for the registrant are restricted to groups for the registrant’s attendee type. > The Groups display action needs to occur after the attendee type has been selected or assigned.

Set up conditions in the rule as necessary.

Assigning Groups on the Registration form

Instead of letting registrants choose their own group, assign a group to registrants using Form Logic.

In the event, go to Plan > Forms. Select or add the form. Click the Logic page link. Add a new rule. Select the action: “Assign Group”. Select the group to be assigned.

Using Groups in Conditions in Form Logic

Groups can also appear in the conditions of a form logic rule.

This setup can apply when pre-assigning groups when sending out invitations to register.

Assigning Groups in Bulk

Assign groups in bulk by selecting multiple registrants on one page.

Go to Plan > Groups > Assign Groups.

This is a two-step process.

1. Select registrations for group assignment

Registrants must have attendee types for which the group is set up.

2. Select group

> Note: Agenda items associated with a group are assigned to an attendee only when the attendee registers via a registration form. > Agenda items are not assigned when a planner assigns a group to an attendee. > Planner group assignment includes assigning groups via Assign Groups. > Planner group assignment also includes assigning groups on the Attendee Profile.

Editing Individual Registrations

Edit the group on a registrant’s record.

Go to the usual Attendee Profile page for the registrant.

Search for the registrant by using the global navigation icons at top right. Click edit on the Registration section heading.

The Registration information section at the end of the Attendee Profile page includes the registrant’s group. Change the group by selecting a new group from the drop-down list.

The Registration information section includes a check box indicating whether the registrant is a Group Coordinator.

What’s a Group Coordinator?

Each group can have one or more members who act as coordinators.

These coordinators usually organize group activities.

Assign coordinators on the Attendee Profile page. Assign a registrant as coordinator by selecting the Coordinator check box.

Reporting and Monitoring

Group information is available on standard and custom reports.

Group information is also available in emails.

Group information can appear in the following ways.

Group Summary Report

A Group Summary Report appears on the Plan > Groups > Reports page.

The report lists all groups.

The report includes coordinators and numbers of attendees.

If the Qualification and Approval module is used in the event, the report includes approval status columns on the right. Each approval status column appears one for each approval status. The “Not Yet Qualified” column appears before those approval status columns.

Click a number on the report to open a report results window. The report results window lists attendees in that group. Use attendee record selection in that window to run mass actions and similar tasks.

Custom Reports

To build a custom report that includes group information, select the Registration Groups report type from the Report Type dropdown.

Group fields then become available in the places expected.

1. Select group fields as data fields to be included.

This value is set by the coordinator check box on the registrant’s registration record.

2. Group information by fields such as Group Name or Group Code.

3. Use group fields as filters.

Emails

Group fields can be available for inclusion in emails.

When setting up an email, add group fields as dynamic data fields.

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