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  • 1.  What you wish you'd known

    Posted 03-22-2024 12:37
    Edited by Daniel Marotta 03-22-2024 12:45

    What are some tips and tricks that you wish you would have known when just starting out with Cvent?

    #AttendeeHub

    #Registration

    #ManagingEvents

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    McKenzie Madlan
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  • 2.  RE: What you wish you'd known

    Posted 04-04-2024 06:59

    Hi McKenzie - 

    That's a tough one because I started with Cvent back in 2015 before Flex was developed, and honestly I thought the whole thing was really complicated, haha! I never would have gotten through the first build if it wasn't for my Customer Success Manager. 

    Now, I feel like having a broad knowledge of Registration Types, Admission Items, and Registration Paths and how they differ and interact can really save you a lot of complication with building a reg site. There are sites I can build now with one registration path where I would have used multiple ones in the past due to lack of understanding how they can work together.  



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    Tori Martinez, Cvent Certified
    Event Technology Specialist
    Direct Travel
    United States
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  • 3.  RE: What you wish you'd known

    Posted 04-04-2024 12:28

    Hi McKenzie - 

    I've got a handful of tips that I wish I had known when I first started using Cvent - here's my Top 10:

    1) Clear your cache and cookies often - NOW,  I know that if I clear my cache and cookies every morning before I start working in Cvent, my days will go much smoother.  Having too much in your cache could lead to unexpected results.  Clear often!

    2) Save often - whether you are building registration sites, working on meeting request forms, or in any area where you have the ability to save, save often.  The last thing you want to happen is to make a bunch of changes, only to find that you might have gotten timed out/logged off and all those changes are gone.

    3) Bookmark your access to Cvent - while everyone's access to Cvent may be a little different, there are some ways that you can bookmark it so that when you get signed out or logged off, that you can just click your bookmark and get right back in (without having to do a full-log in again).  Again, all instances are different, but definitely check to see if this is possible on your account.

    4) Use the Recent Items icon on the top of the screen -   This will show you the last ten items you were working on, so you don't have to go back and find the Cvent code or search the event name, to get back to the last thing you were working on.

    5) Set your preferences in your profile - If you work in Meeting Request forms 80% of the time - set your preference in your profile to default to Meeting Requests when you log into Cvent each day.  Or if you work on Reg Sites most of the time, have your default set to Events.  While you may think, what's a couple of clicks - it can save you hundreds of extra clicks a day.

    6) Create a custom view for yourself - If you work on events and often find yourself clicking into the events to find the Start Dates, the Registration Launch Dates, or the Requester Email Address, why not create a custom view on your dashboard so you can see all that information at a glance, instead of having to find the event, click on it, and search for the info you need.

    7) Master the Knowledge Base - When searching for stuff in the Knowledge Base, use broader terms in your search criteria.  As an example, if you are looking for manual registration approvals, try just typing "approval" to see what results you get.  If you find that the results are too broad, then try clicking the box next to the specific tool/product (example:  Event Management or Appointments) to narrow the search results.  AND scroll all the way down to the bottom on any Knowledge Base Articles.  Those links at the bottom of the articles will often lead you to the answer you are looking for even though they did not come up in your original search results.

    8)  Cvent Support is amazing - I wish that I had known earlier on how amazing the Cvent Support team is and how knowledgeable they are.  I can't tell you how much I have learned by starting with Cvent Support versus searching for an answer for hours and then only calling them after trying different things and becoming frustrated.  

    9) Lots of things in Cvent are connected - A tough lesson to learn is that if you make a change in one part of Cvent (like the Meeting Request Form), it can have downstream effects and can affect other parts of Cvent (like the Event Registration).  If you are looking to make some major changes or overhauls in the tool or in your processes, you may want to check with Cvent Support or your Account Manager first to talk through your ideas before jumping in and making all the changes.  It will save you a lot of time and heartache.

    10)  For Reports - Note the report templates that have the word "Details" in the title.  If you are just starting out and running reports, the reports with "Details" in the title are often the ones that have the most fields included in the report to select from.  As an example, if you are running an event report but you can't find the requester's email address or custom event fields, running a "Details" report will allow you pull in those additional, hard-to-find fields that aren't available on other report templates.

    Hope this helps!  But more importantly - here's hoping these tips save you time and prevent any frustration.  Enjoy!



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    Rebecca Yousif
    Senior Administrator - Event Technology
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  • 4.  RE: What you wish you'd known

    Posted 04-04-2024 14:53

    Rebecca,

    That is a great top 10 list!!! 

    When I'm training or onboarding a new person I talk about the same key points 1-9 on your list. Once an event is launch I have a follow up meeting and go over reporting. I love your explanation for Note the report templates that have the word "Details" in the title.

    The only thing I can add is to think of proper accessibility and best design practices when building events.



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    James Rose | Senior Web Developer and Platform/Product Manager
    Digital Infrastructure
    Office of University Development | University of Michigan
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  • 5.  RE: What you wish you'd known

    Posted 04-05-2024 09:34

    This is a FANTASTIC list, Rebecca! The first two are especially great! Thanks for sharing. :)



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    Tori Martinez, Cvent Certified
    Event Technology Specialist
    Direct Travel
    United States
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  • 6.  RE: What you wish you'd known

    Posted 04-12-2024 09:38

    Amazing list! Might even share with team members when onboarding and introducing them to Cvent! Number 6 is my favorite... efficiency is key in this industry!



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    Sara Ellerbroek
    Assistant Director of Sales
    JW Marriott Charlotte
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  • 7.  RE: What you wish you'd known

    Posted 04-17-2024 16:06

    I wish I would have known the depth of details you have to turn on or select when setting up the gamification. Currently, I am at our event and the game I set up I had customized challenges but I had also used default challenges not realizing that I needed to go to the session section and survey sections to toggle the options in order for the points to be awarded or even activated. Unfortunately, I cant edit any of the game because it is currently LIVE but I cannot help the attendees or resolve a challenge they will never get points for. Such a bummer.



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    Reeding Roberts
    Graphic Designer
    International Academies of Emergency DispatchUnited States
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