Overview

A class group in EKRegistration is a means of defining a collection of event registration forms for the purpose of limiting registration within the group.  For example, because your Summer Reading programs are so popular, you might want to say that your users can only register for 2 Summer Reading programs out of the 12 that are offered.

To use this feature, you enter group configuration data as part of the configuration of each of the forms in the group.  When a user has completed a form, EKRegistration will look at any other forms that have the same Group Name and count up the number of existing registrations and the number allowed.  If the new registration would exceed the number allowed, it is rejected.

Availability

At the present time, EKRegistration groups are being enabled on request.  Let us know if you need this feature.

Configuration

Class Group Name

This is the name of the group. You will enter this same name as part of the configuration of each of the registration forms in the group.  EKRegistration will give you a list of the existing Group Names to make it easy to keep them straight.

Class Group Window Days

This feature is not yet enabled.  Let us know if you need it.  It would allow you to specify the size of the Window for which you are concerned about controlling the registrations.  For example, with this feature, you could say that you only want to allow registration for a children's program once in very 30 days.

Class Group Window Max

This is the number of registrations that can be made when a particular user is filing out a form that is a member of the Group Name.

Class Group Check Fields

To determine who is registering, you must specify the fields in the form that should be used for identification purposes.  In a registration form, some of the fields have a fixed name, e.g. EMAIL.  However, if you want to use one or more of the fields that you have created as optional fields, you need to specify them as DATA1, DATA2, etc. where the number part of the name is the order that they are found on the form.

The fields that can currently be used to determine the identity of the registrant are EMAIL,BARCODE,DATA1,DATA2

To specify one or more identification fields, you should enter them in the Class Group Fields to Check field as a list separated by commas.  For example:  BARCODE,DATA1 

Can a registration form allow the patron to register for multiple dates for the same event?

If one program has multiple parts and they happen on different days, a multiple use form will let them register for all parts of the program.  If you want to track the attendance for each part of the program, you'll need to use several single use forms and the patron will need to register for each date.

Adding a Multiple Use Form

Using a multiple use form allows you to create a registration button for every event in the series, but one registration list no matter what date the registration.

• Create a Multiple Event and save it
• Go back to the first event in the series and create you Registration form selecting MULTIPLE USE FORM in the yellow section.
• Once you've saved your form, click on EDIT EVENT (clicking on edit the event itself, not the form)
• At the top of the page, click UPDATE ALL. This will create the register button on all events in the series.

After adding an event, is there no way to edit that event and configure it for multiple dates or copy the event to multiple dates?

Copy the event, mark it as multiple.  Include the original date in this list of dates and the go back and delete the original event if you want.
 

After a multiple event is added, is there no way to remove it from specific dates and later reapply them if a mistake was made?

No.  Once added, the events become individual entries in the database.

 

Create the Registration Form

First, create an event and a registration form for the event. After you create the form, you can easily link directly to it.  If you edit the form, you will see a Create Form URL button of the form creation page.  This will make the URL for you.  It will look like the URL below.

Linking Directly to a Registration Form

The URL to link directly to the registration form looks like this:

http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/ekform.cfm?curOrg=ORGCODE&curKey1=EVENTKEYWORD&curID=38713&tEvt=2004518

• ORGCODE - Your organization code. Contact Plymouth Rocket if you don't know what it is.

• EVENTKEYWORD - This is the keyword you assigned to the event. This field is located at the bottom of the event form and is the keyword that shows up in a pull-down menu on the EventKeeper events page.

• CurID - This is the FormID and can be located below the Reports/Email button on the event listing.

• tEvt -This is the event ID and can be found on the editor info line (in red) on the event listing.

You can easily copy the link to a specific registration form by clicking on the form in the public mode (i.e., not logging in as an admin or editor). Go to the top of the form window and copy the link you see there.

SETUP

Create a form as usual with EKReg Advanced. EKReg Basic does not have timeslots. Click to add additional fields to the form.

The times are listed Initial text value field and each time is separated by a vertical bar (the button above the enter key).  Time increments can be whatever you like.

Example:  10am|10:15am|10:30am|10:45am

Only one person can register for each time slot with this set up.

IMPORTANT:  The first additional element is the one that defines the time slots.  This means that the time slot set up has to be in the first row of the additional fields page.  It will not function correctly in any other row. The type is RADIO BUTTON.

IMPORTANT:  The label for the element must contain the word "TIMESLOTS".  Note lack of spaces and the plural form.  If you type in TIMESLOT without the S then multiple people will be able to register for the same time slot

Setting Up Multiple Registrants for Each Time Slot.

You can have multiple people sign up for one time slot and the time will gray out when it is full.  EK will tell you how many spots are open for each time slot.

Example: 10am 1 of 3 available     10:15am 3 of 3 available.

Here is what you would type into the Initial Text Value Field:  10am`3|10:15am `3

The `3 is the signal to EK that the timeslot 10am has 3 available spots.

Unlimited registrations for each timeslot

EKReg can also handle setting up timeslots where an unlimited number of people can sign up for each time.  The set up is below.  The benefit of using this set up is that the patron will be able to see the time they chose on the confirmation email.

Example: 10am`999|10:15am`999|10:30am`999

This form allows patrons and staff to register for tickets for a program.  The form displays the number of tickets purchased as well as calulates the total money owed by the patron. 

Why this is great

Staff can now keep track of ticket sales in EK and use the confirmation email (which includes the ticket and dollar totals) as a receipt.

Why we don't use it much

Since the form requires the use of javascript, it is a little unweildy to set up.  See Plymouth Church (org code PC) and The Dover PL (org code DTL) for examples of this form.

How to set it up

• Set up a form per usual
• Enter in this code into the Form Scripts field.  Don't see that field?  You need to be signed in as SYS to see it.

function AutoCalc()
{
  var e1 = document.DynaForm.DF_ELEM_4;
  var e2 = document.DynaForm.DF_ELEM_5;
  var e3 = document.DynaForm.DF_ELEM_6;

  if (e2.selectedIndex == 0)
    var m = 52;
  else if (e2.selectedIndex == 1)
    var m = 12;
  else
    var m = 1;

 e3.value = (e1.value * m );
}

• all the "var" and "DF_ELEM" tags are defined in the custom fields portion of the form set up.  Basically you have to set up the form as you would like it in teh custom fields portion and then add this functionality to it later.  ie make the "ticket price" field and then attach this script to it.

Here is what the form then looks like:

 

EKRegistration has several different statuses for registrants.  When setting up a form, the default choices are REGISTERED, PENDING, and WAITLIST.  When you make your form, these statuses show up in the STATUS field.  List them in the order you want them to show with the first being the default.  Make sure it is the default by adding an asterisk. 

For example: * REGISTERED,WAITLIST

The above example means that all registrants will be marked as registered.  If you want to place them as PENDING (as in pending payment) make that the first choice.

What does REGISTERED mean?

It means just that, the person has successfully registered for the event and need no further action.

What does WAITLIST mean?

Once all available slots are filled on a registration form, people are put on the Wait List. 

If any of the registrants cancel, then the first person on the waitlist gets bumped up to the registered list.  That person will get an email indicating as such.  This is automatically done in EventKeeper.  This ONLY occurrs is the patron deletes their own registration.  If staff deletes a registration, then the automatic bump does not happen.  It must be done manually.

If more spots are added to a class, then the people of the waiting list are NOT automatically bumped up.  Again, this is NOT automatic.

What if I want a Waiting List for my form, but don't want people automatically bumped up due to cancellations or adding classes?

This is an easy setting to change.  If you want a waiting list that you control, then use WAIT_LIST in the STATUS field on the form.  WAIT_LIST (as opposed to WAITLIST) will give you a waiting list, but will not automatically bump anyone up, send emails, or anything without an admin's doing so manually.

What does PENDING mean?

This status is useful for registrations that have one more componant, such as a payment, that needs to be addressed before that person is fully registered.  Many organizations will make this the default status for events that require premission slips, payment, verifaction, etc.  it basically holds the person's spot until they can complete the process.  Then library staff can go in and change the status to REGISTERED once the payment (or whatever) has been completed.

How do I change a status?

1. Login to EventKeeper as an admin
2. got to the event that has the EKRegistration form and click on the small REPORTS and EMAIL button.  Here you can edit the status by clickin EDIT next to the person's name.

Events that require payment can use PayPal to receive funds.  These instructions will show you how to insert a PayPal button onto the confirmation page of a registration.  The instructions include the steps to get feedback about the payment process and update patron registrations accordingly.

Registrations will automatically be set as PENDING until either PayPal updates the status or a staff member manually changes it.  This is good for people who pay using other methods.

How to set up a PayPal button on a registration form

If the URL indicates success, we will tell the patron and update their registration status to "*PAYPAL".

What if someone wants to pay us, but not with PayPal?

This is no problem.  PayPal is a tool that you can use for registrations, but EKRegistration will still work as it always does.  For people who want to pay using other methods, staff can simply manually change their registration status in EKregistration to PAID.

PayPal is accepting payment, but not updating EKRegistration with the right status.  What is going on? 

You have forgotten to turn off the code protection as seen in step 3.  You can make the button again and turn off that protection, then everything will work correctly.

What kind of emails will patrons receive?

Patrons who register will get a confirmation email from EventKeeper with the event information on it.  Once they pay through PayPal, then they will receive a confirmation from PayPal indicating that they have been paid.

What is a Single Use form?

If you have EKRegistration advanced you can choose between creating a Single Use Form and a Multiple Use form.  If you have EKRegistration Basic, you can make single use forms.  This type of form is for an event that occurs once and only needs one form.  Examples include: author visits, performers, or anything that is a once time occurrence.

What is a Multiple Use form?

EKregistration advanced has an option to make a multiple use form.  This type of form is for series of events that only need users to sign up once to be signed up for the whole series.  The form would appear on all the events in the series, but once a user signs up, they are signed up for all of the events.  Examples include: storytimes, technology classes, etc.

The image below shows the field to for choosing a single vs. multiple use form when editing and form set up.

How to set up a Multiple Use form

1. Create a multiple event for the series.
2. Find the first event in the series and click on the Create Registration Form button.  If the button says "Create EZ Form" then you have EKRegistration Basic and this option is not available.
3. Fill in the form with all of the information you want to collect and be sure to select Multiple Use in the Form Usage field as seen above.  Save the form.
4. Find the first event in the series and edit the EVENT.  Click Update All at the top of the screen.  This will add your multiple use form to all of the events in the series.  Done!

How can I change the dates that show up on the top of the form?

The default setting for Multiple Use forms to to leave off the date of the event at the top of the sign up.  You can change this setting by editing the form and choosing one of the options from the Display Event Information for this Event ID field.  You can include the dates, exclude them, or show the event details for the current event.

Got a lot of bots registering for programs?  We can add a CAPTCHA to your forms.  We use Google's NOCAPTCHA RECAPTCHA that has a small button at the bottom of the page that says "I am not a robot."  You will only see this button if you are not logged into EK.

How do I add this into EKRegistration?

Call us or email us and we will turn it on for you.   It will work for new forms and ones that are already in use.

Plymouth Rocket can help manage curbside pick up with EKRegistration.  We have libraries using our forms in two different ways, with time slots and individual forms for blocks.  

Sample Form with Time Slots:
http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/ekform.cfm?curOrg=KN&curName=2020/05/29_Book_Pick_Up

How to set up Time Slots: 
Time slots are made in the Advanced forms in the custom fields section.  If you do not have EKReg advanced, then you can try using the block form below.

Instructions:  www.answerkeeper.com/ekreg_timeslots 

How to set up time blocks:
Time blocks means that you have set up an event for a set time block and assigned a form to that block.  

Example:

June 1 9am-12pm - Book pick up block 1
June 1 12pm - 3pm - Book pick up block 2

Then make a form with a max number of registrants for each block.  You will then have several registration forms for the same day, but each form will cater to a different time.

Check out our sample library to see the set ups in action: http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=KN

What is the password field?

The password field shows up on registration forms for patrons to create a password for EventKeeper and login into EK using My Classes/My Registrations.  To turn it on for a form, just type PASSWORD into the field label.  This will prompt patrons to enter in a password when they register for an event.  Using this password and either their email address or library barcode, they then can log into EK and see their registrations and even delete future registrations.

We don't use My Classes/My Registrations, how do I turn this feature off?

For forms WITHOUT authentication:

When making the form, leave the password field blank.  This will turn this feature off and the password field will not show up on the form

For forms WITH authentication:

Type the word HIDE in the password field.  Leaving the field blank will NOT turn this feature off.

I want to use My Classes, but I don't see the link.  What do I do?

Contact Plymouth Rocket and we will turn on this option for you!

What if some forms use Authentication and some forms do not?  Can I still Get rid of the password field?

Currently, no.  The field will still show up, but it isn't required so patrons can skip filling it in.