GC Events - Backend Registration (Admin Registration)

Overview

Backend Registration allows event staff to create and manage registrations directly from the admin interface—no CSV uploads required. This enables teams to register constituents over the phone, handle walk-ups, and make updates outside of the standard registration window.

This feature is included with GC Events and requires no setup or action from partners. 

Who This Is For

Backend Registration is designed for:

• Alumni relations teams
• Events staff managing registrations manually
• Institutions handling phone or in-person event sign-ups

Key Capabilities

Create and Manage Registrations

• Add new registrations directly from the admin UI
• Required fields are minimal:
  • First name
  • Last name
  • Email
  • Ticket type or package

Manage Guests and Add-Ons

• Add guests to new or existing registrations
• Include:
  • Activities
  • Add-ons
  • Promo codes

Flexible Access

• Works outside of the registration window
• Allows access to hidden or restricted ticket types

  How hidden ticket types appear in Backend Registration

  • Hidden ticket types appear in the backend registration interface under the "Add Registration" feature.

  • Administrators see hidden tickets alongside regular options in the ticket type dropdown. The ticket selector displays all configured ticket types regardless of their hidden status when accessed through backend registration.

  • Hidden tickets are only hidden from public registration flows, not from admin backend registration tools.

    Identifying hidden ticket types in Backend Registration

    When using the backend Add Registration flow, the ticket selector displays every ticket type configured for the event. Hidden ticket types appear with “(Hidden)” appended to their names, making them easy to distinguish from visible tickets.

    Hidden ticket types are excluded only from public registration flows. They remain selectable in backend registration and appear in reporting and attendance lists. Use the Add Registration flow—or the Attendance screen’s Add Registration action for walk-ins—when registering someone for a ticket that is hidden on public pages (for example, staff comps, internal passes, or restricted access tickets).

    Troubleshooting:

    • If you can’t find a hidden ticket in the dropdown, confirm that the ticket is configured for the event; the hidden status only affects public pages.
    • To make a hidden ticket visible publicly, change its visibility in Event Settings → Ticketing. This adjustment does not affect registrations already created via the backend.

  Where to look

  1. Open Admin UI → Event → Registrations and click "Add Registration".
  2. Open the Ticket type dropdown — you will see hidden and visible ticket types listed together. Select the hidden ticket type you want and complete the registration as usual.

  Notes and tips

  • Use the backend "Add Registration" flow when you need to register someone to a ticket that you intentionally hid from public registration (for example, staff comps, internal passes, or restricted tickets).
  • Hiding a ticket only affects what the public sees on your public registration pages; it does not remove the option from admin registration tools or reporting.

Communication Control

• Choose whether to send a confirmation email for each registration

Walk-In Support

• Create registrations directly from the Attendance screen for in-person arrivals

Where to Find It

Navigate to:

• Admin UI → Event → Registrations

   

• → “Add Registration”
• Also available from the Attendance screen for walk-in registrations

Reporting Enhancements

Backend Registration introduces new reporting capabilities to improve visibility and tracking.

New Reporting Fields

Available in Registration, Guest, and Activity reports:

• registration_type
  Indicates how the registration was created:
  • Admin Registration
  • Offline Upload
  • Constituent Registration
• created_by
  Shows the admin who created the registration

API Behavior

• All backend registrations and updates are included in the Events API
• Most new reporting fields are available via API
• Exception: created_by is only available in custom reporting

Common Use Cases

• Registering attendees over the phone
• Adding last-minute or walk-in participants
• Updating registrations after submission
• Managing guests for restricted or hidden ticket types
• Creating registrations before opening or after closing registration

Known Limitations

• No integration with GC Connect or MOTO
• Constituents cannot add guests to their own registrations
• Donations cannot be processed during backend registration

  Capacity and limit behavior (admin‑side)

  Backend Registration enforces the same capacity limits as public registration. Administrators cannot create registrations for ticket types that are sold out, have reached capacity, or have event-level limits exceeded.

  • A ticket type with a capacity set to zero in Event Settings → Ticketing is unavailable for both public and backend registration.
  • The Add Registration feature will return an error if you try to register a sold-out or zero-capacity ticket type.
  • The backend ticket selector displays all configured ticket types (including hidden ones), but capacity rules still apply both to individual ticket types and to ticket packages.

  Notes and recommendations:

  • Hidden ticket types are available in backend registration but remain subject to capacity limits. Use the hidden setting to control public visibility without affecting inventory management for admin registrations.
  • To prevent all registrations for a ticket type, set its capacity to zero or remove it from the event.
  • For walk-ins, use the Attendance screen’s Add Registration action, which follows the same capacity rules.

  When to use each approach:

  • Hide a ticket if you want to stop public signups while allowing staff to register select individuals, as long as capacity remains available.
  • Set a ticket’s capacity to zero or remove it from the event if you want to block it from both public and backend registration flows.

  Backend Registration uses the same capacity validation as public registration. Hidden tickets are visible to administrators, but sold-out or zero-capacity tickets cannot be selected.

Example Workflows

1. Create a New Registration

• Add a registrant from the admin UI
• Select a ticket type
• Add guest information
• Submit with or without confirmation email

Result: Registration appears in the system with all selected details.

2. Update an Existing Registration

• Open an existing registration
• Add a guest, activity, or add-on

Result: Registration updates immediately and reflects changes in reporting.

3. Register a Walk-In Attendee

• Use the Attendance screen
• Add a new registration on-site

Result: Attendee is registered and appears in the attendance list.

Creating Complimentary Tickets

With Backend Registration, you can create complimentary registrations directly:

1. Navigate to Admin UI → Event → Registrations
2. Click "Add Registration"
3. Fill in the required fields (name, email)
4. Select any ticket type (including paid ones)
5. Complete the registration without processing payment

Alternative Options:

• $0.00 Ticket Types: Create a ticket type with $0.00 pricing in Event Settings > Ticketing
• 100% Promo Codes: Create a promo code for full discount that qualifying registrants can use during online registration

Troubleshooting hidden ticket types

If a hidden ticket isn’t visible in the backend ticket selector, check the following:

1. Use the backend registration flow: In the event registration management area, open the Add Registration feature. This view lists all configured ticket types.

2. Confirm the ticket exists: Verify the ticket type is created and saved in the event’s ticketing settings. A ticket that isn’t configured won’t appear in the selector.

3. Understand visibility: All configured ticket types appear in backend registration, regardless of public visibility. Hiding a ticket only affects its display on public registration pages; it remains available in admin tools, reports, and attendance lists.

4. Check public accessibility: If you need the ticket to be selectable by the public, update its visibility in your event’s ticketing settings. This change will affect future public pages without altering existing backend registrations.

5. Explore alternative entry points: You can also add registrations from the Attendance screen’s Add Registration action for walk-ins, which uses the same comprehensive ticket list.

Use these steps to determine whether a missing ticket is due to a configuration issue or its intentional hidden status.

Collecting payment for manually created registrations

Backend Registration creates registrations without processing payment. The flow records registration details but does not charge a card or complete a checkout.

After creating a registration:

• The system redirects to the registration edit screen for review or updates.

To collect payment for a manual registration:

1. Send the registrant the public event registration link so they can complete payment through the standard checkout flow.
2. Create a unique tracking link (or short URL/QR code) to direct registrants to the public registration page, suitable for walk-in scenarios.
3. Clone the event to generate a separate copy for onsite payment if needed, while keeping the main event closed.

Key reminders:

• Manually created registrations can be updated in the admin UI, but payment must be collected separately using one of the methods above.
• If immediate marking of a registration as paid is required, consider using a $0.00 ticket type or a 100% promo code and then reconcile the payment externally.
• Use a consistent onsite workflow, such as a QR code or cloned event, to ensure reliable payment reconciliation for walk-in registrants.