Category: Trade Show Management

Track and manage your trade shows and exhibits with ExhibitDay for free.

Categorizing Event Tasks Using Sections

Task Sections help you categorize tasks (under a given event’s Tasks tab) by grouping them together. For example, you can create a “High Priority” section for urgent tasks or an “In-progress” section for tasks currently being worked on.

Adding a Task Section to an Event

You can add sections to an event’s tasks tab using the dropdown menu of the “Add Task” button.

Note: Task sections are event-specific. When you add/rename/reorder/delete task sections for a given event, the task sections for other events are not affected.

Add a task section

Once you add your first section to an event’s Tasks tab, the system automatically adds a section called “Uncategorized”. This section is used for tasks that haven’t been categorized yet.

Configurating Task Sections for an Event

After you create task sections for an event, you can rename, reorder, or delete the sections using the “Configure Task Sections” popup dialog. To open the “Configure Task Sections” dialog, click the pencil icon next to any of the task section names on the board.

Edit Task Sections

Once the “Configure Task Sections” dialog appears, make your changes to the list of sections and simply close the dialog.

Configure Task Sections for an Event

You can reorder the task sections by grab-and-dragging the handle to the right of each section. The “Uncategorized Tasks” section can only be placed either at the top or at the bottom of the list.

Creating Default Task Sections (sections that automatically get created whenever you add a new event).

Default Event Task Sections are task sections that automatically get created whenever you add a new event to your workspace. You can configure default task sections for your workspace under: Workspace Settings > Workspace Customizations > Configure Default Event Task Sections.

Applying Default Task Sections to Existing Events

Once you have created default task sections for new events in your workspace, you can also apply them to existing events using the “Apply to all existing events” button at the bottom of the default sections list.

What happens when you apply the default task sections to all existing events

When you click the “Apply to all existing events” button, this is how the default task sections get applied to each existing event: 

  • If the existing event has no task sections, all of the default task sections will be added to it (in the same order as listed on the workspace settings page).
  • If the event already has at least one task section:
    • The default task sections will be added to top of the list of sections for the event.
    • To avoid duplicate sections, if the event already has a task section that matches the name of one of the default sections, that section will not get added to the event.
    • The position of the Uncategorized section for the event will be updated to match the position of the Uncategorized tasks in the default task sections (i.e. if the Uncategorized section in the default task sections is at the top, the Uncategorized tasks for the event will be moved to the top; if the Uncategorized section is at the bottom, the Uncategorized tasks for the event will be moved to the bottom).

Note: Once you apply the default task sections to your existing events, you won’t be able to rename or delete them in bulk (you’d have to go to each event’s Tasks tab in order to make changes to the task sections for that event).

Shareable Event Boards

A Shareable Event Board is an automatically generated page that displays a list of events in your workspace based on the predetermined filter criteria that you select.

Each Event Board has a unique URL (web address) that can be used to view the board without having to log into ExhibitDay. You can share this URL with people interested in the events you’re attending, or publish it on your organization’s website to inform your customers about your upcoming shows.

Configuring Event Boards

You can get to the Event Board Management Area from the dropdown menu of the Events tab.

Manage Event Boards

Once you create a board, you can configure it to be filtered down based on various criteria. You can also select the information you would like to have displayed on the board about each event.

Filtering the Board Based on a Value of a Custom Dropdown Field

Under the “Advanced Filtering” section of the “Board Settings” tab, you can configure your event board to be filtered down based on the value of any Custom Dropdown field.

Advanced Filtering

Example:
You can add a custom dropdown field to your events and name it “Publish this event to the Event Board?” (with the available options: ‘Yes’ and ‘No’). Then, you can configure your board to be filtered down to events that have the value ‘Yes’ selected for that dropdown.

Previewing the Board

Once you’re done making configuration changes to your event board, you can click the “Preview Board” button to see what your event board looks like when you share its URL with someone or embed it in a web page.

Preview Event Board

Note: If you don’t see a particular event listed on the board, it’s because that event does not match the filter criteria (configured under the Board Settings tab) or it has been excluded from the board (under the Exclusion List tab).

Sharing the Board (outside of ExhibitDay)

You can obtain the board’s shareable URL (unique web address) by clicking the “Share” button.

Share, Embed, Export Event Board

Note: The board’s shareable URL will never change (i.e., the event board is always accessible via this URL). Also, an ExhibitDay account is not required when viewing the event board using this URL. Anyone you share this URL with can view the board without having to log into ExhibitDay.

Embedding the Board on Your Organization’s Website, Blog, or Intranet

You can obtain the HTML markup for embedding the event board on a website from the “Embed Code” tab.

Event Board Embed Code

Note: if you are using the WordPress as your CMS, insert the embed code as a “Custom HTML” block.

Exporting the Board (.csv, JSON, XML)

The board can be exported in 3 formats: .csv (spreadsheet download), JSON, and XML. The unique URLs for exporting the board can be obtained from the “Export URLs” tab.

Export Event Board

Note: An ExhibitDay account is not required for exporting the event board using the export URLs. Anyone you share the export URLs with can export the board without having to log into ExhibitDay.

Changing the Event Board’s Look and Feel (using Custom CSS)

If you would like to change the look and feel of an event board, use the “Custom CSS” field under the “Advanced Settings” tab to override the default styles.

Note: The Custom CSS setting is an advanced/technical setting that requires familiarity with Cascading Style Sheets (a design language used by programmers and web developers).

As an example, if you add the CSS styles below into the “Custom CSS” field, the board’s font size will be smaller, the background color will change to purple, the board name will be purple, and the background color of each event on the board will be light yellow.

#event-board { font-size: 12px; }
.event-item { background-color: lightyellow; }  
#event-board-name { color: purple; }    
body { background-color: pink; }

You can obtain a full list of default styles from following css file (which is referenced when viewing an event board): https://www.exhibitday.com/content/eventboard/eventboard.css

Deleting an Event Board

You can delete an event board by clicking the “Delete Board” option under the extended menu of the event board tab strip.

Delete Event Board

Event Board Limitations (for Lower Tier Plans)

While the ExhibitDay Enterprise plan offers unrestricted access to all the features of Sharable Event Boards, the Lite, Professional, and Premium plans come with the following restrictions:

  • Only one Event Board can be created.
  • A maximum of 3 events can be displayed on the board.
  • The board’s advanced settings cannot be modified.

Announcement Messages on Event Tabs

Available under the ExhibitDay Enterprise plan, event tab announcements are brief messages that you can place at the top of various tabs of a given event. These messages can be used to convey information about the event itself or special instructions for a given tab to users in your ExhibitDay workspace when they view the tab.

Examples:

  1. You can add an announcement to the top of the “Event Information” tab with the message: “As a Gold sponsor of the event, we get access to meeting rooms A, B, and C during exhibit hall hours.”
  2. You can add an announcement to the “Travel Reservations” tab with the message: “In case of reservation issues or a mix-up, please call the Travel Agency directly — (800) 555-1212”

Adding An Announcement Message

Announcements messages can be added to event tabs from the “Announcements” section of the “Event Settings” tab of a given event.

Add Announcement to Event

Note: Any announcement message that you add to a tab of a particular event appears for that event only; it will not appear for other events in your workspace.

Viewing Announcement Messages on Event Tabs

Once an announcement has been added to an event tab, it will appear at the top of the tab you placed it on. All of the users in your workspace (who have access to that tab) will see the announcement when they visit that particular tab of that particular event.

Travel Announcement Message

Pro-tip:
When you copy/duplicate an event, all announcement messages for the event will also get copied over to the new event. So, for future events that require the same announcement messages, you can simply make a copy of an event with the desired announcement messages.

The Special Event Tab

Offered under the ExhibitDay Enterprise plan, the Special event tab is a custom tab that you can enable for your events. Once enabled, you’ll get one extra tab in all your events (in addition to the standard event tabs that ExhibitDay provides).

Under the Special tab, you can create a set of custom fields (textboxes, dropdowns, date/time fields, attachments, etc.). For example, you can enable the Special tab and name it “Important Deadlines” (in order to keep track of a set of meaningful and significant dates for your events). Or, you can name it “Links & Resources” and use it to track information about your suppliers and third-party providers for each event.

You can get to the Special Event Tab settings by going to Workspace Settings > Workspace Customizations > Customize the Special Event Tab.

Customize Special Event Tab

Special Tab Settings

You can configure the settings for your Special event tab under the “Special Tab Settings” section. There, you have the option to enable or disable the Special event tab. You can also set the name of the tab and specify where (on the event page tab strip) the Special tab should appear.

Special Tab Settings

Adding Fields to the Special Tab

Under the “Special Tab Fields” section, you can specify the fields you’d like to have included in your Special event tab. You can choose from any of the standard custom fields available in ExhibitDay (Text, URL, Date/Time, Dropdown control, and File Attachment).

The order in which custom fields appear here is the same order in which they will appear on your Special tab when viewing the tab on your event pages. If you’d like to change the order any field (i.e., move it up/down on the list), grab-and-drag its handle (on the right side of the screen) up or down the list.

Adding Fields to the Special Tab

The Special Tab on the Event Page

If your Special event tab is marked as Enabled, you’ll see the tab show up on your Event pages. The Special tab will be placed on the Event page tab strip based on the Placement setting that you specify in the “Special Tab Settings” section.

Special Event Tab

User Permissions for the Special Tab

If your Special event tab is marked as Enabled, when you edit any of the users in your workspace (under Workspace Settings > Users & Permissions), you’ll have the option to specify if they should have access to the Special event tab. The Special tab permissions for Team Members appears as the last item under the “Event Management” section of the list of permissions. The Special tab permission for Guests appears toward the bottom of the list of permissions (3rd from the bottom).

Note: by default, when you enable the Special tab, all users in your workspace will have access to the tab — users marked as Admins or Team Members will have view and update access, and users marked as Guest will have view access.

Special Tab User Permissions

Sharing Assets Between Your Workspaces (for multi-workspace configurations)

If you have a multi-workspace configuration (offered under the ExhibitDay Enterprise plan), you can share Assets between your ExhibitDay workspaces.

What is a Shared Asset?

A shared asset is any asset that has been shared with another workspace. When an asset is shared with another workspace, it can get reserved for events in that workspace (via the Event “Asset Reservations” tab of the workspace it is shared with).

How do I share an Asset with another workspace?

If you are on the ExhibitDay Enterprise plan and have multiple workspaces, when you view an asset (in the “Manage Assets” area), you’ll see a “Sharing” tab. Under the “Sharing” tab you can specify which of your other workspace(s) the asset should be shared with.

Sharing an Asset

Where do Shared Assets Appear?

Shared assets will be made available under the Event “Asset Reservations” tab of the workspaces they are shared with. Shared assets will not appear in the “Manage Assets” area of the workspace they are shared with. For example, if you share an asset from workspace A with another workspace, B, then any event in workspace B can reserve the shared asset; however, the asset will not appear under the “Manage Assets” area of workspace B. Any change to the asset itself (like changes to the asset name, model number, image, etc.) must be made in the asset’s origin workspace (workspace A).

A share icon Shared Asset is displayed in front of the names of shared assets.

Reserving a Shared Asset

Can Users of the Workspace the Asset is Shared With See the Cost of the Asset?

The Cost of an asset can be set when adding/editing the asset (in the Manage Assets area). When you share an asset with another workspace, you have the option to specify whether or not the users of that workspace can see the cost of the shared asset.
Note: The cost of an asset is shown as a reference when tagging an asset in a giveaway for an event (in order to help calculate the cost of the giveaway); for more information about tagging assets in giveaways of an event, please refer to this article.

What Happens When a Shared Asset is Unshared?

Unsharing (i.e., disabling sharing of) an asset that has already been shared with another workspace prevents new reservations of the asset from the workspace it was shared with — any existing reservations that may have already been made while the asset was shared will not get canceled.