SchoolsBuddy does not currently have a dedicated ticketing module but you can use our Instant book module to sell tickets for school plays, recitals, exhibitions, performances and other events. If you would like parents to choose the amount of tickets they want to book at the same time, use this example. We also have an example of selling individual tickets by seat number in this guide: Selling Tickets for Events, Exhibitions and performances by Seat Number
Container Settings
- From the main Menu, select Activities and Clubs > Instant Book.
- Enter the Title and description of your container. In this example we will use the same container for a whole year's events.
- Set a booking cancellation window and choose whether parents should receive refunds automatically or not. This will apply to all events within the container. Booking cancellations can be set for up to 4 days in advance of the event.
- Choose whether to block clashes and the maximum bookable events per group (event). In this example there will be multiple 'events' - 1 ticket, 2 tickets, 3 tickets. Each event will represent the number of tickets a parent wants and set the price the parent needs to pay, and the group will represent the performance. If I choose to block clashes and have one event bookable per group, parents can not choose to buy more tickets later, they can only choose one event - 1 ticket, 2 tickets, 3 tickets. If you would like parents to buy more tickets later choose 0 maximum bookable events per group and don't block clashes.
- Enter the Activity start and end dates and times of the performances. In this example the events will take place over the next year. This will default the event times but can be edited by event later when you set the individual schedules.
- Choose who can book tickets in responsibility for confirmation. Include students if you want to offer some free events that students can book for themselves.
- Select the date period that parents or students can sign up for / book events. In this example we will leave the container open for bookings all year.
There is no need to use the select all button as they are unable to book multiple options together at once (1 ticket, 2 tickets, 3 tickets are the options and we have prevented booking clashes) - The events will be held over holiday periods as well (for example, Summer Fair), so no need to use organisation block dates.
These events cannot be paid for with vouchers. - Enter any terms and conditions for the parent's explicit approval. For example, until when they will be able to cancel their booking.
- Click Save.
Groups
- Click Add to add your first Performance/ Exhibition.
- Add the title and description of the event.
- Set who can book this performance in Available to. If it is a performance for specific age group of students you could limit this by grade, class or activity group, but in this example it will be available to book by the whole school. Enter other details like the staff member organising the event, where it will be held etc.
- Click Save.
Create Events (Ticket options)
- Next, move to the Create Events tab to set the schedule and purchasing options for your group (event).
- Click Add New
- Enter the title of the performance and how many tickets this option is. You can also add vital and additional information. Vital information will be included in the email to the parents when they complete a booking.
- Select Individual booking option.
- Set the number of places available. Remember that there will be options for 1, 2, or 3 tickets and there must be enough places to cover all these options. For example, this performance has 70 places available:
20 x 1 ticket = 20 places
10 x 2 tickets = 20 places
10 x 3 tickets = 30 places
You can edit the place limits later as parents start to make bookings and you need to redistribute the remaining places available.
- Choose the performance under Create for Groups.
- Select the group default location (unless you want to override this and choose something else).
- Make the event cost type chargeable and set the price for the number of tickets in this option for example, 1 ticket = £5, 2 tickets = £10...)
- Choose Frequency Single day and enter the date and times of the event.
- The overall sign up period has been set on the container for the whole year, but if you would like to make a specific sign up period for this performance only you can set it here. If you leave these fields blank the event will be available to book as soon as the overall container sign up period opens and booking will close at the time of the event.
- Click Create rule.
- Copy this event rule to make the next booking option - two tickets.
- Edit the title to make this option for 2 tickets
- Change the number of places appropriately for the tickets you plan to offer:
20 x 1 ticket = 20 places
10 x 2 tickets = 20 places
10 x 3 tickets = 30 places
- Set the price per session to the price for two tickets
- When you copy the event rule, it will default the Frequency back to multiple days - change it back to single date and check it is correct.
- Click Create Rule.
As it is at the same time as the 1 ticket option, a warning will appear. Click Yes, create rule anyway.
- Copy again and make the next rule for 3 tickets. You can add as many ticket options as you like, just be careful to manage price and place limits. Afterwards, you will see something like this:
- Move to the Publish Events tab and review what you have set up. You should have 1 in the event count for each rule and the prices and place limits should be different according to the number of tickets in each option.
- After you have reviewed the details, select the checkbox "I confirm"
- Click Publish.
A warning appears to confirm that the events will be visible to parents / students from the sign up open dates (of the individual event, or the overall container date if you have not set an individual one).
After publication
It takes a few minutes to publish the events. Afterwards you can check them from the Existing Events/Bookings tab and manage the place limits as parents book by clicking on the event and editing the details. See this guide for more help: How to change place limits during or after events have been published
You can also see how a parent views this by checking the Manual Booking/ Preview tab. See this guide for more details: Checking Instant Book and Pay Events 🎬
