Guest management (+1) at events

Introduction

This guide describes in detail how to managethe +1guest in event reservations and how the system behaves at the various stages of the process: registration, check-in, modification, and cancellation of the reservation.

The management of the +1 guest can be configured in different ways, depending on the level of information you wish to collect. In particular, the “registered +1 guest” option allows you to collect more comprehensive data about the accompanying person as well—such as first name, last name, email address, and consent to receive the newsletter—thereby transforming the +1 from a simple presence associated with the primary participant into an identifiable and traceable contact.

This decision has important implications both from an organizational standpoint—because it allows for more precise control over entry—and from the standpoint of communications and the management of data collected during the event.

Prerequisites

This is an advanced article. Before proceeding, make sure you have read the following articles:

• Introduction to the Events section
• Add, edit, or delete an event 
• Event types and registration management

Enable guest mode for participants

After configuring the main details of the booking options, you can enable guest management by toggling the " Enable Guest " switch for participants and configuring the " Guest Registration Type" field.

This field offers two options:

• Anonymous Guest - Guest information will not be requested.
• Registered Guest - You will be asked to provide your guest information.

The choice made determines how the entire process behaves in terms of the data collected, the communications sent, and the access methods.

What do the main participant and their guest (+1) receive?

Both options (anonymous guest or registered guest) requirethe guest to join the event alongside the primary participant. However, they differ in terms of registration procedures, communications, and the data collected.

Anonymous guest

This option is recommended when it is not necessary to collect data about the main participant's host.

In this case:

• Guest information is not recorded in the system;
• The guest does not receive any notification.

The primary participant receives the booking confirmation email (as specified in the Confirmation Email in record ), stating that the reservation is valid for 2 people.

The " Reservations >> Event Participants " section contains only the information for the primary participant.

The anonymous guest's check-in is tracked along with that of the main participant (presence or absence only). For more details, see the section Event Access.

Registered guest

This option allows you to collect data from both users: the primary participant and their guest.

After completing their registration, the primary participant enters their guest's information. The required information is:

• Name
• Last name
• Email address

Once registration is complete, the primary participant:

• displays a confirmation screen informing him that his guest has received a registration email that the guest must confirm in order to attend the event.

• receives the booking confirmation email.

  
  

The guest, on the other hand, receives an automatic registration email in which they must:

• confirm your information (your email address cannot be changed)
• Accept the Privacy Policy
• choose whether to subscribe to the newsletter

Once the procedure is complete, the guest will also see a confirmation screen.

Changing a Reservation

Reservation changes are available only for events that have multiple dates or multiple selectable time slots.

For example:

• an event spanning several days (e.g., May 1–3),
• or an event with multiple time slots on the same day (e.g., guided tours at 10:00, 11:00, etc.).

In these cases, the primary participant can change their selection by clicking the "Edit Reservation " button, which can be found in both the confirmation email and the event reminder email.

However, if the event has only one date and one time slot, the button is not visible.

The booking modification feature is enabled by default for all events configured this way and cannot be disabled: registered users will always be able to modify their bookings.

Impact of the Change on the Host 

The impact of the change on the guest depends on whether or not they have already completed check-in.

Scenario 1: The guest has already completed check-in

If the guest has already completed registration, they will not receive any automatic notification of the change.

When the primary participant changes the reservation:

• displays a screen confirming the change and prompting the user to inform their guest of the change
• receives a confirmation email with the new date and/or time

The primary participant is therefore responsible for informing their host. The final confirmation screen explicitly reminds them of this.

Scenario 2: The guest has not yet completed check-in

If the change is made before the guest has completed check-in:

• The guest receives a new registration email informing them that their invitation has been updated;
• The link in the previous registration email will no longer be valid;
• If the guest tries to use it, they will be redirected to a screen indicating that the reservation has been modified or canceled and asking them to contact the person who sent the invitation if they have any questions.

Deleting a Reservation

Only the primary participant may cancel the registration.

The primary registrant can cancel their registration by clicking the "Cancel Registration" button, which is available in both the confirmation email and the event reminder email.

Impact of cancellation on the guest

In this case as well, the impact on the guest depends on whether or not they have already completed check-in.

Scenario 1: The guest has already completed check-in

If the guest has already checked in, they will not receive an automatic cancellation notification. When the primary guest cancels the reservation:

• displays a screen confirming the cancellation (Artshell requires double confirmation to prevent accidental cancellations) and prompts the user to notify their guest.

The main participant is therefore responsible for informing their host. Again, the final screen explicitly reminds them of this.

Scenario 2: The guest has not yet completed check-in

• The link in the previous registration email will no longer be valid
• If the guest tries to use it, they will be redirected to a screen indicating that the reservation has been modified or canceled.

In this case as well, the guest is asked to contact the person who sent the invitation.

Event Access

When entering the event, attendance tracking can be done in two ways, depending on the configuration chosen:

• using the Artshell Scanner app, if the QR code option is enabled for the event;
• manually, if the event does not use a QR code.

Tracking via the Scanner app 

As mentioned earlier, if the QR code option is enabled, only the primary participant needs to present their QR code upon entering the event.

The primary participant may:

• show up on your own;
• introduce yourself along with your guest;
• Show up with a guest who has not completed registration.

In all these cases, the Artshell Scanner behaves differently.

The Artshell Scanner automatically detects whether a reservation is for one person or for two (primary participant + guest).

The procedure is as follows:

1. The operator scans the main participant's QR code;
2. If a guest is expected, the " Add Guest +1" button is displayed;
3. The operator confirms whether the participant is accompanied or not by clicking the “Add Guest +1” button.

• If the guest has completed check-in, both users will be logged in as usual.
• If, on the other hand, the guest has not completed registration, the Scanner app displays the message "GUEST +1 HAS NOT COMPLETED REGISTRATION" to the operator, making it clear that the guest has not confirmed their information and has not accepted the privacy policy.

The operator can use the "Resend Registration Email" button to resend the email to the guest so that the guest can complete the registration.

Manual tracking

Manual tracking is used when there are no QR codes to scan; in this case, entries must be configured manually in the event's " Reservations " section.

How to access the Reservations section to book tickets:

1. Open the record and select the Details tab;
2. Go to the Reservations section ;
3. Select Participants;
4. The operator asks for the participant's name and searches for it using the search bar
5. Select the participant and, in the Reservations section , click " Single Entry " if the participant is alone or " Entry with Guest" if they are accompanied by a guest.

In both cases (manual check-in or via QR code), information about check-ins is available in the Reservations section.

In this section, you can:

• view the complete list of participants;
• check the number of entries (in the case of multiple scans);
• Check whether or not the guest is present.

Conclusions and Summary

Guest management allows you to tailor the registration process to the event’s needs, enabling you to choose whether or not to collect information about accompanying guests and to track their participation. In summary:

• The guest can be configured as anonymous or registered within the record
• During the registration process, if necessary, the guest's information must be entered after the main participant's information has been entered
• The guest completes registration via an activation email (if the guest is not anonymous)
• The guest does not have a personal QR code
• Access is granted together with the primary participant
• The guest's presence alongside the main participant is reported to the Artshell scanner (if QR codes have been configured)
• The check-in of the primary participant and any guest is recorded in the Reservations section ( in the Details tab of record )