Sessions (in Speaker and Session Management)

Sessions (in Speaker and Session Management)

Quick Tips

1. To add a new session, click Add New (at the end of the Session List heading).

2. To edit an existing session, click under Actions in the Session List panel.

Those actions open an Add Session or Edit Session pop-up window.

Background

1. To delete a session, click under Actions in the Session List panel.

2. To schedule sessions, go to the SCHEDULER view under Session List.

A single session can also be scheduled while editing it.

3. To customize session Types and Levels, go to Types or Levels at the end of the page.

On this page, sessions are added, edited, and viewed in Speaker and Session Management.

(Page availability) The page is only available if the Speaker and Session Management module is enabled for the event in Plan > Configure > Options > Functional Areas Needed by the Event.

Although Agenda Items are still used for merchandise, sessions are managed in this page for Speaker and Session Management.

If the Sessions page is accessed before a planner configured the session layout on Setup > Session Layout, the user is walked through doing so here. See Choosing and configuring a session layout.

> Note: Once any sessions have been added, it is not possible to disable the Speaker and Session Management Module for the event (in Plan > Configure > Options), unless those sessions are first cancelled or deleted. > Sessions are cancelled by changing their Status to Cancelled. > Sessions are deleted to remove them.

This Page

Buttons

The buttons in the upper right corner are:

1. Add New – Add a new session in the Add Session pop-up window.

2. Import – Import sessions from a CSV or Excel file.

3. Export – Export all sessions to a .CSV or Excel file.

4. Mass Actions – Disabled until sessions are selected to process in bulk.

5. Mass Actions – Run Mass Actions on selected sessions.

Session List

The three options at the top of the list of sessions are:

1. SESSIONS – Display the sessions as a list. 2. INSTANCES – Display a list of session instances. 3. SCHEDULER – Display sessions in a grid. Sessions can be scheduled by allocating session instances to dates, time, and locations.

/ Filter

By default, all sessions are listed.

To filter the list, values are entered in fields (upper left corner), and the magnifying glass is clicked. Filters are cleared by clicking the X.

What happens if I filter on more than one selection?

The filter options are:

1. Track – Select one or more of the Tracks defined for the event. Default: All.

2. Type – Select one of the Session Types: Keynotes, Hands-on Labs, Breakout Sessions, Interactive Sessions, or one added under Session Types on this page. Default: All.

3. Status – Select one of the possible statuses: Qualified, Scheduled, Cancelled, or Published.

Extra statuses are available if the session layout is Conference Sessions. Those sessions may be subject to review.
Those statuses include: Submitted, Under Review, Reviewed, and Rejected.

4. Session Name, Code, Description – Enter any part of the Session Name, Session Code, or Session Description.

5. More – Click to select additional filter options. Fields are added for additional selection or typing.

Tags – Select one or more tags from those set up in Account Settings > Setup > Tags.
End Date – Select or enter a date in the To field to return sessions scheduled for that date or earlier.
Start Date – Select or enter a date in the From field to return sessions scheduled for that date or later.
Max Capacity – Enter the maximum capacity of the sessions to be listed.
Min Capacity – Enter the minimum capacity of the sessions to be listed.
Location – Select any of the locations added on Setup > Locations.
Session Label – Enter any part of the Session Label.
Scheduled – Select either Scheduled or Unscheduled.
Level – Select one or more of the possible levels: standard levels Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or any level added under Session Levels on this page. Default: All.

SESSIONS (list)

Sessions are listed with columns described below. Those columns are detailed in Add Speaker or Edit Speaker.

Up/down arrows next to a column heading sort by that column.

> Note: Some fields shown depend on whether the session layout selected on Setup > Session Layout is Simple Sessions or User Conference Layout. > Simple Sessions has only one instance each. > User Conference Layout allows sessions to have multiple instances.

1. Session Name

2. Session Code

3. Session Type

4. Instances – Number of scheduled instances out of total.

Example: "2/5" means two of the session's five instances have been scheduled.
Instances is shown only if session layout is User Conference.

5. Session Status – Shown only if the event's session layout is User Conference.

A status of 'Scheduled' shows a publish icon.
Clicking that icon publishes the list to the attendee type(s) that are selected.
A status of 'Published' shows the number of the number of attendee types the session is published to.
Clicking the number edits the list by adding or removing attendee types.

6. Start Date Time – Shown only if session layout is Simple Sessions

7. Cap – Capacity. Shown only if session layout is Simple Sessions

8. Reg – Number registered. Shown only if session layout is Simple Sessions

9. Avail – Number of places available (Capacity minus Registered). Shown only if session layout is Simple Sessions

10. Actions – with these icons:

View the session's details
Edit the session in the Edit Session pop-up window
Delete the session

Notes about deleting sessions:

A deleted session cannot be recovered. The session status can be changed to Cancelled instead of deleting it.
A session cannot be deleted if any registrations are assigned to it.
Speaker assignments are removed when a session is deleted. Those speakers may then be able to be assigned to other sessions which may have clashed before.
The unique Session Code from a deleted session is available for use on a new session.

INSTANCES (list)

Session instances are listed with columns described below. Those columns are detailed in Add Speaker or Edit Speaker.

These columns are similar to the SESSIONS list columns. Instance Code replaces Session Code.

1. Session Name

2. Instance Code

3. Session Type

4. Start Date Time – Blank if the instance hasn't been scheduled yet.

5. Cap – Capacity

6. Reg – Number registered

7. Avail – Number of places available (Capacity minus Registered)

8. Wait – Number waitlisted

9. Actions – with these icons:

View the details of the session instance. This is in the Edit Session pop-up window, in Read-Only mode.
Edit the session instance in the Edit Session pop-up window.
Delete the session instance.

SCHEDULER (grid)

Click SCHEDULER for a grid view showing when and where session instances are scheduled.

This is also where sessions can be scheduled by date/time and location.

See SCHEDULER for details.

Session Types and Levels

Session Types

Standard Session Types are shown, and custom types can be added.

A Session Type is a required field for each session in Edit Session.

Standard values (unless any are deleted) are:

Keynotes
Hands-on Labs
Breakout Sessions
Interactive Sessions

Custom type actions are:

Edit the name of a custom type. While editing, edits can be abandoned.
Delete a type. Standard or custom types can be deleted.

> Note: A type cannot be deleted if that type is already assigned to any sessions.

To add a new session type:

Enter its name in the Session Type text box.
Select a Color Label. The Color Label can be displayed on the Scheduler grid on this page.
Click Add New Type.

Session Levels

Standard Session Levels are shown, and custom levels can be added.

A Session Level is an optional field for each session in Edit Session.