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Event Espresso 4 (Beta) is now available! This is really exciting and there is a lot we’d like to share with you!

How do I get access to EE4?

EE4 is currently available to the public for sale and is released to Event Espresso 3 users for FREE. If you purchase a EE3 Support License you will also have free access to EE4.

You can even launch your own demo site for EE4 in just a few minutes. Click here to get started with your EE4 test drive site!

How is EE4 different than EE3?

EE4 is very different from EE3 in more ways than we can probably list/describe/remember—so you’re going to want to check it out. In general there are several important changes to the EE4: features, user interface, data structure,  coding method and price.

Features

EE3 and EE4 have different feature sets; some features are available in EE4 that have never been available in EE3:

• Multiple Ticket & Pricing Options
• Quantity limits per ticket
• Min/Max ticket purchases per ticket
• Multiple dates/times (datetimes) per event
• Draft events
• Keyword-rich URLs
• Public and private commenting
• RSS feeds
• Taxes administration
• Contact lists and profiles (with attendee registration history)
• Support for custom post types (CPTS)
• Object-oriented Programming
• Intelligent Single Page Checkout
• Customizable Event Designs (CPTs)
• Hundreds of Hooks and Filters

….and 30+ more!

User Interface

The user interface has been rebuilt to follow the new WordPress 3.8+ standard. We’ve rebuilt all the pages, added new icons, added mobile browser compatibility, optimized notifications and much more. We believe that EE4 is more elegant, easier to use and more powerful all at the same time.

Data Structure

The data structure has changed so that some event data is now custom post types (CPTs). CPTs make event-related data more available to standard WordPress functions and themes. This will make Event Espresso more accessible for both back-end (core) developers and front-end (theme) designers.

Coding Method

The coding method has changed from procedural coding to more heavily object-oriented programming. That means there are more files, but less code to do more advanced things. Experienced developers should appreciate all the work that went into this change. We believe it makes our event registration more powerful and robust, helping make your event registration experience better.

We really think you’ll like what you see—especially as you get used to EE4 and realize all the new types of events it can power. We will continue making improvements in all of these areas and look forward for what is to come.

Price

While “in Beta”, Event Espresso 4 will be discounted significantly (approx. 50%). As the EE4 matures to a “stable” development status, the price will rise. Those who purchase at this discounted rate are still entitled to 12 months of support and upgrades.

Screen Shots

Here are a few screen shots to show off some of the awesome new features!

Why did we spend so much time and money building Event Espresso 4?

We have sought feedback from you, the thousands of event managers and developers who rely on Event Espresso to make their events successful. Your feedback has focused on one general theme. You want Event Espresso to do more and be more stable.

It is difficult to add more features to a system that was initially designed to for a more narrow focus. As we continue to add those new features Event Espresso has become more difficult to use, setup and/or customize. The added features has also made the core code more complex and less reliable, thus the increase in bugs.

As your requirements for Event Espresso have evolved (and continue to evolve), it became clear that parts of the code have gotten too complex and must be refactored in order to support new ideas. The longer we delayed refactoring Event Espresso, and the more code is written for EE3, the more difficult it becomes to refactor Event Espresso to meet your needs today and in the future.

In short, we spent a lot of money and several years building Event Espresso 4 because we wanted to help you and your events be more successful.

Why did it take so long to build Event Espresso 4?

When we started building version 3.2, we didn’t anticipate that it would be such a major change. However, as we started to refactor one system we saw it necessary (and better timing) to refactor other systems. Event Espresso 4 introduces several major changes including:

• A new user interface
• A single page checkout
• A new messages system
• New transaction management
• A new pricing management system
• A new taxes management system
• Custom post types for events, venues, and contacts
• Changing our programming approach to object-oriented programming
• and much more!

All those systems are quite interconnected and complex, so updating it took a lot of time and resources. We’re just as frustrated EE4 took as long to release as you, but we feel this decision will be the best for you in the long-run. We’re confident that we (and other developers) can build really great event registration websites on EE4 for a very long time to come.

What’s coming next in Event Espresso 4?

We view our roadmap in two ways: short(er)-term projects and long(er)-term projects. Our roadmap is subject to change at any time.

Our short(er)-term projects include:

• Making EE3 add-ons compatible with EE4.
• Promotion codes.
• Refactoring gateways.

Our Long(er)-term projects include:

• Integration with third-party plugins and services.
• Advanced messages functionality.
• Advanced registration form functionality.
• New add-ons.
• Event themes.
• Continued code optimization.

As always, you’re invited to participate as developers or sponsors.

What’s the plan for Event Espresso 3?

EE4 beta begins the official process of phasing out EE3. Going forward, we will focus new feature development resources on EE4 and only maintenance resources to EE3. As the EE4 feature set (including add-ons) exceeds those that are currently available with EE3 we will no longer sell or support EE3.

Those who purchase a EE3 support license  also have access to the core EE4 files and we recommend that they evaluate EE4 to see if will meet your needs at this time. We have provided tools to use EE3 data in EE4 which can help you start using EE4 sooner.

The future of event registration and ticketing is with Event Espresso 4 and we hope you’ll join us today for that amazing journey.

Can I Use EE4 instead of EE3?

Depending on your situation you might (or might not) want to replace EE3 with EE4. In general, our recommendation hinges on: what features you require, and whether you want to use your EE3 data in EE4.

Some features are not available in EE4 that are available in EE3:

• Coupon/Discount codes
• Wait lists
• Staff manager
• Support for EE3 add-ons (see below)

Using EE3 Data in EE4

Event Espresso 4 is ready to accept unaltered data that has been prepared by Event Espresso 3.1.36 (or greater). If you’ve not modified your EE3 database structure then you can migrate your data from EE3 to EE4. If you have modified your database structure, the migration scripts may not function properly (see below).

When to migrate EE3 data to EE4:

If you are using  Event Espresso version  3.1.36 (or greater) without customization that changes the data structure (e.g. additional database tables, columns, etc.) you can migrate your database from EE3 to EE4.

When NOT to migrate EE3 data to EE4:

We recommend NOT migrating your EE3 data to EE4 if you: have customized Event Espresso database tables or columns that weren’t included with EE3 OR are using EE3 on a multi-site installation of WordPress.

What is the development status of Event Espresso 4?

After years of development and months of testing, we have finished adding features (to this version) and all major bugs have been resolved. We do expect you to be able to use EE4 as if it were a stable product, with the exception that additional bugs may be identified through more extensive testing with your specific use-case. Please report any suspected bugs to the support forums. For a short period, we will be focused on fixing bugs that are found by users and that can be verified by our support staff, then release patches ASAP. After EE4 is released as a “non-Beta” product we will commence work on our development road map.

Reporting Bugs

We have spent, literally, thousands of hours developing, testing and debugging EE4, but undoubtedly some of you may encounter issues with EE4 while testing it in your given use-case, the plugins and themes you use, etc. Please report any unexpected behavior, error messages, or bugs to the support forums so we can keep all the requests organized and fixed as soon as possible. Please create a new thread for each issue so that it can be addressed specifically. Otherwise it might confused with other issues or missed among a lengthy discussion.

Questions or Comments? Tell us what you think

Event Espresso 4 is a big step forward in the functionality and power of WordPress events plugins. We really think you’ll like what EE4 is now, what you can do with it now, and what it will become. Launch your own test drive of Event Espresso 4 in minutes and let us know what you’re thinking.

If you have a lot of events and find it difficult to display or organize them all in a nice way, then the custom event list templates may help. With the Custom Templates Add-on you can easily build a custom event list layout (or use/purchase a few that we’ve already prepared) to make your website more beautiful and easier to use.

The Custom Templates Add-on comes bundled with the Events Table template and is available in all Support Licenses), but there are several additional template packs that can be purchased separately then downloaded from your account page:

Events Table

This is the default template. It is a classic table structure for displaying events, with a category filter dropdown. Works with Multiple Event Registration.

Calendar Table

A list style template, with a bold date and customizable register now button. The template can be customized to show the event thumbnail, instead of the date by using the show_featured=true parameter.

If you wish to change the Band/Artist title, use the change_title parameter.

Category Accordion

Similar to the CSS Dropdown template, the Category Accordion template displays the categories in a simple list. On clicking the category name, the events associated with that category will be displayed in brief. Clicking another category, that will open, but the previously open category will close.

Grid

Displays events in a pure CSS grid like structure, using the featured image. Hovering over the image will display further information. If the event does not have a featured image available, it will use a default one. Optionally, a small code change in the template can allow you to use the Organization Logo from the General settings as the fallback image.

Vector Maps

This template makes use of SVG maps and the venues. Each event in the event list that has a venue attached will be scanned to get the venues State, and a map of the USA will then highlight which states have events. Clicking the state will display the events below the map.

There are four maps available: USA, UK, Canada and Australia.

The default map is USA, to access others simply add one of the following parameters to the shortcode: country=”uk”, country=”australia”, country=”canada”, e.g.:

[EVENT_CUSTOM_VIEW template_name="vector-maps" country="uk"]

Please also note that states/provinces/regions can be entered in long form or short form, for example New York or NY, or Victoria or VIC. Please see the template file for a full list. The UK map is a little different, as there is no short form variants, and London venues must have London entered into the state field or it won’t work.

Date Range

This template uses a basic table structure and allows you to set date range of the shown events. It also allows the user to manually filter the displayed events by date as well.

Recurring Events Drop-down

This template is great for listing events in a table, but also adds support for recurring events by displaying a button that lists selectable dates of the events.

Dozens of Event Espresso users have found these templates useful to display events in a way that better fits their needs. We hope you’ll find a template that helps you too.

We don’t offer discounts very often, and in early 2014 fees will be higher, so this really is your best opportunity to get Event Espresso for the lowest price. Offer ends December 3, 2013.

If you did not receive an email notification about our Cyber Monday Sale, you should subscribe to the Event Espresso newsletter for important news and special offers like this at the bottom of our website.

One of the most frustrating things about online event registration is the time is takes to process payments and get an accurate count of who is attending your event. At the last minute you might find yourself with more people than you were prepared for.

To help our customers in the Asia Pacific region process payments quickly and securely, Event Espresso now offers integration with ANZ eGate, the premier processing gateway for the Australia/New Zealand area and beyond.

About ANZ and Event Espresso

ANZ offers complete payment processing online through its eGate merchant solution. It is easily integrated into your existing website, supporting shopping cart functionality and interactive voice recognition services. ANZ eGate supports 24-hour, high-speed payment processing and offers 24-hour service, so you always know where you stand with attendees. eGate also supports “Verified by Visa” and  “MasterCard®SecureCode™” for improved security, as well as detailed payment reports.

Event Espresso is the most powerful event registration and ticketing plugin available for WordPress. EE empowers you to manage events, collect payment and customer information, and even allow customers to print tickets that you can verify at the door using our mobile ticketing apps. Offering the best customer service and support in the industry, EE is integrated with dozens of payment options and merchant accounts.  Download Event Espresso and activate a new gateway today!

At Event Espresso, our goal is to make your life just a little bit simpler. Whether you are organizing a cooking class, rock concert, or business trade show, we want to make your online event registration and your events go smoother. We believe you should be able to use today’s best tools, like smartphones, to help you take control of your event—no matter where you are.

That’s why we’re so happy to be working with Qrious, another innovator in event organization. Qrious is a leader in smartphone lead retrieval for conferences and trade shows, showing that face-to-face interaction is still an indispensable tool for today’s businesses. This official integration with Event Espresso is a perfect example of how Event Espresso’s online event registration JSON API empowers event organizers by giving them the tools to deliver more value to their exhibitors and sponsors.

“We’re so excited (really!) to integrate with Event Espresso. So many of our customers use WordPress to power their event web sites, and now we can recommend a solution that enables them to continue using that platform while seamlessly integrating with our own. It’s a win-win-win proposition.” — John Federico, CEO & Co-founder, Qrious

About Qrious

As a complementary service to Event Espresso, lead retrieval from Qrious helps maximize the time, money and effort that your sponsors and exhibitors spend at your conference or event, by making it easy for them to scan badges, collect contact information and further qualify leads. Qrious has made lead capture more accessible and affordable for small and medium-sized conferences.

Contact Qrious if you’re curious (pun intended) about how lead retrieval, attendance tracking and turnkey badging can help your events.

About Event Espresso

Event Espresso is the most powerful event registration and ticketing plugin available for WordPress. EE empowers you to manage events, collect payment and customer information, and even allow customers to print tickets that you can verify at the door using our mobile ticketing apps. The official integration with Event Espresso is powered by the new JSON API that was released just earlier this year. Offering the best customer service and support in the industry, EE is integrated with dozens of payment options and merchant accounts.

We are pleased to announce that Event Espresso is now fully integrated with the Luottokunta payment gateway.

About Luottokunta and Event Espresso

Luottokunta has some 20,000 customer enterprises where travel and purchases are paid for using the Business Eurocard, Finland’s leading corporate card. More than 100,000 cards are already in use. Luottokunta allow merchants to accept card payments more conveniently and more safely, in stores and online. Their merchant network includes more than 100,000 points of sale in Finland, and we are the second largest transmitter of credit card events in the Nordic countries.

For more information visit on pricing visit their  website.

Event Espresso is the world’s most advanced event registration and ticketing plugin for WordPress. With Event Espresso you can manage your events, collect payment and customer information, create  printable tickets for attendees to bring and verify them at the door with our mobile ticketing apps and much more. Event Espresso is integrated with dozens of other payment options and merchant accounts in addition to Luottokunta.

Event Espresso is integrated with dozens of merchant accounts where Luottokunta is just one of the latest. Download Event Espresso and activate Luottokunta today!

We are pleased to announce that Event Espresso is now fully integrated with the PSiGate and MerchantAccounts.ca payment gateway.

About PSiGate, Merchant-Accounts.ca and Event Espresso

PsiGate makes it easy to get your business online and accepting credit card and debit transactions quickly and securely. They provide Canadian and U.S. Dollar Internet merchant accounts to businesses across North America, so you benefit from secure, reliable, real-time payments from your online customers worldwide. Choose from Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Visa Debit, and Interac Online to offer your customers the ultimate in payment choice.

PSiGate offers:

1. Secure, Real-Time Transactions
2. Simple API
3. Recurring Billing
4. Hosted Pay Pages
5. And more.

Contact PSiGate today to get started.

Merchant-Accounts.ca prides itself on being Canada’s first merchant account provider to specialize in multi currency e-commerce payments. You will receive everything that is needed in order to securely accept credit cards online. They include both the merchant account and secure payment gateway together as a bundled solution.

Merchant-Accounts.ca offers:

1. No hidden fees
2. No locked in contracts
3. Low setup and monthly costs
4. And more.

Apply today to get started..

Event Espresso is the world’s most advanced event registration and ticketing plugin for WordPress. With Event Espresso you can manage your events, collect payment and customer information, create  printable tickets for attendees to bring and verify them at the door with our mobile ticketing apps and much more. Event Espresso is integrated with dozens of other payment options and merchant accounts in addition to PsiGate and MerchantAccounts.ca.

Event Espresso is integrated with dozens of merchant accounts including PsiGate and MerchantAccounts.ca are just one of the latest. Download Event Espresso and activate a new gateway today!