Essentials and Premium customers can offer a streamlined way for members to view event space availability and submit Event rental requests, all in one place. Through form settings, much of the approval and notification process can be automated. When a submission is completed, an administrator is notified, prompting them to view the submission entry via the Member Splash platform. With just one click, event approvals trigger a cascade of actions, adding the event to the calendar, and sending automated notifications to requestors, alerting them of approval and even requesting payment, streamlining tasks that once consumed valuable time.
Step 1: Install Event Rental Request form from the MS Forms Template Library and update the form.
Navigate to the left side menu to Forms. Under the Forms menu, look for the submenu MS Forms Template Library. Install the Event Rental Request form. Update the form per your specifications. This form is designed to require a member to login in order to complete the form.
Alternatively, you can download the form here : EventRentalRequest.json
RECOMMENDATIONS
Edit: the form must include a Date Field, Start Time and End Time. To exclude certain dates from rental availability, such as holiday, select the date field and on the right side menu, navigate to Perks > Add Exception
Form Settings: Require User to be logged in - Box Checked
Confirmations: Update default confirmation message.
Notifications: Currently includes 3 notifications:
1) Request Under Review - Please update. This notification is sent when the form is submitted.
2) Request Approved - Please update message to include a link to another payment form, if applicable. This notification is sent automatically when the request is approved.
3) Request Denied - Please update message. This notification is sent automatically when the request is denied.
Copy Form Shortcode: Copy the form Shortcode via Embed > Copy Shortcode. Save this shortcode for later.
Step 2: Create a new Calendar Feed
Within the form, select Calendar Feeds to add a new feed. Select Create a Calendar.
CALENDAR FIELDS
Start Date: Select Requested Date
End Date: Leave blank, assuming event rental requests are single day events
Start Time: Select Requested Start Time
End Time: Select Requested End Time
Event Title: This can be anything you prefer to display on the calendar. In this example, it is named Private Event # {Account #:30}. This pulls the requestor's account number as the identifier on the Calendar itself, instead of last name.
Event Description: Again, this can be anything you'd prefer to display on the calendar. Again our example displays the hours of the event and the expected number of Attendees using the merge field button:
Event Location: Optional
Event Color: Select a color for events displayed on the calendar.
CALENDAR SETTINGS
Dynamically Load Events: YES
No Current Events Behavior: Stay on Today
Localization: English
Allow HTML Content: Leave unchecked
Allow Event Editing: Enable this if you want certain roles to be able to drag and drop calendar events on the calendar itself, which edits the corresponding entries.
Filter Displayed Entries: Add conditional Logic:
Entry Approval Status + is + Approved.
Save Settings
Embed Calendar: After Saving Settings, the Shortcode for the calendar will have populated. Go back up to the beginning of the Calender Feed settings and save the calendar shortcode for future use.
Step 3: Create a page with both Calendar and Request form.
Create a new page and insert both the Calendar shortcode and the Form shortcode into the page. Publish this page. Add the page to the menu for your site if you want it visible to your members and Save Settings.
Step 4: Approving or Denying Requests
Within the form, navigate to Entries. To approve or deny a request, simply hover over the yellow circle.
To approve, select the green check mark. The automated notification for approvals will be sent immediately. The event will now populate on the calendar.
To deny, select the red X. The automated notification for denials will be sent immediately.
Step 5: Drag and Drop Rescheduling (optional)
Via the Allow Event Editing settings in Step 2, approved users can drag and drop the calendar entry via the calendar itself when an event needs to be rescheduled. The entry details are updated automatically and notes can be made within the entry itself. Any changes to an entry can be viewed via WP Activity Log.
Step 6: Add Event Rentals to Existing (Event Organiser) Calendar (optional)
If you would like to add these approved events to your exsiting calendar, there is a way to do so. First, you'll need to navigate to the Calendar Feed settings to Calendar Subscription and check the box to enable calendar subscription link. Save settings and copy the URL for the calendar. Next, naviage to the left menu bar, to Settings > Event Organiser > Import/Export. Name your calendar and enter the URL you copied into Source. Select Add New Feed.