Event CSV Import in coreFORCE

Introduction

While our "Create Events" page exists as a fantastic way to create a few events (or even many), there are sometimes situations where you will have the same Event Type running at different times each day or in different facilities each day that they run. In those situations, to use the "Create Events" page, you would need to go through the process several times for each different time or facility usage.

With the Event CSV Import, you can import many different Event Types on many different days, times, and with different facility usage. 

When would I NOT want to use this import?

If you have a single event that utilizes multiple facilities, this import will book each facility for the entire duration of the event. There is not a way around this other than manually adjusting the reservations for each event at this point in time. Manually adjusting the reservations for each event would defeat the purpose of utilizing the Event CSV Import and it would be better for you to utilize the "Create Events" page if this is important for you.

Required Fields

Bare Minimum Fields Needed

See "Valid Fields for Import" below for more detailed explanation of each field.

event_type_code 

start_date OR dates 

• End_date is not technically required. If it's left out, the import will assume a one day event.

Required Fields by Scenario

Free Events

The above listed are the fields that absolutely need to be in the file for the file to upload. Please keep in mind that ONLY adding these fields will create a free event. 

Paid Events

If the client wants to use shopping cart checkout, product_category is required (it is usually best to make the product category the same as the event type. The import will create that category if it doesn't exist.

If the price is not specified in the Event Type record, product_price is also required.

Valid Fields for Import

Event Fields (Column Headers)

• event_id 
  • If you would like to specify an event ID (numeric) or reference an already created event ID (for updating an already existing event ID), you can use this field. 
• event_type_code
  • You will need to pull the event type code NOT the description. 
    • You can get this by going to Events & Facilities > Events > Event Types
      • Example: HANDGUN_101
• description
  • What is the description (also sometimes referred to as the title) you would like for this event?
    • This is how the event will appear to the customer
      • Example: Handgun 101 
• detailed_description
  • What are the details of the event? 
    • Example: In this class, you will learn handgun basics including how to handle a pistol and the basics of safety. You will need to bring eye and ear protection or purchase it from us for $10.
  • This can also be written in HTML if you would like to include particular styling. 
  • If you don't include a detailed description in the import, this can also use the default detailed description from the Event Type selected.
• location_code
  • What is the code of the location utilized for this event? 
    • You can get this by going to Events & Facilities > Events > Locations
      • Example: HEADQUARTERS_COLORADO_SPRINGS
• dates
  • This single field can be used to set multi-day events or single day events. You can use several different date and time formats
  •  
    • Example 1: Saturday, January 02 2021 08:30am to 05:00pm
    • Example 2: Tuesday, January 12 2021 08:30am to Wednesday, January 13 2021 04:00pm
      • Reservations will be made for 8:30am-4:00pm on both days
    • Example 3: Tuesday, January 12 2021 08:30am to Wednesday, January 17 2021 04:00pm
      • In example 3, the event would be a 5 day event. 
    • Example 4: 2021-01-12 8:00 am to 2021-1-13 4:00pm

• start_date
  • You can also use this field to set a start date. 
    • Format should be YYYY-MM-DD
      • Example: 2020-05-22
• end_date
  • You can use this field to set a start date. Please note that if you use a start date, you need an end date.
    • Format is the same as start_date: YYYY-MM-DD
• start_time
  • Start time of the event
    • Example format: 08:30am
• end_time
  • End time of th event
    • Example format: 06:00pm
• link_name
  • Link that customers can follow to find the checkout for the event.
  • Link name will be automatically generated if left out.
    • Example: handgun-101-houston-2021-05-22
      • For the above example, the customer would go to "https://yourwebsite.com/handgun-101-houston-2021-05-22"
• attendees
  • How many people are able to attend this event?
• facilities
  • Which facility(s) will this event utilize?
    • Values need to be the facility code
    • If there are multiple values, they need to be separated by another delimitter (NOT commas) such as a pipe symbol "|". 
• internal_use_only
  • Marking the Event internal use only will make it only visible to admin users. 
    • Enter zero if no
    • Anything else = yes

Product Fields (Columns Headers)

• product_code
  • This must be unique in the system.
  • This could be seen as a system of SKUs for events that you want to use, such as HDG_101_20220525_COSN for Handgun 101 on 5/25/2022 at the Colorado Springs North facility
  • If the product_code is omitted the system will autogenerate a random code.

• product_category
  • This is primarily used for reporting. Some clients want all their classes to be in 1 category called "classes" and some clients want all their classes to be their own categories
     
• product_price
  • What is the price you are going to sell the class for (as a base-line before discounts or promotions).
    • Must be numeric ONLY
      • No dollar symbols or commas between numbers
      • Decimals are okay.
• product_expiration_days
  • The number of days before the event that the product goes inactive; i.e. registration is closed.
     
• product_not_taxable
  • Is this event/class taxable?
    • Enter Zero if no
    • Anything else = yes.
• product_tax_rate
  • does this event/class have a specific tax rate? If so,
     
• product_internal_use_only
  • Marking the product internal use only will only make it visible to admin users. 
    • Enter zero if no
    • Anything else = yes

• product_cart_maximum
  • Do you want to limit how spots of this class a single person can purchase?
  • the max number of registrations a person can purchase in one transaction

• product_addon_set
  • Used for things like ear and eye protection
    • Needs to be the "description" of the product addon set. The addon set needs to have already been created 
  • can take multiple sets - e.g. loaner firearm|9mm ammo|eyes and ears
    • Notice that these are separated by a pipe symbol "|"

Using the Event CSV Import

Final Checks

To begin, please make sure that your file is saved as a .csv file. Excel files (.xlsx) will not work for the import.

If you have multiple values in a particular field (i.e. multiple facilities, dates), you will need to separate the facilities using a secondary delimitter such as a pipe symbol "|". 

Make sure your Event Types are populated with an image. This is the image that will be used for the event registration product. An image can always be added after-the-fact but it is easier to pre-populate the image.

Best Practices

If you aren't going to specify a particular field (column header) it may be better to leave it out.

Event Types already house a lot of default information as they are generally used as a "template" for creating events. This is most often used for:

1. Maximum Amount of Event Attendees
2. Price
3. Image

This information will be automatically populated if it has already been filled out in the Event Types so there is no need to specify these in the CSV import file unless you are making a single-instance change. The description/title and detailed_description from the event type will also be populated if they are blank in the event csv import file

Example Import File: 

Sample Event CSV Import File

In this example, much of the information (such as price for the class and image) has already been set directly in the Event Type Record.