In-Person Events - Admin Guide
Overview
In-person events allow you to create and manage physical learning sessions where learners meet at a specific venue. This guide covers everything you need to know about creating, managing, and tracking in-person events.
Please Note: In our current release, emails are not included. We will include emails in our next release (Mid-December)
Getting Started
Prerequisites
Before creating events, ensure you have:
✅ Admin permissions in your organization
📧 Learner email addresses (for invitations)
📍 Venue details (location, address)
📅 Event schedule (dates, times, duration)
Accessing Event Management
Navigate to Admin Dashboard
Go to Events section
Click "Create Event" button
Creating an In-Person Event
Step 1: Choose Event Type
Select "In-Person" as the event type (vs. Online)
💡 Tip: In-person events display a location icon (📍) instead of a video icon, making them easy to distinguish.
Step 2: Basic Event Details
Event Name (Required)
Max 100 characters
Clear, descriptive title
Example: "Q1 Sales Training Workshop" or "Python Fundamentals Bootcamp"
Description (Optional)
Max 500 characters
Include:
What learners will learn
What to bring (laptop, materials, etc.)
Dress code (if applicable)
Example: "Hands-on workshop covering Python basics. Please bring a laptop with Python 3.9+ installed. Lunch will be provided."
Event Banner (Recommended)
Upload a cover image/thumbnail
Recommended size: 1200x630px
Appears on event cards and in emails
System assigns a default pattern (1-4) if none uploaded
Step 3: Configure First Session
Every event needs at least one session. You can add more sessions later.
Start Date & Time
Must be in the future
Date picker + time picker
Time displayed in selected timezone
Duration
Choose from dropdown:15 minutes to 8 hours
Examples: 1 hour, 2.5 hours, 4 hours
Timezone (Required)
Select from 400+ international timezones
Shows GMT offset (e.g., "America/New_York - GMT -5:00")
⚠️ Important: All invitees see time in THIS timezone
💡 Best Practice: Choose the timezone of your venue location, not the organizer's timezone.
Location (Required for In-Person)
Full venue address
Example: "123 Main Street, Building A, Conference Room 2B, San Francisco, CA 94105"
Include building/floor/room details
This appears in:
Event cards
Email invitations
Calendar exports
Instructor Name (Optional)
Name of facilitator/trainer
Helps learners identify who will lead the session
Example: "Dr. Sarah Chen" or "John Smith, Sales Manager"
Step 4: Invite Learners
Adding Invitees
Click "Add Invitees" button
Select from user list (searchable)
Or use "Invite All" to invite entire organization
Users must be in the system to be invited
What Happens After Adding Invitees
✉️ Invitation emails sent automatically
📧 Includes event details, location, calendar links
📱 Users see event in their "Upcoming Events" tab
🔔 Push notification sent (if enabled)
Step 5: Save & Publish
Click "Create Event" to publish. Event is immediately visible to invited learners.
Managing Existing Events
Event Dashboard Tabs
After creating an event, you'll see three tabs:
1. Overview Tab
Edit Basic Details:
Change event name
Update description
Replace banner image
⚠️ Cannot change event type (in-person ↔ online)
Event Actions:
📋 Copy Event Link: Share direct link to event
🗑️ Delete Event: Permanently remove event and all sessions
⚠️ Cancel Event: Sends cancellation emails to all invitees
2. Sessions Tab
View All Sessions:
See all session instances for this event
Each shows: Date, Time, Location, Registered count, Status
Add New Session:
Click "Add Session" button
Same form as initial session creation
Useful for recurring events or multiple time slots
Example: Same workshop offered Monday and Thursday
Edit Session:
Click pencil icon on session card
Can modify:
Start date/time
Duration
Timezone
Location (useful if venue changes)
Instructor name
⚠️ Sends "Details Updated" email to registered learners
Delete Session:
Click trash icon on session card
⚠️ Cannot delete past sessions (already finished)
Confirmation required
Unregisters all learners from that session
3. Learners Tab
View Invitees:
See all users invited to the event
Columns:
Name & email
Registration status (which session, if any)
Attendance status (attended/absent/not marked)
User profile picture
Add More Invitees:
Click "Invite" button
Select additional users
New invitees receive invitation emails
Track Registration:
See which learners registered for which session
See registration count per session
Identify no-shows (registered but didn't attend)
Mark Attendance (After Event):
Select learner(s)
Click "Mark Attendance" dropdown
Choose "Attended" or "Didn't Attend"
Bulk action available for multiple learners
Updates attendance tracking automatically
Filter & Export:
Filter by registration status
Filter by attendance status
Export attendee list (CSV)
Multi-Session Events
Why Create Multiple Sessions?
Common scenarios:
🔄 Recurring Training: Same content, different weeks
⏰ Multiple Time Slots: Accommodate different schedules
📍 Multiple Locations: Same event at different offices
👥 Capacity Limits: Split large groups
How Sessions Work
Registration Rules:
Learners can register for ONE session per event
If they switch sessions, they're auto-deregistered from the old one
Prevents double-booking
Best Practices
✅ Create all sessions upfront before inviting learners
✅ Use consistent naming if locations differ
✅ Space sessions to avoid learner conflicts
✅ Limit sessions to 3-5 options to avoid decision paralysis
Email Notifications
Automatic Emails Sent
1. Invitation Email
Triggered: When learner added to invitee list
Contains:
Event thumbnail
Event name & description
All session options (date, time, location)
"Register" call-to-action
Add to calendar links (Google/Outlook)
2. Event Reminder Email
Triggered: Shortly before event starts
Contains:
"Starting soon" message
Event details
Location/directions
Quick action link
3. Details Updated Email
Triggered: When you edit session date/time/location
Contains:
"Event details have changed" message
Side-by-side comparison (old vs. new)
Updated calendar links
4. Cancellation Email
Triggered: When you cancel/delete the event
Contains:
"Event canceled" message
Original event details
Organizer contact info
5. Post-Event Report Email
Triggered: After event ends
Contains:
Attendance summary
Number of registered vs. attended
Link to full report
Email Customization
Currently, email templates are standard. Custom text can be added to event description field, which appears in invitation emails.
Attendance Tracking
How Attendance Works
Self-Reporting (Default):
After event ends, registered learners see "Mark Attendance" button
They select "Attended" or "Didn't Attend"
Voluntary but encouraged
Admin Override:
Admins can manually mark attendance for any learner
Go to Learners tab → Select learner(s) → Mark Attendance
Useful for:
No-shows who forgot to mark themselves
Learners who attended but didn't self-report
Correcting mistakes
Attendance Reports
View Summary:
Go to Learners tab
See at-a-glance:
Total invitees
Total registered
Total attended
No-shows (registered but absent)
Export Data:
Click export button
Downloads CSV with:
Learner names
Registration status
Attendance status
Session details
Use Cases:
📊 Track training compliance
🎓 Issue certificates based on attendance
📈 Measure event success rates
💰 Justify training budget
Event Status Management
Understanding Event Status
Events automatically show status badges based on timing:
Status Transitions
UPCOMING → SOON → IMMINENT → LIVE → FINISHED (auto) (auto) (auto) (auto) All transitions are automatic based on session start/end times. No manual action required.
Calendar Integration
Add to Calendar Features
For Learners: After registering, learners can add event to:
Google Calendar
Outlook/Office 365
Calendar Entry Includes:
Event name & description
Start/end date & time (with timezone)
Location address
Link back to event in platform
How It Works: System generates calendar-specific URLs with encoded event data. When learner clicks, calendar app opens with pre-filled event.
Admin Calendar Export
Currently, admins cannot export all events to calendar. Workaround:
Register yourself as learner (add to invitee list)
Register for session
Use "Add to Calendar" button
💡 Feature Request: Bulk calendar export for admins is on roadmap.
Best Practices & Tips
Planning Phase
✅ Create events 2-4 weeks in advance for better attendance
✅ Choose accessible venues with clear directions
✅ Check for conflicts with holidays, other major events
✅ Set realistic durations (include breaks for events > 2 hours)
✅ Prepare backup plans (indoor/outdoor alternatives)
Communication
✅ Write clear descriptions with expectations and requirements
✅ Include parking/transit info in location field
✅ Mention accessibility features if relevant
✅ Provide organizer contact in description for questions
✅ Send reminder (via platform or manual email) 1-2 days before
During Event
✅ Arrive early to set up venue
✅ Have sign-in sheet as backup attendance tracking
✅ Take photos (with permission) for future promotion
✅ Encourage self-attendance marking at end of session
After Event
✅ Mark attendance within 24 hours while memory is fresh
✅ Follow up with attendees (thank you, resources, survey)
✅ Review no-shows and reach out individually
✅ Document learnings for improving future events
✅ Share reports with stakeholders
Troubleshooting Common Issues
"Learner says they didn't receive invitation"
Check:
Is learner in invitee list? (Learners tab)
Is email address correct in learner's profile?
Check spam folder
Re-send: Remove and re-add learner to trigger new email
Workaround: Share event link directly (copy from Overview tab)
"I need to change event date but already have registrations"
Process:
Go to Sessions tab
Edit the session (pencil icon)
Change date/time
System automatically:
Keeps all registrations
Sends "Details Updated" email to registered learners
Updates calendar entries
Alternative: If major change, consider:
Creating new session with new date
Canceling old session
Manually notify learners to re-register
"I need to move event to different location"
Process:
Edit session
Update location field with new address
Save
"Details Updated" email sent automatically
Additional Step: Consider sending manual message with:
Reason for change
Parking/directions for new location
Apology for inconvenience
"Learner registered for wrong session"
Solution: Learner can switch themselves:
They register for correct session
System auto-deregisters from wrong session
Admin Override: Cannot directly move learners between sessions. Ask learner to re-register.
"I accidentally deleted a session"
Bad News: Cannot undo session deletion.
Recovery Steps:
Create new session with same details
Manually notify affected learners
Ask them to re-register
Apologize for inconvenience
💡 Prevention: Always confirm before deleting.
"Attendance numbers don't match reality"
Possible Causes:
Learners forgot to self-report
Walk-ins who weren't registered
Learners left early but marked attended
Solution:
Manually correct attendance (Learners tab)
Encourage self-reporting during event closing
Have sign-in sheet as backup verification
Analytics & Reporting
Available Metrics
Per Event:
Total invitees
Total registrations (across all sessions)
Total attended
No-show rate (registered but absent)
Attendance rate (attended / registered)
Per Session:
Registration count
Attendance count
Empty seats (if capacity added in future)
Exporting Data
Learners Export (CSV):
Name
Email
Session registered for
Attendance status
Registration date
Use Cases:
Create pivot tables in Excel
Import to HR systems
Generate compliance reports
Track training completion
Security & Privacy
Who Can See Events?
Learners:
Only see events where they're in the invitee list
Cannot see events for other teams/departments (unless invited)
Admins:
See all events in their tenant/organization
Can manage any event
Personal Data
Event system stores:
User names and emails
Registration timestamps
Attendance status
Compliance: Ensure event descriptions don't include sensitive information.
Quick Reference Guide
Event Creation Checklist
Event name (clear, concise)
Description (what, why, what to bring)
Banner image uploaded
Date & time selected
Duration set
Timezone confirmed (venue location)
Location address (full, detailed)
Instructor name (optional)
Invitees added
Event published
Pre-Event Checklist
Sessions created (if multiple)
All invitees added
Venue booked/confirmed
Materials prepared
Equipment tested
Catering ordered (if applicable)
Parking arrangements confirmed
Reminder sent (1-2 days before)
Post-Event Checklist
Attendance marked (all learners)
Thank you message sent
Resources shared (slides, recordings, etc.)
Survey sent (if applicable)
Report exported
Learnings documented
Stakeholders updated
Limitations & Future Features
Current Limitations
❌ No capacity limits: Cannot set max attendees per session
❌ No waitlist: Cannot queue learners if session is full
❌ No course integration: Cannot embed events in courses yet (marked "Coming soon")
❌ No custom email templates: Standard templates only
❌ No check-in codes: No QR codes for on-site verification
❌ No recurring event pattern: Must create each session manually
Upcoming Features
🚀 Course Integration: Embed events in course curriculum (in development)
🚀 Capacity Management: Set max attendees per session
🚀 Waitlist: Auto-notify when spots open up
🚀 Check-in App: Mobile check-in for organizers
🚀 Custom Emails: Customize invitation templates
Please let us know what feature you would like to see. Send your feedback to divjot.s@5mins.ai