Speaker and Session Management User Guide

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Published:

Keywords: Certain, Speaker and Session Management, Conference Sessions, Speaker Portal, Reviewer Portal, Session Layout

Document ID: https://platform-support.certain.com/hc/en-us/articles/10902047633687-Speaker-and-Session-Management-User-Guide#split1

This document is a guide to setting up Speaker and Session Management in Certain.

That product is enabled for all Certain accounts by default. As a planner, you decide whether to enable it for individual events.

Certain’s Speaker and Session Management module enables you to manage the speakers, sessions, abstracts, and presentations for events of any size. These events can range from small meetings with standard sessions to large user conferences with hundreds of speakers and thousands of sessions.

See the separate Speaker and Session Management Introduction document for a brief overview of the features available in this product.

The Conference Sessions product is an advanced feature of Speaker and Session Management. It is included in this guide but is not automatically enabled for all accounts. The Conference Sessions product includes a Speaker Portal, a Reviewer Portal, and far more custom fields per session (200 instead of 15). If interested in Conference Sessions, including Speaker Portal and Reviewer Portal access, email , including your account name.

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Enabling the Products

3. Essential Initial Setup

4. Optional Initial Setup

5. Core Setup/Management

6. Assigning Sessions to Attendees

7. Speaker Portal

8. Reviewing Sessions

9. Reviewer Portal

10. Reports

Introduction

Certain’s Speaker and Session Management module enables you to manage the speakers, sessions, abstracts, and presentations for events of any size. These events can range from small meetings with standard sessions to large user conferences with hundreds of speakers and thousands of sessions.

See the separate Speaker and Session Management Introduction document for a brief overview of the features available in this product.

The Conference Sessions product is an advanced feature of Speaker and Session Management. It is included in this guide but is not automatically enabled for all accounts. If interested in what it offers, including a Speaker Portal, a Reviewer Portal, and far more custom fields per session, email help@certain.com, including your account name.

Enabling the Products

Speaker and Session Management

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

2. Select the Speaker and Session Management Module under Functional Areas Needed by This Event.

3. Save.

> Important Note: Once you have added any data to the Speaker and Session Management module, such as event tracks or sessions, then you cannot change your mind and deselect the module for the event unless all the sessions have a status of “cancelled”.

The Manage menu on the Top Navigation Menu Links now includes “Speakers and Sessions”. That menu item takes you to the Sessions page described on page 5.

The Left Navigation Panel includes links to Sessions, Speakers, Locations, Tracks, Bulk Assignment, and Setup. These links are described here and in the Page Help.

When this module is enabled, sessions in the event are added on the Sessions page (see “Sessions”), instead of as agenda items. Agenda items remain usable for things such as merchandise.

Conference Sessions

The Conference Sessions sub-module offers additional features. These features are especially for larger and more complex events.

Conference Sessions includes an online Speaker Portal and Reviewer Portal. Conference Sessions also includes review- and task-based workflow. Conference Sessions also includes more custom fields per session. Conference Sessions includes 200 custom fields instead of 15.

If this product is enabled for your account, use the following steps to enable it for an event: 1. Select the Speaker and Session Management Module 2. Save 3. Select the Conference Sessions sub-module below it 4. Save

The Left Navigation panel now includes extra links: Speaker Portal, Session Reviews, and Reviewer Portal.

Essential Initial Setup

Custom Fields

To configure Custom Fields that you can apply to Sessions, Speakers, or Session Reviews, go to Manage > Speaker and Session Management > Setup > Custom Fields.

You can use these custom fields on the Session Layout described in the next section. You can also use these custom fields on the Speaker page. You can also use these custom fields on the Speaker Portal (see “Speaker Portal”). You can also use these custom fields on the Reviewer Portal (see “Reviewer Portal”). You can also use these custom fields in forms, mails, and reports.

To add a new custom field, click Add Custom Field. To edit an existing one, click.

The types available are Text, Ratings/Score, File, Text Area, Radio, Checkbox, Select, and Select Multiple.

Ratings/Score fields are only for use on session reviews.

The last four types of those eight are lists of options. These lists include possible values. These lists also include the order in which options are displayed. These lists also include which option is the default value.

Session Layout

Before you can add any sessions to your event, configure the layout of the Sessions page on which you do so.

The Sessions page is seen only by planners. Attendees, speakers, and reviewers do not see the Sessions page.

However, the Sessions page layout is used as the basis for the Speaker Portal (see “Speaker Portal”) and the Reviewer Portal (see “Reviewer Portal”).

Go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Setup > Session Layout.

Choosing a Session layout

If Conference Sessions is enabled for the event (see “Conference Sessions”), you first choose one of the two starter options: Standard Sessions or Conference Sessions.

If Conference Sessions is not enabled for the event, the Standard Sessions layout is automatically in effect. The system does not refer to it as “Standard Sessions”.

Whichever layout you choose has a default layout. You can customize the default layout. You can also use the default layout “out of the box”.

Standard Sessions layout

The Standard Sessions layout is automatically enabled. The Standard Sessions layout is also the only choice if Conference Sessions is not enabled for the event.

The Standard Sessions layout includes:

Conference Sessions layout

The Conference Sessions layout includes:

Configuring your Session Layout

You can define and arrange fields on your layout. Your field choices include the pre-defined standard fields and the custom fields you have added (see “Custom Fields”).

A default layout is provided. You can use the default layout as it is. You can also configure the default layout as required.

To add standard or custom fields, or section dividers, hover just above a section to display the Add button. Click the Add button to choose what you want to add there.

To move an element (a field or section divider), hover over the element. The pointer changes to a hand. The element changes color. Drag the element to its new position.

To delete an element, hover over the element until it changes color. Click the red cross that appears.

To resize fields, hover over the right edge and then drag it.

Locations

To add or edit the locations (rooms and halls) used for sessions, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Locations.

Each location has:

To add your own custom Location Type, enter its name in the text box. Click Save.

After you add locations, you can allocate sessions to them by date. See “Scheduling” on page 8.

To import locations from an Excel file, click Import. Import provides an option of downloading a template file to use.

To update existing locations, download a list of all locations for editing. Save the edited list. Upload the edited list back.

Optional Initial Setup

Tracks

Tracks are a way of grouping sessions together by theme.

If you are using the Standard Sessions layout (see “Standard Sessions”), Tracks are optional.

If you are using the Conference Sessions layout (see “Conference Sessions”) with a Reviewer Portal (see “Reviewer Portal”), then tracks are required rather than optional. Reviewers are assigned to tracks to review sessions in those tracks.

Similarly, if you are using Conference Sessions and therefore have a Speaker Portal, you need to add Tracks before speakers can select Tracks for their sessions.

To add tracks, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Tracks. Click New Track.

Each track has:

The track color can be used on the SCHEDULER grid view of sessions. This color groups sessions visually. See “Scheduling”.

If you are using the Conference Sessions layout, there is another field: Reviewers. Select the Reviewer(s) who review the sessions in this track.

You can choose to add one or more Sub-tracks to a track. When you assign a session to a track (see “Sessions below”), you can assign the session to one or more of that track’s sub-tracks.

If you are using the Conference Sessions layout, you can set up Reviewers to review sessions based on sub-track. You can also set up Reviewers to remain a level up and review all sessions at the top-level track.

Industries

You can select the industries to be available for use as the “target” industries for sessions in the event. For example, “Financial Services” and “Pharmaceutical”.

Go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Setup > Industries. Select the relevant industries.

If there are no Industries to choose from, speak to your Administrator. The Administrator has to first create industries in the account (on Account Settings > Management > Job Functions).

Job Functions

Job Functions are similar to Industries. You can select the job functions to be available for use as the “target” job functions for sessions in the event. For example, “CEO”, “CMO”, and “Marketing”.

Go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Setup > Job Functions.

If there are no Job Functions to choose from, speak to your Administrator. The Administrator has to first create job functions in the account (on Account Settings > Management > Industries).

Core Setup/Management

Sessions

Add/Edit Sessions

To add sessions, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Sessions. Click Add New to enter the details manually.

You can also use Import to import sessions from an Excel or .csv file. The import process provides a template file download option.

If you are using the Conference Sessions product, prospective speakers can add their sessions when they submit them online in the Speaker Portal (see “Speaker Portal”).

To edit an existing session, click on the list of sessions.

The fields available on the add/edit page, and how the page is laid out, are as configured for the event on Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Setup > Session Layout. The defaults and the options available are all described in the online Page Help topic.

Instances:

Abstract File:

Only one abstract document can be uploaded for a session.

If you upload a new abstract file, it replaces the original.

Abstract Description:

Session Presentations:

You can upload more than one presentation file.

Session Fees:

Speakers:

You can add more than one speaker. One speaker is the primary speaker (green star). Additional speakers appear as gray stars.

Click the star to change a secondary speaker to the primary, or vice versa.

Waitlist Limit:

Up to this number of attendees can then be added to a waiting list. Waiting-list additions are pending cancellations.

Qualify Sessions

If you are using the Conference Sessions product and reviewers are reviewing speakers’ abstracts using the Reviewer Portal (see “Reviewer Portal”), then on the same Sessions page, click Reviewer Stats.

Reviewer Stats provides a dropdown list of statistics for the current session:

When you have enough information about a session, set its Status by selecting a status from the drop-down list. For example, set it to Qualified if reviewers’ scores and progress satisfy your criteria.

You can also qualify sessions (individually or in bulk) on Session Reviews > Manage Reviews (see “Managing Reviews”).

When a planner adds a session, rather than a speaker submitting it through the speaker portal, the status defaults to Qualified. This applies to all sessions added for a Standard Sessions layout. A speaker portal is only available for a Conference Sessions layout.

Schedule Sessions

When a session has a status of Qualified (see “Qualify Sessions” above), schedule each instance for a date/time and location.

You can schedule each instance under the Schedules section while adding or editing a session. You can also schedule instances on the SCHEDULER view on the Sessions list page (see “Scheduling”).

Publish Sessions

Once a session has a status of Scheduled, you can publish the session.

Scheduled means at least one of the session instances has been scheduled.

Publishing makes the session available for selection and assignment.

If you selected the Auto-Publish option when configuring the session layout, and set it ‘On’ for the session, publishing is automatic when the session is scheduled.

If Auto Publish is not on, first click Publish and select the attendee type(s) for whom the session must be published. This selection makes the session appear as an option on a form (see “Sessions on Forms”).

This selection also makes the session available for assignment on Bulk Assignment (see “Bulk Assignment”).

Then click Publish for Attendee Type(s).

> Note: A session is not shown in Certain Mobile or on forms until the session has been published.

You can also publish a scheduled session from the Session List on Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Sessions.

Click the session in the list, select attendee type(s), and click Publish for Attendee Type(s).

Speakers

When Speaker and Session Management is enabled for the event, you add speakers in Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Speakers instead of in Event Setup > Speakers. Event Setup > Speakers is not available when Speaker and Session Management is enabled.

The same speaker records are used in Certain Mobile.

If the Conference Sessions layout is in use, speakers can register themselves using the Speaker Portal (see “Speaker Portal”).

Assign Speakers to Sessions

For sessions you add on the Sessions page, click Add Speaker on that page to add speakers to a session instance.

If you use the Conference Sessions layout, you can assign different speakers to different instances of a session.

You can upload a Speaker’s Agreement document for a speaker.

You can also access a speaker’s sessions when viewing the speaker record. Speaker session access is in addition to seeing sessions on the Sessions page.

Speaker Email Templates

To send emails to speakers, first set up at least one template on Promote > Communication > Speaker Email Templates.

The dynamic data fields you can append to these emails include speaker fields and session fields. The emails can also include custom fields set up on Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Setup > Custom Fields (see “Custom Fields”).

Sessions on Forms

To enable attendees to select sessions as part of the registration process, go to Plan > Forms.

Edit the form. Add a Sessions section to the form on its Setup page.

On the Sessions section configuration page, click Session Display Options to customize the display of the contents of Session Sections.

You only need to edit these customization fields where you do not want to use the default values.

These settings apply to all session sections in the form.

These settings include labels on buttons, such as “Add to My Schedule”. These settings also include the text of messages such as “Waitlist Full”.

If you select Enable Search, a Session Search area appears at the top of any form page that includes a Sessions Section.

The registrant can use Session Search to search in or filter the sessions. The registrant can filter sessions that are published for the attendee type.

If the event has a long list of sessions, registrants can find the sessions they want to attend.

When searching, the registrant can enter any part of:

Searches are not case-sensitive.

The list of sessions displayed is limited to sessions returned by the search or filter.

A filter only shows information included in the unfiltered records. For example, if the registrant filters on Tags, the registrant sees only tags used in the records for sessions being listed.

In the form, the attendee can add to their schedule scheduled session instances that have been published for their attendee type (see “Publish Sessions”).

> Caution: The Sessions section must always come after the Attendee Type section in the form. This ordering ensures the form lists the correct sessions.

Assigning sessions using Form Logic

You can also assign sessions via logic rules.

When adding a rule on Forms > Logic, use the 'Assign Sessions' action.

> Warning: Sessions are always published for specific attendee types. > If a logic rule tries to assign a session to an attendee of any other attendee type, the assignment fails.

> Best Practice Note: Do not use logic to assign sessions limited by capacity. > If a session is full, the session is not assigned. > The registrant will not see a warning.

Scheduling

Select the SCHEDULER view under Session List on the Sessions page to display a grid view.

The grid view shows when and where session instances are scheduled.

This view is also where you can schedule sessions by date/time and location.

Schedule planning in the SCHEDULER works by clicking a date/time slot on the grid and selecting the session to schedule.

This is an alternative to scheduling each session individually while editing it.

You schedule each session occurrence by date/time and location. You need to add the locations on Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Locations (see “Locations”).

If the Standard Sessions layout is in use, each session has only one instance.

If the Conference Sessions layout is selected (see “Conference Sessions”), each session in Sessions has an Instances field. The Instances field indicates how many times the session occurs.

You schedule each instance either here on the SCHEDULER or while editing the session.

You choose how to view the schedule:

The Week and Month views are only for “helicopter’ perspective”.

You can only schedule sessions in Day or 3 Day views.

To add a session to the schedule:

1. Ensure the current calendar view is Day or 3 Days.

2. If required, click Color to select what color to show sessions in: Track, Type, or Level.

3. Navigate to the required date in the schedule.

4. Click that date to display the list of available sessions.

5. Select a session. The session is now scheduled.

To change the scheduled date, time, or location of a session instance, drag it from its current time slot to its new one.

To remove a session occurrence from the schedule, select it in the schedule. Then click Unschedule.

Assigning Sessions to Attendees

When you assign a session to an attendee, you assign an instance of that session.

An instance is a session scheduled for a particular date and time. An instance is also in a particular location.

There are two ways to assign sessions: 1. For one attendee at a time, use Manage > Registration > Sessions 2. For multiple attendees at the same time, use Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Bulk Assignment

Before you assign attendees to a session, schedule at least one instance of the session (see “Scheduling”).

You also need to publish the session for at least one attendee type. Publishing makes session instances available for assignment to attendees.

Assignments to One Attendee

To assign sessions to one attendee, go to the attendee’s registration under Manage > Registrations.

For example, click Find on the Event Dashboard (Manage > Registrations). You can also click Search in the Global Navigation Buttons (top right of any page).

Then click Sessions in the Left Navigation Panel.

The attendee’s session instances are listed by date and time.

Click Add Session(s) to open a pop-up modal Add Sessions window.

The Add Sessions window lists sessions that can be assigned to the attendee:

To filter sessions in the list, enter or select details in one or more filter fields at the top of the window:

If you select Show only Waitlisted Sessions, the list includes only sessions that are full but have space on a waiting list.

Waiting-list space is determined by Capacity and Waitlist Limit on the session record. It is also determined by the number of attendees already waitlisted.

Select the check box(es) for the session(s) to assign. Then click Assign Session(s) in the pop-up window.

> Note: You can only assign up to 10 sessions at a time. For more sessions, assign in batches of 10.

Details shown for each session include Session Name, Track, Type, Location, and Availability.

Availability equals session Capacity minus the number of assigned attendees.

> Note: The number of slots available only decreases when the event status is ”Live”. The attendee being assigned the session must not be a “Test” registration.

Click a session to show its Speaker(s). Click the session again to hide Speaker(s).

The details shown may include one or both of these icons:

This is only possible if Allow Overlapping Sessions for Registrations is selected for the event.

The setting location is under “Speaker and Session Management” on Plan > Configure > Options.

Session List

After clicking Assign Session(s) in the pop-up window, the attendee’s session list includes the new assignment(s).

Assignment details match the pop-up window details.

The assignment details may include either or both of two icons:

> Note: To assign a waitlisted attendee to the session, change the status to Registered. > This is possible only if someone else canceled, creating available capacity.

Changing Status

You can change the Status of a session assignment as follows:

| From | To | When | |---|---|---| | Waitlisted | Cancelled | Always | | Waitlisted | Registered | Capacity is Available | | Registered | Cancelled | Always | | Registered | No Show | Always | | Registered | Attended | Always | | Cancelled | Registered | Capacity is Available |

> Note: You cannot change the status to 'Waitlisted'. You can only do that by assigning a session that is full but has space on its waiting list.

Bulk Assignment

To assign sessions to several attendees at the same time, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Bulk Assignment.

By default, you are on the Assign Sessions tab.

1. Select the session instance to be assigned. Registrations are then listed for the selected session instance. Registrations include all attendees of an attendee type for which the session has been published. Registrations also exclude attendees already registered for the same session instance. 2. Filter sessions further by selecting an attendee type. You can also filter by selecting a question and then an answer to that question. You can also filter by typing any part of an attendee name. The list updates dynamically. 3. Select the attendees to whom you want to assign the session occurrence. Then click Save.

> Note: A registrant cannot be assigned to sessions whose times overlap. This restriction applies unless the event has the option to "Allow Overlapping Sessions for Registrations" set under “Speaker and Session Management” on Plan > Configure > Options.

Unassigning Sessions

To cancel the assignment of sessions to attendees, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Bulk Assignment > and click the Unassign Sessions tab.

1. Select the session instances to be unassigned. Attendees with that instance assigned appear in the list. 2. Filter the registrations listed in the same way as for assigning sessions. 3. Select the attendees for whom you want to cancel their assignment of the session occurrence. Then click Save.

Assignments via Import

You can assign sessions to attendees. You can also change the status of existing assignments by importing a file.

Go to Manage > Registrations > Import. Select “Registration Session Instances” as the data to import.

Prepare an Excel or .CSV file with these four columns:

Step through the wizard to upload your data file. Map the columns in the file to fields in the database.

Speaker Portal

Introduction

The Speaker Portal section of this guide is only applicable if the Conference Sessions layout is in use for the event.

If the Conference Sessions layout is not in use for your event(s), skip ahead to Reports. See “Reports Page”.

When the Conference Sessions layout is selected for an event, you can configure a speaker portal for that event.

The speaker portal is a way for speakers to register and submit their papers. The speaker portal is also a way for someone to submit on a speaker’s behalf.

While the speaker’s abstract is being reviewed (see “Reviewing Session”), they log in to the speaker portal to see tasks assigned to them.

The speaker portal is used especially when a reviewer requests changes.

The speaker portal allows a speaker to:

After the speaker submission has been qualified (see “Qualify Sessions”), the speaker can upload their presentation.

> Note: If you are setting up a Reviewer Portal (see “Reviewer Portal”), you must set up the Speaker Portal first.

Adding and Editing a Speaker Portal

To configure a Speaker Portal for your event, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Speaker Portal.

There are four configuration pages for a Speaker Portal. Access the pages via the left navigation panel.

First edit and save the details on the Settings page. This action creates the portal and enables access to the other three pages:

Settings

The Settings page enables you to edit general settings for the Speaker Portal. These settings include its name and date and time display formats.

When you save the settings, the system shows the URL for the portal. The system also enables access to the other configuration pages.

That step also creates default emails to be sent to speakers on successful submission and approval.

You can modify default emails or create different emails in Promote > Communication > Speaker Email Templates.

Site Layout

On the Site Layout page (reached by clicking Layout & Color in the Left Navigation Panel), you choose and configure the color palette and navigation bar.

Choose Palette

Choose a color palette from the list: “Default Palette”, “Autumn Palette”, “Cool Palette”, and others.

Your selection applies immediately to the layout on the right.

Hover your mouse over a palette to display an icon you can click. The icon lets you list the colors in that palette and show where they are used.

You can then customize any of those colors.

Choose a NavBar Position

Choose whether the navigation bar should be Horizontal or Vertical.

Also choose whether the menu options should be shown as Icons & Titles or Titles Only.

Branding

On the Branding page, define the branding for the Speaker Portal. The branding includes the logo and how it is displayed.

If you select Use the Standard Logo Bar, the logo bar uses a standard size.

The logo bar uses the color determined by the selected Color Palette.

Click Browse to upload a logo. The recommended size is 100px wide x 40px high.

If you select Use a Custom Header Graphic instead, the header consists of the uploaded graphic only.

Click Browse to upload an image. The recommended size is 1500px wide x 100px high.

You can click Add a Link to the Above Graphic to add the URL of a website or webpage to be opened if the speaker clicks the graphic.

This option is optional. It is particularly appropriate if the image is for an event sponsor.

Pages

The pages available in a speaker portal are preconfigured.

You can click the Pages link in the Left Navigation panel to open the Pages configuration page.

On the Pages configuration page, you can:

To add new pages with rich content, click Add New.

To edit a page, click in the Actions column for that page. The editing facilities match the session layout editing facilities.

To preview the speaker portal, click Preview Site.

Page List

When you click the Pages link in the left navigation panel, the system lists portal pages with these details:

To use a different icon, click the adjacent down-arrow to select a new one from the built-in library.

For example, “My Information” for the My Information page.

For the Register Speaker and Add Abstract pages, set to Open or Closed.

Closed pages are available only after logging in. Logging in occurs after the Login page.

After deletion, the system cannot recover the deleted page.

The Login page has a padlock instead of a hand icon because the Login page cannot be moved.

The Login Page

The Login page on the Speaker Portal has two functions:

1. A prospective speaker can click SUBMIT A PROPOSAL to go to the Register Speaker page. On the Register Speaker page, the speaker enters details and uploads their abstract.

2. A registered speaker can log in by entering their Username and Password.

When you edit the Login page, in addition to usual editing facilities, you can change:

At any time, choose Close Proposal Period. After closing the proposal period, potential speakers can no longer submit proposals.

Reviewing Sessions

> Note: Relevant only if the Conference Sessions product is in use.

If the Conference Sessions product is not in use for your event(s), skip ahead to Reports. See “Reports”.

Go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Review Sessions to see an overview of the current status of reviews in the event.

A funnel chart shows the number of sessions in each review status:

A second chart illustrates the data per tier.

The left navigation panel includes the following links:

Tiers

You can create up to five tiers to assign reviewers.

Reviewers review the sessions passed to their tier for review.

One “Default Tier” is created automatically. You can rename it and add others.

To add or edit tiers, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Session Reviews > Tiers.

For each tier, set up the following information:

Due Date is optional unless you send Review Reminder emails. See Email Templates below.

Select other tiers from which users in this tier can see reviews.

For example, allow reviewers in the first tier to see no other reviews. Allow reviewers in the fourth tier to see reviews from the third tier or even all earlier tiers.

Email Templates

For each tier, select the Email Templates used for notifications that are generated automatically and sent to reviewers.

Default email templates are created automatically when you create the Reviewer Portal. You can edit default templates or add new ones on Promote > Communication > Reviewer Email Templates.

Email Templates include:

The email is sent automatically at the frequency you select to a reviewer until the reviewer completes a review.

Select the frequency: Once a day, Once every 2 days, or Once every 3 days.

Recommendations

Configure when Certain provides an Approval Recommendation for a Session in this Tier.

Choose what the recommendation will be for:

By default, you see and process these recommendations in Manage Reviews (described next).

If you instead select Process Recommendations Automatically, recommendations process every few minutes. If a session meets its tier’s criterion, the session automatically moves to the selected tier or is approved.

Managing Reviews

To accept or reject sessions or move them to review, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Session Reviews > Manage Reviews.

You can process reviews in bulk or individually.

Click the relevant button to determine the list of sessions displayed. Session list choices are:

You can filter the list by:

To manage an individual session, click the relevant icon:

The assigned reviewer(s) for the selected tier then review the session using the Reviewer Portal.

To drill down to a session’s reviews, click the Score for that session on the list of Sessions Under Review.

To process recommendations for reviewed sessions, click Recommendations on the list of Sessions Under Review. You can then process recommendations automatically or individually.

Recommendations move sessions to a particular tier for review, or approve the sessions.

> Note: Recommendations are not shown for sessions on tiers where recommendations are set to “Process Recommendations Automatically”.

Reviewers

> Note: Essential if a Reviewer Portal is to be used in the event.

Reviewers are the people who review sessions submitted for the event.

To add, edit, or import reviewers, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Session Reviews > Reviewers.

Reviewer records are automatically added to the account’s Profile database. The Reviewers page contains additional information. Most of the information is self-explanatory contact information.

> Note: The Username must be unique in the account. > Reviewers use this Username with their Password to access the Reviewer Portal.

If permitted, reviewers can edit their own records when logged in to the Reviewer Portal. This same location is where reviewers review assigned papers.

The two event-specific fields for a reviewer are:

The tier where the reviewer reviews sessions.

The default is the first tier.

Tiers are set up on Session Reviews > Tracks.

Tracks are set up on Speakers and Sessions > Tracks.

See “Tracks”.

Reviewer Portal

Introduction

The Reviewer Portal section of this guide is only applicable if the Conference Sessions layout is in use for the event.

If the Conference Sessions layout is not in use for your event(s), skip ahead to Reports. See “Reports”.

Before you configure the reviewer portal, complete your configuration of two other areas. These areas are used as the basis for certain areas of the reviewer portal: 1. The session layout (see “Sessions Layout”) 2. The Speaker Portal (see “Speaker Portal”)

When the Conference Sessions layout is selected for an event, you can configure a reviewer portal for that event. This portal is where reviewers review the sessions in tracks to which reviewers are assigned.

Adding and Editing a Reviewer Portal

To configure a Reviewer Portal for your event, go to Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Reviewer Portal.

Much like the Speaker Portal, there are four configuration pages for a Reviewer Portal, accessed via the left navigation panel.

First edit and save the details on the Settings page. This creates the portal and enables access to the other three pages:

Settings

On the Reviewer Portal Settings page, edit general settings for the portal. These settings include its name and date and time display formats.

Click Save to show the URL for the portal. This action enables access to the other configuration pages.

That step also creates default emails sent to reviewers advising them of assignment or deadlines.

Modify these emails in Promote > Communication > Reviewer Email Templates. Assign emails to Tiers on Manage > Speakers and Sessions > Session Reviews > Setup (see “Reviewing Sessions”).

Site Layout

On the Site Layout page (reached by clicking Layout & Color in the Left Navigation Panel), choose and configure the color palette and navigation bar.

The defaults come from the Site Layout of the Speaker Portal.

Branding

On the Branding page, define branding for the Reviewer Portal. Branding includes the logo and how it is displayed.

The default is what you configured for the Speaker Portal (see “Speaker Portal”). You can configure the Reviewer Portal differently.

The options are the same:

For the Custom Header Graphic option, provide a link to a website or webpage to be opened when the reviewer clicks the graphic.

Pages

The pages available in a reviewer portal are preconfigured.

You can click the Pages link in the Left Navigation panel to open Pages configuration.

Pages configuration lets you:

To add new pages, click Add New. Add rich content to those pages.

To edit a page, click in the Actions column for that page. Editing facilities match the Speaker Portal editing facilities.

To preview the reviewer portal, click Preview Site.

When you click the Pages link in the left navigation panel, portal pages are listed on the right with these details:

To use a different icon, click the adjacent down-arrow to select a new one from the built-in library.

Click a title to edit it.

Best practice: Keep titles as short as possible to maximize legibility on the navigation bar when used on a mobile device.

> Note: once you deleted a page, it cannot be recovered.

Reports

To report on Speaker and Session Management information, go to Reports/Analyze > Summary Reports.

Standard reports are available under Event Session Summary Reports. You can also click Add Report to add a new custom report.

Event Session Summary Reports

A useful “to do” list includes what sessions have not been published or scheduled.

Custom Reports

The following custom report types are available when you click Add Report:

(Requires the Appointment Module.)

For example, a session with 3 scheduled instances and 2 speakers will return 6 rows: 1 session x 3 instances x 2 speakers.

All Speaker fields are available in Columns, Groups, Filters and Custom.

The “Speakers” column includes a list of the session's master speakers (those assigned at the session level, not at the instance level).

Note: the “Speakers” column returns data only if the Conferences sub-module is enabled.

This returns one row per registration, per speaker, per scheduled instance, per session.

Includes any sessions without any scheduled instances.