How to Create Events and Complete Event Related Tasks

Action Builder's Events tool empowers organizers to boost event turnout by streamlining event creation and management. Within Action Builder, users with the Organizer role or higher (including Admins and Leads) have the ability to create and edit events, as well as assign themselves or others as hosts. Importantly, any user assigned as a host, regardless of their overall user type, can edit the event details.

Article Sections:

• Getting Started with Events
• How the Events Tool Works with Tasks
• Filtering for Events with Query Builder
• Completing Event-Related Tasks in Action Builder

Activists have more limited permissions; they can view events and any RSVPs within their assigned turf, and they can complete any event-related tasks assigned to them, but they cannot create or edit events themselves.

Here's how it works:

• Automated tasks effortlessly manage outreach with automatically generated tasks for recruitment, confirmations, and attendance tracking.
• Integrated RSVPs gather key information like dietary needs and accessibility requirements through customizable RSVP forms.
• Collaborative hosting empowers your team! Any user with "Organizer" access or higher can create events and assign multiple hosts.
  Important Notes:

NOTE: While we're constantly improving, keep in mind that bulk event/RSVP uploads, event data syncing between Action Network and Action Builder, and API access for event data are not yet supported.

---

Getting Started with Events

To begin using the Events feature in Action Builder, you’ll need to enable it at the campaign level.

Follow these steps to get started:

1. Enable Events for Your Campaign

• Go to your Campaign Customize Tab within the campaign you want to use Events.
• Look for the "Enable Events" option.
• Toggle Enable Events to turn on the feature for that specific campaign.

Note: Events must be enabled for each campaign individually. If you don’t see the option, ensure you have admin access and are working within the correct campaign.

Set Default Task Types for Event Tasks

When enabling Events, you’ll see a dropdown to set the default task type for auto-created event tasks.

Options include:

• Standard (default)
• Home Visit
• Text Bank
• Phone Bank

When event tasks are auto-created (for recruitment, confirmation, and attendance), they will automatically use the selected task type. For example, if you choose "Phone Bank," all event tasks will default to Phone Bank as the canvassing type.

Be sure to click “Save Changes”.

2. Create Events

Once Events is enabled:

• You’ll see Events as its own tab along the top of the campaign navigation.
• It will also appear as a menu option in the dropdown user menu.

From the Events tab, you can start creating your events. To create an event:

• Click ‘New Event’
• Add key event information:
  • Event name
  • Date and time
  • Location (for in-person events) or virtual meeting link (for online events)
  • Description
• Fill out the required details:
  • Host: Select a host from the campaign users. By default, the logged-in user creating the task will be selected.
  • Tasks Associated with the Event: Toggle on or off the following:
    • Confirm 5 days before the event.
    • Double-confirm 2 days before the event.
    • Attendance tracking on the day of the event.

Video How-to

3. Outreach for Event Turnout

Tasks for Recruitment and Attendance:

• Events automatically create tasks for recruitment, confirmation, and attendance. These tasks function like any other task in Action Builder. You can manage these tasks within the Task tool.

Info Fields on RSVPs:

• Use info fields to collect RSVP-specific details, like dietary needs or accessibility preferences, tied to a specific event.

---

How the Events Tool Works with Tasks

To streamline your event outreach and boost attendance, activate the task generation feature within your Action Builder event. This will automatically create tasks for:

• Recruitment
• Confirmation
• Attendance Tracking

To use these tasks:

1. Enable Tasks in the Events Tab:

   • Locate the task you want to activate (e.g., Turnout Task) and click the circle with a plus sign icon.

   • This will launch the task in the Tasks tab for further customization.

2. Types of Event-Related Tasks:

   • Turnout Task: Automatically created for initial outreach.

   • Confirm Task: For confirming attendance.

   • Double-Confirm Task: To follow up closer to the event.

   • Attendance Task: Tracks attendance on the day of the event.

Each task will have a default To-Do pre-selected, tailored to the event.

---

Filtering for Events with Query Builder

The Query Builder in Action Builder helps you find and organize information in your campaign. You can use it to create lists based on specific event criteria.

---

Completing Event-Related Tasks in Action Builder

Action Builder automatically creates tasks to help you manage your events. These tasks help with outreach, confirmations, and tracking attendance.

Here's how to complete Event tasks:

1. Go to the Tasks page and click on the three dots in the top right corner of Action Builder, then select "Tasks."
2. Under Your Assigned Tasks, you will see your assigned tasks listed by due date.
3. Open the task by clicking on a task to see the to-dos.
4. Complete your to-dos as listed.
5. Action Builder automatically updates the person's record when you complete a to-do. 

Types of Event Tasks:

• Turnout: Initial outreach to potential attendees.
• Confirm: Confirm attendance before the event.
• Double Confirm: Follow up closer to the event date.
• Attendance: Track attendance during the event.