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.

help-video-6960866

🎬 Watch this as a short narrated video

Steps shown in this video

  1. In-person events let you run physical learning sessions. Open the Events section and click Create Event to start.
  2. First, choose the type of event.
  3. In-Person Event is for a physical venue; Online Event connects Zoom, Google Meet or Teams. We'll set up an in-person session.
  4. This opens the session details form.
  5. Give the event a clear, descriptive name — up to 100 characters.
  6. Add a description — what learners will cover and what to bring. It appears in their invitation email.
  7. Set the start date and time, the duration, and the timezone. Choose the venue's timezone — every invitee sees this time.
  8. Add the full venue address — building, floor and room. It shows on the event card, emails and calendar invites.
  9. Optionally name the instructor leading the session.
  10. Choose who can see the event and upload a banner image. Finally, add your invitees and click Create Event to publish — invitation emails go out automatically.

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

  1. Navigate to Admin Dashboard
  2. Go to Events section
  3. 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 "Invite Learners" 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
  • ⚠️ 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 Learners" 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:

StatusWhenBadge ColorDescription
UPCOMING> 24 hours awayBlueStandard future event
SOON< 24 hours awayYellowEvent happening tomorrow/today
IMMINENT< 10 minutes awayOrangeAbout to start
LIVEDuring eventGreenCurrently happening
FINISHEDAfter end timeGreyPast event

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:

  1. Register yourself as learner (add to invitee list)
  2. Register for session
  3. 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:

  1. Is learner in invitee list? (Learners tab)
  2. Is email address correct in learner's profile?
  3. Check spam folder
  4. 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:

  1. Go to Sessions tab
  2. Edit the session (pencil icon)
  3. Change date/time
  4. 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:

  1. Edit session
  2. Update location field with new address
  3. Save
  4. "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:

  1. They register for correct session
  2. 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:

  1. Create new session with same details
  2. Manually notify affected learners
  3. Ask them to re-register
  4. 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:

  1. Manually correct attendance (Learners tab)
  2. Encourage self-reporting during event closing
  3. 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 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

🚀 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