Event Edition Settings

Overview

Event Edition Settings allow you to create and manage specific instances or occurrences of events. While an Event is the general activity type, an Event Edition represents a specific occurrence, usually identified by year.

What is an Event Edition?

An Event Edition is a specific instance of an event, such as:

• Summer Retreat 2024 (Edition: 2024)
• Harvest Festival 2023 (Edition: 2023)
• Leadership Training Q1-2025 (Edition: Q1-2025)

Event Editions enable you to:

• Track which specific year/occurrence a partner attended
• Compare event performance year-over-year
• Maintain historical records
• Enable precise reporting

How Event Editions Work

Relationship with Events:

• Each Event Edition belongs to one Event
• One Event can have multiple Editions
• Example:
  • Event: "Summer Retreat"
  • Editions: "2022", "2023", "2024", "2025"

Used In:

• Partner "Event Edition of Sign Up" field
• Year-over-year analysis
• Historical tracking
• Event performance reports

Viewing Event Editions

Event Editions Table

The Event Edition Settings page displays all editions in a table with:

• Event Name - Which event this edition belongs to
• Edition Name - Custom name (if provided)
• Year - The year of this edition
• Slug - Unique identifier
• Full Display - Combined event + year display
• Actions - View, Edit, Delete buttons

Searching Event Editions

Use the search box to find editions by:

• Event name
• Edition name
• Year
• Slug

Filtering Event Editions

Click the Filter button to narrow down:

• Filter by Event - Show editions for specific event only
• Filter by Year - Show editions from specific year
• Filter by Year Range - Show editions within a range

Adding a New Event Edition

Step 1: Open Create Dialog

1. Navigate to Settings > Event Editions
2. Click the "Create Event Edition" or "Add Edition" button
3. The create dialog will appear

Step 2: Select the Event

Event* (Required):

• Select which event this edition belongs to
• Dropdown shows all available events
• Example: Select "Summer Retreat"

Step 3: Enter Edition Details

Edition Name (Optional):

• Custom name for this specific edition
• Use if you need more than just a year
• Examples:
  • "Virtual Edition"
  • "25th Anniversary"
  • "Q1 Session"
  • "Special Youth Edition"

Year (Optional but Recommended):

• The year of this event occurrence
• Format: YYYY (e.g., 2024)
• Exactly 4 characters

Slug (Optional):

• Unique identifier for URL-friendly references
• Auto-generated if not provided
• Use lowercase with hyphens
• Examples:
  • "summer-retreat-2024"
  • "harvest-fest-2023"
  • "q1-2025"

Step 4: Save the Event Edition

Click "Create Edition" to save the new edition.

Display Format

Event Editions are typically displayed as:

• [Event Name] [Year] (e.g., "Summer Retreat 2024")
• [Event Name] [Edition Name] (e.g., "Summer Retreat Virtual Edition")
• [Event Name] [Edition Name] [Year] (e.g., "Summer Retreat 25th Anniversary 2024")

The system automatically combines these fields for display in dropdowns and reports.

Editing an Event Edition

How to Edit

1. Find the edition in the table
2. Click the Edit (pencil icon) button
3. Update any information
4. Click "Update Edition" to save changes

What You Can Edit

• Event - Can change which event this edition belongs to
• Edition Name - Can update custom name
• Year - Can change the year
• Slug - Can modify the identifier

When to Edit

Edit an event edition when:

• You need to correct the year
• The edition name needs updating
• You want to reassign it to a different event
• The slug needs to be more descriptive

Viewing Edition Details

Click the View (eye icon) button to see:

• Parent event information
• Edition name, year, and slug
• Full display format
• Number of partners linked to this edition
• System metadata

Deleting an Event Edition

How to Delete

1. Find the edition in the table
2. Click the Delete (trash icon) button
3. Confirm the deletion

When You Can Delete

An event edition can typically be deleted only if:

• No partners are linked to it
• No historical data references it

Best Practices

Creating Editions

1. Plan Ahead:

   • Create editions for upcoming years in advance
   • At start of year, create current + next year's editions
   • Helps team members select correct edition when adding partners

2. Create Retroactively:

   • Add past year editions for historical data
   • Useful when migrating from another system
   • Enables complete year-over-year analysis

3. Consistent Timing:

   • Create new year's editions at consistent time (e.g., start of year)
   • Don't wait until event is about to happen
   • Advance planning prevents last-minute issues

Naming Editions

1. Use Year as Primary Identifier:

   • Most common and clearest approach
   • Just enter year: "2024", "2025"
   • System displays as "Summer Retreat 2024"

2. Custom Names for Special Cases:

   • Use Edition Name for unique circumstances:
     • "Virtual Edition" (for online-only)
     • "25th Anniversary"
     • "Q1", "Q2" (for quarterly events)
   • Can combine with year: "Virtual 2024"

3. Avoid Redundancy:

   • Don't repeat event name in edition name
   • ❌ Edition Name: "Summer Retreat 2024"
   • ✅ Year: "2024" (displays as "Summer Retreat 2024")

Organization Strategy

1. Standard Annual Events:

   • Create one edition per year
   • Use simple year format: 2023, 2024, 2025

2. Quarterly or Multi-Occurrence Events:

   • Use Edition Name or Slug to differentiate
   • Examples:
     • "Q1-2024", "Q2-2024", "Q3-2024", "Q4-2024"
     • "Spring", "Summer", "Fall", "Winter"

3. One-Time Special Events:

   • Create single edition with descriptive name
   • May not need future editions
   • Example: "Centennial Celebration 2023"

Maintenance

Beginning of Each Year:

• Create editions for all recurring events
• Review previous year's editions for completeness
• Archive or note editions that won't repeat

Quarterly:

• Check if any editions need to be added
• Verify edition names are clear and accurate

After Each Event:

• Verify edition data is correct
• Confirm partners are linked to right edition
• Note any issues for next year's planning

Common Scenarios

Creating First Editions for an Event

Situation: You just created a new Event and need to set up editions.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Event Editions
2. Create edition for current year
3. Create edition for next year (if event is annual)
4. Create 1-2 past years if you have historical data
5. Stop - don't create too far into the future

Example (Current year: 2024):

• Create: 2023 edition (past year for historical data)
• Create: 2024 edition (current year)
• Create: 2025 edition (next year for advance planning)

Quarterly Event Editions

Situation: You have an event that occurs four times per year.

Approach 1 - Using Edition Name:

• Edition Name: "Q1", Year: "2024" → "Quarterly Outreach Q1 2024"
• Edition Name: "Q2", Year: "2024" → "Quarterly Outreach Q2 2024"

Approach 2 - Using Year Field:

• Year: "2024-Q1" → "Quarterly Outreach 2024-Q1"
• Year: "2024-Q2" → "Quarterly Outreach 2024-Q2"

Choose the approach that makes most sense for your reporting needs.

Missed Edition

Situation: An annual event didn't happen in 2023, but resumed in 2024.

Steps:

• Don't create a 2023 edition
• Create 2024 edition as normal
• The gap in years shows the event didn't occur

This maintains accurate historical records.

Edition Name Change

Situation: An edition was created with the wrong year or name.

Steps:

1. Check if any partners are linked to this edition
2. If no partners: Edit and correct the information
3. If partners exist: Carefully edit, ensuring data accuracy
4. Verify the change appears correctly throughout the system

Field Reference

Required Fields

• Event - Must select a parent event

Optional Fields (at least one recommended)

• Edition Name - Custom identifier
• Year - Numeric year (YYYY)
• Slug - URL-friendly identifier

Auto-Generated

• Display Name - Combines Event + Edition Name + Year
• Created Date - When edition was created
• Updated Date - Last modification time

Common Questions

Q: Do I need both Edition Name and Year?

A: No, but having at least one is recommended. Year is most common. Use Edition Name for special circumstances or when you need more than just a year.

Q: Can I create editions for future years?

A: Yes, and it's recommended. Creating 1-2 years in advance helps with planning and ensures the edition is ready when you need it.

Q: What if the event happens multiple times in one year?

A: Use Edition Name or modified Year format to differentiate. See "Quarterly Event Editions" scenario above.

Q: Can two editions have the same year but different events?

A: Yes, each edition belongs to a specific event. "Summer Retreat 2024" and "Harvest Festival 2024" are separate editions.

Q: What happens if I don't create an edition for this year?

A: Users won't be able to select this year's edition when adding partners. They'd have to select a different year or leave the field empty.

Q: Should I create editions for every year since the ministry started?

A: Only if you need to track historical data. Focus on recent years (2-3 back) and future years (1-2 ahead) for most use cases.

Q: Can I change which event an edition belongs to?

A: Technically yes through editing, but be very careful. This changes the edition's context and may affect reporting. Usually better to delete and recreate if assigned to wrong event.

Q: Why do I need a slug?

A: Slugs are used for URL-friendly references and technical integrations. They're usually auto-generated, so you don't need to worry about them unless you have specific technical requirements.

Related Topics

• Event Settings - Create parent events before creating editions
• Managing Partners - Learn how event editions are used in partner forms
• Call Reports - See how editions enable year-over-year analysis