This article details block types the A2Z team recommends using to display event info in your portal.
The Page Editor tool is used to manage blocks and customize all site pages.
Explore the recommended block categories overview to learn about block types in other categories.
Jump to Section:
- Category-Specific Standard Settings
- Recommended Category Block Types
About Category
The system refers to sessions and meetings as Events. Most block types found in the events category are used on pages associated with the Call for Proposals, Conference, and Matchmaking package add-ons.
Before configuring blocks in this category, session data must be created or imported to Admin Panel > Site Building Tools > Events Manager to appear properly on the front end of your site.
Category-Specific Standard Settings
In addition to the standard block settings, several blocks in the Events category contain two optional category-specific settings that allow further customization.
Populating the Category Ids field limits the block to only show events from the specified event category.
Populating the Event Ids field limits the block to only show the specified events. These identifiers are unique to each event and are only generated after it has been created.
If neither field is populated, the block displays all events from all categories.
How to locate a category Id
Perform the following steps to locate a category Id:
1. Navigate to Admin Panel > Site Building Tools > Event Manager > Categories.
2. Click Edit next to the desired category and review the page URL.
3. The category Id is the number shown after the /category URL parameter.
How to locate an event Id
Perform the following steps to locate the unique event Id:
1. Navigate to the Sessions (e.g., /sessions) page or the Session Categories (e.g., /sessions/categories) page on the front end of your Event Portal.
2. Click the desired session and review the page URL.
3. The event Id is located after the category Id at the end of the link.
Recommended Events Category Block Types
Recommended block types for use in the Events Category include:
Types and Settings
Review the following block type details for more info on specific functionality and configuration settings.
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Approve Event
The Approve Event block is used to modify the status of an existing event.
In addition to the Event Admin block, this block allows site admins to update the status of pending sessions to approved or denied. Site Admins can define the Default Event Status in the event category form and then use this block to modify the status of individual events.
Best Practice: Add this block to the View Event page (Default Page Name: View Event, Default URL: /sessions/item/:category_id/:event_id) to manage the status of existing conference sessions.
Associate User
The Associate User block gives site admins, event admins, and event owners the capability to add speakers to a session, assign a role to session attendees, and auto-set an RSVP status to indicate specific user attendance.
Best Practice: Add this block to the View Event page (Default Page Name: View Event, Default URL: /sessions/item/:category_id/:event_id) to ensure speakers are associated with the correct session.
Block-Specific Settings:
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- Description - Use the Description field to display instructions or additional information as needed on the block.
Browse Categories
The Browse Categories block displays the list of session categories if more than one has been created.
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Session categories are defined in Admin Panel > Site Building Tools > Events Manager > Categories.
- Each category is displayed individually and includes the number of sessions created in each type.
- Clicking on an event category from the block loads the list of sessions associated with the category.
- Hovering over an event category displays the description entered in the category form.
Best Practice: Ensure only one category is created for your session data then configure session information to sync and pull to the Event Portal from Global Admin.
Event Admin
The Event Admin block allows system admins to designate specific users as Event Admins for individual sessions. This designation grants limited administrative access to manage the assigned event.
Functional Tabs on the Event Admin block include:
- Event Options
- System Admins can manage the event status and quickly update based on options defined in Site Building Tools > Events > Event Status.
- Users assigned as Event Admins can upload badges to be associated with event attendees after the event is completed.
- Event Admins can also enable or disable comments functionality from this tab.
- Registrants
- View the complete list of users, including waitlisted users, who have signed up to attend.
- Manage event attendance.
- Export the list of event-specific attendees.
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Messaging
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Event Admins can send communications regarding the specific event to users.
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Event Admins can define when the message will be sent - immediately or scheduled at a future date and time, limit the message to event attendees with a specified status or attendee type, and attach a file to include if desired.
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Messages are internal to the Event Portal system and will be received within the user's messages inbox.
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- Waitlist
- Visible if the event has waitlisting enabled.
- Allows Event Admins the capability to view and manage users signed up to attend.
Event Rating
The Event Rating block is used with Matchmaking and gives users the ability to confirm their attendance and rate their experience.
- This block only appears for the user invited to attend, not the user who invited them.
- Invited users must first set their RSVP status to Yes and the block becomes visible after the event has ended.
- All meeting ratings are averaged and site admins can track these analytics in Admin Panel > Site Building Tools > Matchmaking Manager > Organization Meetings > Ratings column.
Events Schedule
The Events Schedule block displays upcoming sessions in a list on the left and a grid on the right.
- Allows users to click the session name from the list and then view details on the block without leaving the page.
List of Child Sessions
The List of Child Sessions block displays associated child sessions when viewing a parent session.
- Child Sessions sync from Global Admin to the Event Portal and appear on this block only when the Event/Session Sync field is set to Pull in Admin Panel> Integrations > ThirdParty Settings.
- The system pulls information during the nightly sync or you can initiate a manual sync by clicking the Sync Events button located in Admin Panel > Site Building Tools > Events Manager > Sync Thirdparty Events.
Best Practice: Add this block to the View Event page (Default Page Name: View Event, Default URL: /sessions/item/:category_id/:event_id) to display child sessions on the front end of your site.
List of Sessions
The List of Sessions block shows all sessions based on the block-specific Id values entered.
- If either the category Id or event Id fields are defined, the block shows only the specified events.
- If both the category Id or event Id fields are left blank, the block shows all events.
- Users can interact with the list via the search bar or by selecting from the filters shown on the left.
Filters are configured in Admin Panel > Site Building Tools > Events Manager > Filters.
Best Practice: If your Event Portal has Matchmaking enabled, specify the sessions that appear in the session list by entering the session category Id in the Category Ids: field. This ensures the block only displays the appropriate session category and excludes Meetings from appearing in the list.
Block-Specific Settings:
- Number of days for sessions - Define the max number of days to display upcoming events.
For example, if set to "30", the block will not display events that are more than 30 days in the future. - Review State - By default, the review state is set to "All", but this can be changed to any review state defined in Events Manager > Event Status.
- Time Frame - Determines whether the block displays upcoming or past meetings.
- Use Condensed grid layout - By default, this field is checked. When deselected, additional block-specific settings become available.
- Pagination Type - Choose whether the block displays a specified number of events before Standard pagination occurs or allows for Infinite Scroll.
Note: Currently, the Infinite Scroll pagination option does not work with search filters.
My Meetings
The My Meetings block is for the Matchmaking feature.
This block is used to display the logged-in user’s meetings/appointments.
Block-Specific Settings:
- Show events where user is - Determines which meetings appear on the block. Options are:
- Invited - The user has been invited to a meeting that was scheduled by someone else.
- Owner - The user scheduled the meeting and invited someone else to attend.
- Owner & Invited - Displays both meeting types in one block.
- Time frame - Determines whether the block displays upcoming or past meetings.
Best Practice: Add this block to the Meetings page (Default Page Name: My Meetings, Default URL: /meetings) to ensure users have visibility into their upcoming and past meetings.
Session Block
The Events > Session Block displays session details entered when completing the Add Session form.
- Details vary based on form criteria but generally include a cover photo, the session title, description, start date and time, and end date and time.
Block-Specific Settings:
- Show Event date in time zone of - Specify whether the session time appears according to the event, user, or site time zone setting.
- Show Status - Deselect to disable visibility of the session status on the block.
- Show Added By - Deselect to disable the visibility of the username who created the session.
Session Calendar
The Events > Session Calendar block displays sessions or meetings in an interactive calendar view.
- When added to the /meetings page, this block displays the logged-in user's meetings.
- When added to the /sessions page, this block displays sessions.
Session Calendar
Meeting Calendar
Events > Session Comments
When added to the session details page, the Events > Session Comments block allows users to leave comments on the session page.
Block-Specific Settings:
- Comment Form Location - Define whether the Start a Post form appears at the top of the block or the bottom.
- Comment Limit - Define the maximum number of comments that can be made.
- Sort Order - Specify whether comments appear in descending order (newest to oldest) or ascending order (oldest to newest).
- Items Per Page - Define how many comments appear on the block at a time.
Session Invite
The Session Invite block allows system admins, event admins, and specified member segments to invite other users to attend the session.
- This block only works when placed on pages where the URL contains the: event_id parameter.
Block-Specific Settings:
- Invite from Population - Define whether users can select and invite from a list of All Members or limit invitations to be sent from Friends or Group Members only.
- Number of Members to Display per Page - Define the number of members to display in the invite selection list before pagination begins.
- Member Segments to Invite - Specify which member segment(s) have access to invite other users to attend the event. If no checkboxes are selected, all site members can use the invite functionality.
- Geolocation Units - Define whether the block should display units of measurement as Miles or Kilometers.
- Default Distance - Define the maximum default distance of users that appear in the list.
Best Practice: Add this block to the View Event page (Default Page Name: View Event, Default URL: /sessions/item/:category_id/:event_id). if you are allowing users the ability to invite others to attend the session.
Session Invitees
The Session Invitees block displays speakers (aka users with an event role) and session attendees by their RSVP status when added to the session details page.
- This block only works when placed on pages where the URL contains the: event_id parameter.
- Each RSVP status can be clicked to open a complete list of users associated with the selected status.
Block-Specific Settings:
- Show List Admins at top of module - Select the checkbox to display event admins at the top of the block.
- Show list of Invitees with Role - Select the checkbox to display the roster of attendees and their associated roles before the RSVP statuses.
- Show Invited - Selecting this checkbox enables the Invited counter and allows other users to see who has been invited to attend the session.
- Show not going - Selecting this checkbox enables the Not Going counter and allows other users to see who has declined to attend the session.
Session Handouts
The Session Handouts block pulls handouts uploaded via the Handout Management tool in Global Admin.
- Add this block to the View Event page (Default Page Name: View Event, Default URL: /sessions/item/:category_id/:event_id). to display them on your Event Portal site.
Important: To sync Handouts to the Event Portal successfully, navigate to Admin Panel > Integrations > ThirdParty Settings, and set the Event/Session Sync field to Pull.
Session RSVP
The Session RSVP block allows users to set their RSVP for the session.
- Users can select Yes, No, or Maybe from the block or by selecting Going, Interested, or Not Interested from the session details dropdown menu.
- The Are you going? button options appear if the user has not selected an RSVP status.
- If the user selects Interested, No, or Maybe, then the selected status appears with a darkened background indicating the chosen status.
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If the user selects Yes or Going, the block updates to display a Leave Event button that allows them to disassociate themselves from the event if clicked.
Best Practice: Add this block to the View Event page (Default Page Name: View Event, Default URL: /sessions/item/:category_id/:event_id) and allow attendees to RSVP to attend the session.