GC Events - Getting Started

Consider this article your quick start guide to getting to know GC Events! In this article, we cover:

• Setting up the basic details, ticket types, registration limits, etc.
• Collecting registrant & attendee information
• Soliciting additional gifts from donors
• Social sharing and guest list details
• Email settings for registration confirmations and pre-event reminders, email summaries, and RSVP No confirmations

Getting Started Requirements

To get started, confirm that you are listed as a GC Events-specific administrator, and head to the Events section from your admin dashboard.

Note: If you aren't yet an Events administrator at your institution, reach out to your primary GiveCampus admin or contact support@givecampus.com to be added.

Publishing Your Event

How to Publish an Event

Once your event is configured, you'll need to publish it to make it live for registrations:

Common Publishing Issues

Q: Why can't I see the publish button? A: You likely have incomplete required fields. The most commonly missed fields are in Email Settings - make sure you've entered the Event Contact's name and email address.

Q: Can I unpublish an event? A: Yes. You can unpublish an event if it is active with no registrations or if the event has moved to complete status. Click the Unpublish Event button in the Other Actions panel to revert the event to draft.

Setting Up Event Basics

Event Details

Start by filling in your event's core information:

• Event name and description
• Date, time, and location details
• Event capacity and guest limits
• Registration deadline

Ticket Configuration

Set up your ticket types and pricing:

• Create ticket types with appropriate names and pricing
• Set ticket limits if needed
• Configure ticket designations for reporting purposes
• After a registration is completed for a ticket type, its price and fair market value become locked and cannot be changed. You also cannot delete a ticket type with completed registrations, though you can still update other details such as its name, limits, or visibility.

Email Configuration Requirements

Before publishing, you must configure:

• Event Contact Name (required)
• Event Contact Email (required)
• Registration confirmation emails
• Optional reminder emails and RSVP settings

Registration Management Features

Once your event is live, you can:

• View and manage registrations
• Process refunds when needed
• Add offline registrants
• Generate reports and export data

Next Steps

After setting up the basics:

Review our Pre-launch Checklist to ensure everything is configured properlyTest the registration flow before promoting your eventSet up tracking links for marketing campaignsConfigure waitlist options if needed

For more detailed setup instructions, including complex events with activities and add-ons, see our Complex Event Setup Guide.

Adding Custom Guest Information Fields

Collecting Additional Information During Registration

You can collect custom information from event guests during the registration process by adding custom fields to your event.

To add custom guest information fields:

1. Navigate to your event settings

2. Click on the Guest Information section in the left navigation

3. Click Add Custom Field

4. Select the field type:

- Text: For free-form responses (questions, topics, special requests)

- Dropdown: For multiple choice options

- Checkbox: For yes/no questions

- Number: For numeric responses

- Multi-select: For choosing multiple options from a list

5. Enter your field label (e.g., "Questions or topics for discussion")

6. Configure whether the field is required or optional

7. Save your changes

Important notes:

• Text fields have a limit of 1,024 characters
• Custom field responses can be exported in your event reports
• Guest custom field data appears in Custom Reporting under the Guest report type

Common Use Cases for Custom Fields

• Dietary restrictions and allergies
• Questions or discussion topics
• Special accommodation requests
• Parking needs
• T-shirt sizes for events with merchandise