Auxiliary Events in TNEW: adding custom data collection fields and adding the events to your TNEW calendar

Do you need to request some additional information from your patrons regarding an Auxiliary Event such as a class or camp you have for sale on your TN Express Web (TNEW) site? TNEW v5.0 introduced several different field types available for data collection including textboxes, checkboxes, radio buttons, and dropdowns to be used by auxiliary ticketing pages and contribution pages. 

To add custom data collection fields to your Auxiliary Events follow these steps:

1.) Choose an existing or create a new TN_Express_AUX keyword to use for your data collection set up. You will only need one keyword per data collection set. For example, if you are wanting to collect Name, School and Age, this would all be done through one keyword.

2.) Add one new row into LTR_TNEW_CUSTOM_FORM_DATA for each piece of data you would like to collect.

A. The Intended Use entry corresponds to the page where the custom data field will be used. This field is a dropdown. Chose the TN_Express_AUX keyword chosen in step 1 from the dropdown.

B. The Field Type entry is a dropdown of the different ways you present a data request on the page. (i.e. textbox, radio button, Checkbox, etc.)

C. The Sort Field is the number used to order the fields on a page. Sort 1 is displayed first. This allows you to set up the fields in any order and then decide how you would like them to display on the page.

D. Is Required – When checked, entering a value for the field is required.

E.  Field Name – The label prefix for data entered into CSI notes. Field name should only contain numbers, letters, hyphens, and underscores (no spaces), and must be unique across all entries in this table.

F. Option Value – Contains values for Dropdown field types, Radio field types, and Checkbox field types. Multiple option values are entered as a semicolon or comma delimited list (e.g.1;2;3;4;5 or S,M,L,XL,XXL). This column can also be used to enter placeholder/default text for Textbox or Text area fields.

G. Value Type – The acceptable data format for a Textbox or Text area field type. Options are: Date, Double (used for numbers with two decimal places), Integer, or String.

H. Field Label – Label text directly preceding the custom data field on the form.

I. Tooltip Text – Optional tooltip text that is displayed when customers hover over the field.

3.) Add the CSI path in LTR_TNEW_CUSTOM_FORM_SAVE_DATA table for where you want this data to be recorded. NOTE: CSI activity type values are not filtered by the selected category, and origin values are not filtered by the selected activity type. Be sure that the values you select can be used together. If the selected values cannot be used together, the CSI will fail to save.

4.) Add the keyword from Step 1 on the performance level of your event in ticketing setup. (If the form field keyword it is not entered on the performance level, then they will not appear.)

5.) Save your event.

6.) Login into your TNEW admin page (YourTNEWSITE.com/admin) and clear your site data cache.

7.) Review your page on your TNEW Site (we recommend testing on your QA site first so that you can verify that the CSI is saving when an order is placed) and make any changes desired. 

Do you also have auxiliary events such as camps or educational classes that request additional data from the purchaser such as t-shirt size or age which you would like to list on the TNEW calendar and/or Event Listing Page?

Follow the steps below to add your Auxiliary Events to your calendar with the Buy URL Override.

1.) Build your auxiliary event in Tessitura with the desired TN_Express_AUX keyword attached (please refer to the post above to add custom data collection fields to the aux event.)

2.) Note the performance ID.

3. Add the TN_Express_Buy_URL_Override content to the performance (on the performance level) and enter the aux select seating page link structure:

YourTNEWSITE.com/auxiliary/Reserve.aspx?p=[performance ID #] (live site)

and

YourTNEWSITE.com/_qa_/auxiliary/Reserve.aspx?p=[performance ID #] (test site)

4.) Choose an existing or create a new TN_Express_Performance keyword and add to your event on either the production season level or on the performance level.

5.) Save your event.

6.) Login into your TNEW admin page (YourTNEWSITE.com/admin) and clear your site data cache.

7.) Review your site. The event will now show on the calendar and on your event listing page, but when you click Purchase, the link will redirect over to the auxiliary purchase path, allowing custom data collection fields to display. 

Looking for more information about Auxiliary Events or TNEW set up in general? Please take a look at the TN Express Online User Guide or reach out to the Web Products team via TASK. And for those of you attending TLCC 2015, don't forget to add the TN Express Web for TNEW Users: Making the Most of Your Website (Monday 1:45pm - 3:00pm) session to your schedule. See you then! 

-Suzie Davidson, on behalf of the Web Products team