Get Started with Event Management

Event Management in Dynamics 365 Marketing can help reduce some of the complexity involved in planning and running events. It isn't limited to large, in-person conferences. The tools can also support webinars, smaller online meetings, recurring events, and other event formats.

Create an Event

From the Event Management area, you can view existing events and registrations or create a new event from scratch. You can also create reusable event templates, which can be helpful when you regularly host events with a similar setup. When creating an event, configure important information such as:

• Event name
• Event type
• Start and end dates
• Start and end times
• Recurrence
• Streaming options

Event type is not required, but it can help you organize and filter different types of events. Events can also be configured to recur, such as once a week for several weeks. For streamed events, additional settings become available. The example in this class uses Teams Live Events and enables both recording availability and Q&A.

Build an Event Agenda

The Agenda tab lets you create individual sessions within an event. This is particularly helpful for multi-day events or events where attendees can choose between multiple sessions. Each session can have its own date, time, and streaming configuration. For larger events, you can also create session tracks. Tracks let you group related sessions together to make it easier for registrants to identify and select the sessions most relevant to them.

Manage Speakers and Sponsors

Speaker engagements let you associate speakers with individual sessions. This provides a centralized way to track speaker assignments when an event includes multiple speakers and sessions. You can also add sponsorship information to keep track of organizations supporting your event.

Configure the Event Website and Registration Form

The Website and Form tab controls the event's informational and registration experience. Once an event goes live, Dynamics 365 can generate an event URL. You can also configure a custom URL and establish a registration end date. For registration, you can use the default registration form or connect a custom marketing form. You can also add custom registration fields when you need to collect information beyond the standard registration details.

Track Registrations and Attendance

The Registration and Attendance tab brings attendee information together in one place. As people complete the event registration form, they're automatically added to the event's registrations. Their responses, including responses to custom registration fields, are recorded here. When the event takes place, you can use this area to monitor:

• Registrations
• Registration responses
• Check-ins
• Cancellations

For webinars, registrants receive a link that takes them to the stream and can also check them into the event.

Track Additional Event Details

The Additional Information tab gives you a place to track other aspects of the event, including:

• Goals
• Costs
• Revenue
• Team members
• Calendar information

You can also customize the calendar link that attendees receive for joining the event.

Set Up Online Events

In addition to the streaming configuration demonstrated with Teams Live Events, the event record provides a Zoom Webinar tab for configuring a Zoom webinar. This gives you flexibility when selecting the online event experience that fits your organization's needs.

Collect Post-Event Feedback

Event management doesn't end when the event is over. The Post Event tab can be used to create a survey for attendees. The survey designer lets you add questions to collect feedback, and survey responses can then be reviewed from the event.

Publish the Event

Once the event is configured, you can select Go Live. Going live generates the event URL and connects the event to the default event portal included with Dynamics 365 Marketing. The resulting page can display event information such as images, sessions, speakers, sponsors, and registration options. If sessions are configured, attendees can be prompted to choose sessions during registration. If there are no individual sessions, they can be directed straight to the registration form. Custom registration fields can also appear on this form.

Explore the Event Planning Area

For additional event management capabilities, switch to the Event Planning area using the area picker. This specialized area expands the available tools beyond the basic event record and provides access to many of the individual components involved in planning an event.

Manage Your Event Team

Event team members can include internal and external staff. When creating a team member, you can associate the person with a contact, identify whether they're an internal or external team member, and define their role. For larger events, you can even track hotel room reservations for staff members or attendees.

Create Custom Registration Fields

The Custom Registration fields section allows you to define additional information that you want attendees to provide when registering. For an in-person catered event, for example, you might create a field to collect dietary preferences or requirements.

Manage Event Participants

The Participants section is where you can manage speakers associated with events and sessions. Speaker profiles can contain information such as:

• Contact information
• Accomplishments
• Publications

Speaker details can then appear on the event website so attendees can learn more about the people presenting before the event.

Manage Venues and Rooms

For in-person events, the Venue Management area lets you establish buildings and the individual rooms available within them. Room records can include details such as internet connectivity and disability access. The associated building can also calculate the number of rooms that have been configured for it.

Configure Room Layouts

One physical room may need different layouts depending on how it will be used. Room layouts let you create different configurations for an existing room. For example, the same space might be configured as a keynote presentation room for one session and rearranged into a dining space later. Each layout can include information such as:

• Capacity
• Disability access
• Floor plan or layout type

The layout remains tied to the maximum capacity configured for the underlying room.

Track Event Vendors

Dynamics 365 Marketing can also help organize the outside companies involved in your event. Vendor and logistical information can include:

• Airlines
• Hotels and hotel groups
• Rental car providers
• Food caterers
• Other contracted service providers

These vendors can be linked to account records already stored in Dynamics 365 CRM.

Manage Hotel Room Blocks and Reservations

For events where you're arranging accommodations, hotel room allocations let you track blocks of hotel rooms. An allocation can be associated with a specific event and hotel. You can then enter information such as the room type, number of available rooms, price per room, and other relevant details. Hotel room reservations can then be used to track specific accommodations for staff or attendees whose lodging you're providing.

Manage Event Sponsorships

The Sponsorship Management area provides tools for recording organizations that support your event financially or by providing equipment and services. You can also track sponsorable articles, which are items associated with sponsors that may be sold or distributed to attendees, such as promotional items.

Bring Event Planning Together

Dynamics 365 Marketing's event tools bring many pieces of event planning into one system. From the initial event schedule and registration experience through sessions, speakers, venues, accommodations, sponsors, attendance, and post-event surveys, the Event Management and Event Planning areas provide a centralized place to organize the process. Using these capabilities together can help event coordinators stay organized and streamline the planning and management of webinars, online meetings, and larger in-person events.