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Early Registration Guide

Early registration links allow event organizers to give specific people or groups access to registration before it opens to the public. This guide explains how to create and manage early registration links.

Early registration links are special URLs that bypass normal registration timing. When someone uses an early registration link, they can register for the event even if general registration hasn't opened yet.

Use Cases

  • VIP Access: Give sponsors, partners, or special guests priority registration
  • Staff Registration: Allow event staff and volunteers to register early
  • Early Bird Promotions: Offer early access as a special promotion
  • Testing: Test your registration process before public launch
  • Group Access: Give specific event groups early registration access
  1. Go to your event's management page
  2. Click "Early Registration Links" in the sidebar
  3. Click "Create Early Registration Link"
  4. Fill in the details:
    • Label: A descriptive name (e.g., "VIP Access", "Staff Registration", "Early Bird")
    • Max Uses: Maximum number of times the link can be used (optional, leave blank for unlimited)
    • Expires At: When the link expires (optional)
    • Group Assignment: Optionally assign the link to a specific event group
  5. Click "Create Link"
  6. Copy the generated link

Early registration links follow this format:

https://your-domain.com/events/{eventId}/reserve?early={token}

The link is automatically generated when you create an early registration link.

From the early registration links page, you can see:

  • Link label
  • Usage count (e.g., "5/10 used")
  • Expiration date (if set)
  • Creation date
  1. Find the link you want to share
  2. Click "Copy Link"
  3. The full URL is copied to your clipboard
  4. Share it via email, messaging, or any other method

You can update:

  • Link label
  • Maximum uses
  • Expiration date
  • Group assignment
  1. Click on a link (if edit functionality is available)
  2. Update the fields
  3. Save changes

If a link is no longer needed:

  1. Find the link
  2. Click the delete button
  3. Confirm deletion

Deleting Links

Deleting a link is permanent. Anyone who tries to use a deleted link will get an error. Make sure you really want to delete it before confirming.

Label

A human-readable name for the link. This helps you identify different links when managing multiple early registration links.

Examples:

  • "VIP Access"
  • "Staff Registration"
  • "Early Bird Special"
  • "Sponsor Access"

Max Uses

Limit how many times a link can be used. Once the limit is reached, the link will no longer work.

When to use:

  • Limited VIP spots (e.g., "10 VIP tickets available")
  • Staff registration (e.g., "20 staff members")
  • Early bird promotion with limited spots

Leave blank for unlimited uses.

Expires At

Set when the link expires. After the expiration date, the link will no longer work.

When to use:

  • Time-limited promotions
  • Early bird offers that expire before general registration
  • Temporary access for testing

Leave blank for no expiration.

Group Assignment

Assign the link to a specific event group. This allows the group leader to use the early registration link to register for multiple tickets, then assign those tickets to group members.

When to use:

  • Tournament team registration where the team leader registers for all members
  • Pre-assigned groups that need early access
  • Coordinated team access with centralized ticket management

How it works:

  1. Assign an early registration link to an event group
  2. Share the link with the group leader
  3. The group leader can use the link to register for multiple tickets (one for each team member)
  4. The group leader can then assign those tickets to group members using the ticket assignment feature

Leave blank if not assigning to a group.

Best Practices

Create separate links for different purposes:

  • "VIP Access" for sponsors and partners
  • "Staff Registration" for volunteers and staff
  • "Early Bird" for promotional early access
  • "Team Registration" for tournament groups (assign to specific groups)

This helps you track who registered through which channel.

For tournament teams or organized groups, you can assign early registration links to specific event groups:

  1. Create the Event Group: Have team captains create their groups first
  2. Create Early Registration Link: Create a link and assign it to the group
  3. Share with Group Leader: Give the link to the group leader
  4. Group Leader Registers: The leader uses the link to register for multiple tickets (one per team member)
  5. Assign Tickets: The leader assigns each ticket to group members

This workflow is perfect for:

  • Tournament organizers who want team leaders to handle registration
  • Coordinated group registrations
  • Ensuring all team members get tickets together

Setting Limits

  • VIP Links: Set max uses equal to available VIP spots
  • Staff Links: Set max uses equal to expected staff count
  • Promotional Links: Set limits based on your promotion terms

Expiration Dates

  • Set expiration dates for time-limited promotions
  • Leave blank for links that should work until general registration opens
  • Consider setting expiration slightly before general registration opens

Security

  • Don't share links publicly if they're meant for specific people
  • Use different links for different groups to track usage
  • Delete links that are no longer needed
  • Monitor usage to detect any issues

Tracking Usage

Monitor your early registration links to:

  • See how many people have used each link
  • Track registration patterns
  • Identify which channels are most effective
  • Ensure links aren't being overused

The usage counter shows: {usedCount}/{maxUses} (or {usedCount}/∞ for unlimited links).

Troubleshooting

  • Check expiration: The link may have expired
  • Check max uses: The link may have reached its usage limit
  • Verify URL: Make sure the link was copied correctly
  • Check event status: Ensure the event is still accepting registrations

If a link has exceeded its intended usage:

  1. Check the usage count
  2. Create a new link if needed
  3. Delete the old link to prevent further use
  4. Contact users if necessary

If a link expired before you intended:

  1. Create a new link with a later expiration date
  2. Share the new link with affected users
  3. Consider not setting expiration dates for future links

Wrong Group Assignment

If a link is assigned to the wrong group:

  1. Edit the link
  2. Update the group assignment
  3. Or create a new link with the correct assignment
  • Event Groups: Assign early registration links to specific groups
  • Group Registration Links: Create links that allow group creation
  • Regular Registration: General registration that opens at the scheduled time

Next Steps