| Introduction | | | | Use of online registration forms as a tool to gather |
| Remote events calendar software describes a | | | | information is a very important part of most events |
| server-hosted application that provides | | | | and should be available. Where this is needed, the |
| calendar-based event management services to clients | | | | form should be simple and event-specific - displaying |
| via the internet. It is unlikely that any two events or | | | | the title and brief description of event, venue, |
| indeed any two events-organising users would have | | | | contact person, joining instructions, (pictures/video |
| identical requirements, and yet all clients will rely on | | | | clips associated with the event). It may also provide |
| the same system to manage their diverse events. It | | | | facility for registered delegates to update their |
| therefore goes without saying that the design and | | | | details. Registration should be automatically |
| implementation of such software will of necessity | | | | acknowledged. Closing date for registration and the |
| proffer enough capabilities and capacity to | | | | maximum expected delegate number must be |
| accommodate most requirements. Calendars are all | | | | enforced by the system. |
| around us in the office and at home. For any events | | | | Communication with Delegates |
| calendar software to worth the effort, it should not | | | | Each client event organiser should have full access to |
| only offer enough incentives to divert the attention | | | | their delegates' registration details. In the event of |
| of potential users from that beautifully pictured | | | | changes in programme, date or even cancellation, |
| calendar hanging on the wall across the room, but | | | | event organiser should be able to send message to |
| also provide each client with adequate and robust | | | | all registered delegates with minimum effort. Events |
| capabilities to facilitate their events. It should also | | | | calendar software should therefore, provide this |
| offer virtual ownership of their calendar, events, and | | | | capability by accessing delegates' email addresses |
| account, as well as friendly user interface, and | | | | from the data storage backend system. |
| affordability. | | | | Affordability |
| Virtual Ownership | | | | There is no hard-fixed price for any events calendar |
| Each user organization's events calendar should be | | | | software but in general may depend on a |
| accessible from their website, retaining the brand | | | | combination of factors - capabilities provided, online |
| image of the organisation in their events calendar | | | | traffic attracted by event, number of registration |
| page so that visitors will not feel diverted to an alien | | | | recorded, services provided, software licence, market |
| website. The implication of this is that they should | | | | forces etc. |
| have the choice to use their logo, name of their | | | | Presentation |
| organisation and retain some colours of their website. | | | | The generally accepted basic structure of a calendar |
| Each client organisation should have a full ownership | | | | needs no further improvements. Trying to alter this |
| of their account, and be in control of every text and | | | | will only put off potential users who already have a |
| image that is visible to their web visitors. They should | | | | pre-conceived notion of what they are looking for. |
| be able to specify the dimensions of the images they | | | | This basic structure however, may be embellished |
| display, change their passwords and create new | | | | with pictures of events for the date for easy |
| users. There should also be a link back to the user's | | | | location and nifty presentation, in addition to event |
| home page which is a form of reciprocal link between | | | | title. The details of the event(s) on any day can be |
| service provider and client. | | | | revealed by a click on the date. This ensures that the |
| Event Delegate Registration | | | | calendar structure is not burdened with information |
| The amount of event-related information associated | | | | clutter. |
| with each calendar date is user-dependent, and may | | | | Conclusion |
| range from mere event title and date to a gamut of | | | | This write-up is expected to help both events |
| details associated with the event such as event | | | | organisers and software developers venturing into |
| description, pictures and video clips, delegates | | | | this area. There exists a number of events |
| registration form, payments and contact. Remote | | | | management software that offer far more |
| events calendar software should be able to capture | | | | capabilities than mentioned here, but this is expected |
| all such information but leaving it open to each user | | | | to highlight the minimum requirements needed to run |
| to take the decision on how much information to put | | | | an event effectively. |
| out to visitors or request from them. | | | | |