Whether it’s an in-person meetup, a virtual webinar, or something still in the works, this guide walks you through every step of the Event Builder.
1. Go to the Events Page
From the admin dashboard, click Events in the left sidebar. This opens the Events management page, where you can see all your existing events, search, and filter by status, tag, location type, or city.
Click the + Add event button in the top-right corner.
2. Enter the Event Name
A new draft event is created, and you’re taken to the Event Builder.
Type your event’s name in the Event name field. Keep it clear and descriptive.
If your community uses an Airtable integration, you can optionally link this event by selecting a record from the Airtable event name dropdown. If not, just leave blank.
3. Upload a Thumbnail
Upload a cover image for your event. This is the banner that attendees will see.
Recommended Size: 1500 × 846 px or 1920 x 1080 px
After uploading, a Select view area dialog will appear. Drag to adjust the crop, then click Done.
💡 Tip: Keep each image file under 100 KB, so it loads fast, especially on mobile.
4. Add a Short Description
Write a quick summary of the event in the Short description field. Maximum 100 characters. This appears on event cards and previews, so make it punchy.
5. Add a Long Description
Use the rich text editor to tell the full story. You can include images, videos, links, bold text, headings (H1/H2), and bulleted or numbered lists.
💡 Tip: Break up longer text into shorter sections. It’s easier to read, especially on mobile.
6. Choose the Location Type
Pick how attendees will join your event. There are three options:
In-Person: A physical event at a venue
Online – A virtual event via Zoom, Google Meet, etc.
To Be Announced – If details are still in the works
Each option shows different fields, described below.
In-Person
Enter the full venue address in the Full address field (required).
Once you do, GroupOS will automatically populate a Location name field, display a Google Maps preview of the pin, and auto-detect the time zone for that address.
The Show map to everyone toggle controls whether all visitors or only registered attendees can see the exact address.
Online
Enter the meeting link in the Meeting URL field (required). This can be a Zoom, Google Meet, or any other virtual meeting URL. The field offers autocomplete from previously used links.
To Be Announced
A Description field appears where you can type a placeholder message (e.g., “Location details coming soon”).
Use this when the venue or format hasn’t been finalized yet. You can customize with the text you want.
7. Set the Date & Time
The time zone is automatically set based on the event address.
If you need a different one, select it manually from the Time Zone dropdown.
Set the Start date and End date using the calendar pickers.
⚠️ Important: Double-check the time zone. Don’t use your personal time zone if the event is happening in a different region.
8. Choose the Ticketing System
Decide where attendees will register or buy tickets. Two options:
In the GroupOS Ticketing System, tickets are being sold on the GroupOS app.
If the External Ticketing System, registration is happening outside of GroupOS on a platform admin sets.
GroupOS Ticketing System
Sell tickets directly inside the app. When selected, a maximum number of tickets per order field appears (defaults to 1).
You can configure individual ticket types and pricing later from the Tickets section in the sidebar.
External Ticketing System
Use an outside platform (like Luma, Eventbrite, or WildApricot). When selected, two additional required fields appear:
Price Label – A short text describing the pricing (max 25 characters), e.g. “Free,” “From $100 to $1000,” or “See pricing options.”
Package URL – The full URL to the external ticketing page where attendees can register.
9. Configure Advanced Settings
Click Show advanced settings to expand additional options. These control discoverability, communication, check-in tracking, and attendee visibility.
Visibility & Discovery
Add Categories and Tags to help users find your event. You can select from existing tags or create new ones with the + Add tag / + Add category buttons.
Channel
Link a communication channel where attendees can chat, share updates, or get event info. Enter the URL in the Channel URL field. This could be a GroupOS channel, a Slack workspace, or any external community link.
Check-ins
Toggle Enable check-ins to activate attendance tracking. When turned on, you’ll be able to record attendee participation at the event — especially useful for in-person gatherings.
Set Attendees' Visibility
Control whether visitors can see who has registered:
Nobody – No one can see the attendee list
Everyone – All visitors, including non-registrants, can view it
Attendees only – Only registered attendees can see who else is attending
10. If External Ticketing System -> Set Access Rules
Control who can see and register for the event.
Check the Public event box if you want the event visible to everyone, including non-members. Leave it unchecked to restrict visibility to community members only.
Under Rules, choose the User access level:
All – Every member of the community can access the event
Restricted – Only selected users. When chosen, additional filters appear:
Select Plans – Restrict by membership plan
Select Tags – Restrict by assigned tags
Select Users – Add individuals manually by email (separate with commas, spaces, or newlines)
Import via Excel – Bulk-import a list of authorized users from a spreadsheet
Want to see who qualifies? Click Preview at the bottom to review your audience, or export the list.
11. Save & Preview
Click the Save changes button (with the checkmark icon) in the top-right corner. A green toast notification will confirm: “Event updated successfully!”
Click Preview to see how the event looks to attendees before going live.
12. Publish the Event
When everything looks good, click the green Set live button. Your event will move from Draft to live status and become visible to your audience based on the rules you configured.
⚠️ Important: You can always come back to the Event Builder to edit details after publishing. Just click Save changes when you’re done.
That’s it — your event is ready!
Once you’ve published, the left sidebar unlocks additional management tools:
Dashboard (analytics)
Tickets (pricing & tiers)
Add-ons (extras for purchase)
Manage Orders (payments & refunds)
Manage Attendees (check-ins & exports)
Schedule (agenda & speakers)
Post Activities (surveys & follow-ups).
Whether it’s a small meetup or a large conference, this setup helps you make it smooth, clear, and easy for everyone involved.
Happy hosting! 🎉