Overview of the Options and Selection Modes for "Event/Item Groups" and "Events/Items"

We are struggling with the configuration options of the participant registration form, especially the different "selection modes" for Event/Item Groups, and how they are used for Events/Items. Could you provide an overview of the available options?

(A German version of this article is available.)

When you set up the participant registration form, you need to define "Event/Item Groups" and "Events/Items". These two settings create the participant registration form and define in which way participants can choose events, products and items (e.g. if these are optional or mandatory, how many Events/Items can be chosen etc.).

This overview describes the different "Selection Modes" of Event/Item Groups and how these translate into different application and display options for the available Events/Items on the registration form.

To create or edit Event/Item Groups, please go to:
Overview => Settings => Manage Event/Item Groups.

By default, two options exist for the “Selection Mode” (see Image 1, upper box):

• "Normal: All Events/Items of this group are independent" and
• "Exclusive: Use radio buttons so that only one event of this group can be selected".

If you enable the “Expert Settings” (please use the cog wheel at the bottom of the page: Image 1, lower green box), two more options become available:

• "Joint: Select all events of this group at once" and
• "Textual: Provide a list of text options for each item".

After the creation of Event/Item Groups, you can use these groups to create Event/Items here: Overview => Settings => Manage Events and Items
Each Event/Item has to be assigned to one of the Groups.


Selection Mode "Normal"

The selection mode "Normal" is set as per default and preferable for most requirements. The Events/Items in a group with the selection mode "Normal" can be chosen independently. There are four specific combinations of the selection of a minimum, maximum and pre-selected number for the Events/Items belonging to such a group:

• If the value "0" is chosen as minimum and maximum choice as well as the pre-selected number, there will be no selection option available for this entry on the registration form, but only the Event/Item text will be shown (see image 2). In consequence, this Event/Item cannot be selected. You can use this option to place additional information on the registration form.  
  Hint: You can also use this setting to add extra text input fields to the registration form (using the “Extra Input Field” setting in the section “Additional Options”. For detailed information please consult entry How to use the Extra Input Fields (Additional Options) of Events/Items.
• If value "0" is chosen as minimum, value "1" as maximum choice, and either "0" or "1" as pre-selected number, a checkbox will appear for this Item/Event on the registration form. The pre-selection defines if the checkbox is already selected when the user calls the registration page (see second example, image 3). Events/Items using this setting are optional.
• If value "0" is chosen as minimum and any value greater than 1 is set as maximum choice, a select box will appear on the registration page (see third example, image 4). You can also use "1" as minimum number if the item shall be mandatory and people shall be able to select more than one Event/Item. Please use the setting of the "Pre-selected Number" to define what number is selected when the user calls the registration form.
• If the value “1” is chosen as minimum and maximum and as pre-selected number, a selected radio button is shown that cannot be deselected. In consequence, this Event/Item is mandatory for the user (see fourth example, image 5).

You find additional information about the selection mode "Normal" in section 2.7 of the documentation about Configuration of Participant registration.


Selection mode "Exclusive"

The selection mode "Exclusive" allows selecting no or one item of all Events/Items in this group.

• Using "0" as minimum and "1" as maximum choice (this is the default), a radio button will be shown for each Event/Item of the group (see Image 6). All radio buttons of the group are linked, so only one of the Events/Items can be chosen by participants. By using 1 as the "Pre-selected Number", one of the radio-buttons can be pre-selected when the user arrives on the registration form. Please note that no more than one item of the Event/Item group can be pre-selected (as only one item can be selected).
• If you use "0" as minimum and maximum choice for the Event/Item, again only a text is shown with no option to select this item.

Selection Mode "Joint"

If the Expert Settings are enabled (please click on the little cogwheel at the bottom of the page) you can also choose the selection mode "Joint".  When using this mode, only the first Event/Item of the group can be chosen. All following Events/Items of the group will be chosen with the same number as the first item, i.e., the selection of the other Events/Items is linked to the first one. You can, for example, use that option if you have to split up the prices of an item on the registration form (e.g. a one part of the fee is without VAT and another a part is with VAT, so these parts have to be listed separately on the invoice, but both have to be purchased).


Selection Mode "Textual"

The selection mode "Textual" is rather experimental but can help in some cases: Instead of a number that can be chosen for an Event/Item, you can provide a list of options the user can select from. Please list these options one per row in the field "Main Options for this Event/Item". On the registration page a select box (with text options instead of numbers) will appear (see image 8 ). However, please note that you cannot filter the list of participants for a specific text selection of the participants.