Managing Events

ShulNET's event management system helps you organize synagogue activities, track RSVPs, sell tickets, and communicate with attendees.

Event Basics

What is an Event?

An event in ShulNET represents any scheduled activity or program, including:

• Shabbat services and holiday celebrations
• Educational programs and classes
• Social gatherings and fundraisers
• Community meetings
• Lifecycle events (weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs)
• Special programs and speakers

Creating Events

1. Navigate to Events

   From the admin menu, click "Events" then "Create Event".

2. Basic Information

   Required Fields:

   • Event Name: Clear, descriptive title
   • Calendar: Which calendar this event belongs to
   • Start Date/Time: When the event begins

   Optional Fields:

   • End Date/Time: When the event ends
   • All Day: Check for all-day events
   • Description: Full details about the event
   • Location: Where the event takes place
   • Online URL: Link for virtual events

3. Visibility Settings

   • Public: Visible to non-members and guests
   • Members Only: Requires login to view

4. RSVP Configuration

   If you want to track attendance:

   • Registration Required: Enable RSVP system
   • Registration Opens: When RSVPs can start
   • Registration Closes: RSVP deadline
   • Max Attendees: Capacity limit
   • Allow Guests: Can members bring guests?
   • Max Guests Per RSVP: Guest limit

5. Ticket Types (Optional)

   For paid events, add ticket types:

   • Ticket Name: e.g., "Adult", "Child", "VIP"
   • Price: Cost per ticket
   • Quantity Available: How many to sell
   • Description: What's included

   Click "Add Ticket Type" to create multiple options.

6. Save Event

   Click "Create Event" to publish. The event is immediately visible based on your visibility settings.

Event Calendars

Using Calendars

Calendars help organize events into categories:

• Services: Shabbat and holiday services
• Education: Classes and learning programs
• Social: Community gatherings
• Fundraising: Donation events
• Admin: Board meetings and planning

Creating Calendars

1. Navigate to Calendars → Create Calendar
2. Enter calendar name and description
3. Set default visibility (public/members only)
4. Choose a color for visual identification
5. Save the calendar

Calendar Permissions

Each calendar can have different visibility:

• Public: Anyone can view events
• Members Only: Login required
• Admin Only: Staff use only

Managing RSVPs

Viewing RSVPs

1. Open the event details
2. Click "View RSVPs" tab
3. See list of attendees with:
   • Attendee name and email
   • Number of guests
   • RSVP date
   • Ticket types (if applicable)
   • Payment status

Manually Adding RSVPs

For phone or in-person registrations:

1. Open event → RSVPs
2. Click "Add RSVP"
3. Select member or enter guest name
4. Choose ticket type
5. Set number of guests
6. Save RSVP

RSVP Reports

Export RSVP lists for:

• Name tags and seating
• Meal planning and catering
• Attendance tracking
• Follow-up communications

Ticket Sales

Setting Up Paid Events

1. Create Event with Tickets

   Add ticket types with prices during event creation.

2. Configure Payment

   Ensure online payment processing is enabled in settings.

3. Publish Event

   Members can now purchase tickets when RSVPing.

4. Track Sales

   Monitor ticket sales and revenue in event reports.

Ticket Types Examples

Member Event Access

How Members RSVP

Members can register through the member portal:

1. Log into member portal
2. Navigate to "Events"
3. Browse upcoming events
4. Click "RSVP" on desired event
5. Select ticket type and guest count
6. Complete payment (if required)
7. Receive confirmation email

RSVP Confirmations

After RSVPing, members receive:

• Confirmation email with event details
• Ticket information (if applicable)
• Calendar invite (.ics file)
• Directions or virtual meeting link

Virtual Events

Online Event Setup

For Zoom or other virtual events:

1. Check "Online Event" when creating
2. Add meeting URL in "Online URL" field
3. Include password in description if needed
4. Members receive link upon RSVP

Hybrid Events

For both in-person and virtual attendance:

• Create separate ticket types: "In-Person" and "Virtual"
• Set location for in-person attendees
• Add online URL for virtual attendees
• Send different confirmations based on ticket type

Recurring Events

Creating Event Series

For weekly or monthly events:

1. Create the first event normally
2. Enable "Recurring Event"
3. Set recurrence pattern:
   • Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly
   • Days of week (for weekly)
   • End date or number of occurrences
4. System generates all event instances

Best Practices

Common Questions

Can I limit RSVPs to members only?

Yes, set the event visibility to "Members Only". Non-members won't see the event or be able to RSVP.

What happens when an event reaches capacity?

Once max attendees is reached, the RSVP button is replaced with "Event Full" message. You can manually add waitlist attendees if space opens.

Can I cancel an event after people have RSVP'd?

Yes. Update the event status to "Cancelled" and the system can send cancellation emails to all attendees with refund information if applicable.

How do I handle free events vs. paid events?

Free events: Just enable "Registration Required" without adding ticket types. Paid events: Add ticket types with prices.

Can members bring guests?

Yes if "Allow Guests" is enabled. Set "Max Guests" to control how many guests per RSVP (typically 1-5).

Zoom Integration

ShulNET can automatically create and manage Zoom meetings for your online events, streamlining virtual event management and attendee registration.

Setting Up Zoom Integration

1. Create a Zoom Server-to-Server OAuth App

   Visit the Zoom Marketplace and create a Server-to-Server OAuth application.

   Required scopes:

   • meeting:write:admin - Create and manage meetings
   • meeting:write:meeting - Update meeting details
   • user:read:admin - Read user information

2. Configure Environment Variables

   Add your Zoom credentials to the .env file:

   ZOOM_ACCOUNT_ID=your-account-id ZOOM_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id ZOOM_CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secret ZOOM_USER_ID=me

3. Enable Zoom in Settings

   Navigate to Settings → Integrations and enable Zoom integration. The system will validate your credentials.

Creating Online Events with Zoom

When Zoom integration is enabled, creating an online event automatically creates a Zoom meeting:

1. Create a new event and mark it as "Online"
2. Fill in event details (title, date, time, description)
3. Save the event
4. The system automatically:
   • Creates a Zoom meeting
   • Sets the meeting title and timing
   • Adds the description as the agenda
   • Stores the Zoom meeting ID and join URL
   • Updates the event's online URL

Zoom Meeting Features

• Auto-sync: Changes to event title, date/time, or description automatically update the Zoom meeting
• Join URLs: Attendees receive Zoom join links in confirmation emails
• Registration: For events requiring registration, RSVPs are automatically registered in Zoom
• Host URLs: Event organizers receive special host URLs to start meetings
• Security: Meeting passwords are automatically generated and stored

RSVP to Zoom Registration

When attendees RSVP to an online event with Zoom enabled:

1. Their RSVP is recorded in ShulNET
2. They're automatically added as Zoom meeting registrants
3. They receive a Zoom confirmation email with their unique join link
4. Their attendance is tracked in both systems

Managing Zoom Meetings

View Zoom Details

On the event detail page, you'll see:

• Zoom Meeting ID
• Join URL (for attendees)
• Start URL (for hosts)
• Meeting password
• Registration URL (if enabled)

Update Zoom Meetings

Edit the event normally – changes sync automatically to Zoom:

• Title change: Updates Zoom meeting topic
• Date/time change: Reschedules Zoom meeting
• Description change: Updates Zoom agenda
• Online toggle off: Deletes Zoom meeting

Delete Zoom Meetings

Deleting an event automatically cancels and removes the associated Zoom meeting.

Troubleshooting Zoom Integration

Zoom meeting not created

• Verify Zoom integration is enabled in Settings
• Check that environment variables are correctly set
• Ensure the event is marked as "Online"
• Review application logs for API errors

Attendees not registered in Zoom

• Confirm "Registration Required" is enabled on the event
• Check that the event has a valid Zoom meeting ID
• Verify RSVP email addresses are valid

Zoom credentials invalid

• Regenerate credentials in Zoom Marketplace
• Update .env file with new values
• Run php artisan config:clear
• Disable and re-enable Zoom in Settings

Related Documentation

• Managing Calendars - Organizing events
• RSVP Management - Detailed RSVP guide
• Email Campaigns - Event announcements
• Committees & Boards - Zoom for meetings