Cannot find where to start a practice session in zoom events

[DocCM]

I am hosting a one day hybrid multi-session 7-speaker (each speaker is a different session) event on 3.25.23 and am unable to figure out how to start a practice session. I have searched out available info and am told to "start" the session in the lobby but I cannot see where to do that.  I assume my lobby is live but am unsure how to verify that.  I am super stuck and REALLY wanting to figure out the practice session to make sure that audio and video feed to zoom is working properly...can anyone advise me on this?  Thanks, Corrie

[mgstark · Accepted solution]

Hi @DocCM the host or any of the speakers (in the session give them Alternative Host role) can start the meetings/webinars within your Event at any time they wish.

- Please make sure you have published your Event then browse to: https://events.zoom.us/e/manage/events
- Then click on the Join Lobby button next to your published event.
- Once you are in the Lobby you should see all the sessions you have created and you can start them any time you wish and test.

- The speakers will be sent an email with the invitation, they just need to click on that and join the lobby. Then they can also start the sessions they have been assigned to.

[imogenrayner]

Thanks this is really helpful.  So just to clarify - there is no 'practice session' in Zoom Events but you can go in to the lobby at any time and start a webinar and have a practice?  The event will still be listed and go ahead at the scheduled time with no problems.

Please tell me that when you start the practice it doesn't email everyone telling them to join?  Including attendees and speakers?

[DocCM]

Thanks for this Mark, very helpful.  Can you help with a couple of other things?

We used stripe through our organization's website to accept payments for the event (did not know this was possible through zoom events, but WISH I did at the time....).  I am now trying to register ~70 guests from a csv file of names and email addresses exported from stripe and the "pre-register guests" tab under "manage registrants" keeps tell me my csv is not valid.  The platform DID accept the csv under the "emails" tab to "invite" paid attendees to register.  Same csv file, doesn't make sense.

I would also love to figure out how to edit the itinerary in the lobby.  It lists only the the first session of the day and I cannot find how to access it in the admin side of the event.

Thanks for your help,

DocCM 

[mgstark]

Hi @DocCM sure I can try.

- With regards to the CSV file, does it have all of the following fields in it, the only one required is the Email but I recommend working off the example you can download (try just fill in the rows). Let me know if that helps or not.

- I have used Numbers on a Mac and export as Unicode-UTF-8 when I select CSV. So just also check the formatting as well.

Email(required)	First Name(optional)	Last Name(optional)	Registration Source(optional)	Unique ID(optional)

- The session itinerary updates as you or the attendees bookmark the sessions. So one good idea is to open your lobby up well in advance of the actual event date. The attendees can then login and bookmark the sessions which will fill the itinerary.

[mgstark]

@DocCM I was reading your message again, I am little confused what you meant by you used the same CSV file to invite them to register already. If you already did that then they would be registered, have you looked to see if they are in your registration list under Registration > Manage Registrants

[DocCM]

Thank you for explaining the itinerary.

I used the "emails" tab to invite paid attendees to register, but several of them did not register through the invite, so I am trying to register them through the Manage Registrants tab.  There are several who are invited but not registered, so would like to be able to register everyone who has paid to avoid last minute scrambling.

[mgstark]

@DocCM 

- To create an "invited" request you go into Registration > Manage Registrants and then select "Pre-register Guests" then you have to ensure you select: Do you want this guest to register for the event? = Yes.

- To create an "pre-registered" request you go into Registration > Manage Registrants and then select "Pre-register Guests" then you have to ensure you select: Do you want this guest to register for the event? = No.

By re-importing users that are in "invited" state - you are technically duplicating the same user against the same ticket. You will need to remove those "invited" state users first. Then you can pre-register them.