Development Started on Event Espresso 4 Mobile Ticketing Apps

We are pleased to announce that development has started on the Event Espresso 4 mobile ticketing apps for Android and Apple mobile devices.

mobile ticketing apps

Mobile App Mockups

About the Event Espresso 4 Mobile Apps

Here’s what you can expect from the new mobile apps:

  • Feature parity with Event Espresso 3 mobile apps
    For the initial release, we are only working on feature parity with the Event Espresso 3 version of the mobile apps. Such as viewing events, registrations, and checking-in/out attendees from the mobile apps.
  • The apps will be free
    We care about your ticketing needs and want to make your lives better. You’ll be able to do check-in/out attendees, and those who use the Ticketing add-on will be able to scan tickets too.

Timeline?
The plan right now is to get the apps built, tested and release ASAP. If everything goes as planned, we can expect the development to take around 10 to 12 weeks.

What functions will the apps perform?
Event Espresso users will be able to check-in/out attendees and scan tickets using mobile devices, such as iPhones, iPads, and Android phones and tablets.

What about ____ feature?
We have a few ideas for features such as point-of-sale capabilities, etc, but these will have to come at a later date.

The team we’ve brought on to build the mobile apps has a lot of experience with building event related apps and we’re looking forward to working with them to add more great features in the future.

Tell us what you need/want?
Have some ideas you want to see the in Event Espresso mobiles apps? Let us know in the comments below.

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New Event Management Theme from Showthemes – Mondree

Announcing a New Event Management Theme

Mondree, is a new event management theme from our friends over at Showthemes! Mondree boasts a modern design in an easy to use, drag and drop set up.

Event Management Theme

Mondree allows to quickly create the page you want and decide the settings for fonts and colors. This is not based on other plugins at all, it is all part of the theme.

Mondree – Only $79 | Purchase Now >>

Strong Registration Integration’s

It works with EventEspresso, Woocommerce, Gravity Forms, TicketTailor, Eventbrite, Etouches

Mobile First

With events becoming more and more mobile, Mondree has been designed with smartphones and tablets in mind. 100% Responsive, Mondree is dynamic and offers the best experience regardless of the device.

List of Features

  • Perfect for conferences, annual meetings, seminars, workshops, festivals, club nights but also award nights or professional speaker pages
  • EventEspresso, Woocommerce, Gravity Forms, Eventbrite, etouches, Tickettailor integrated
  • Manage Speakers, Sessions, Event Tickets easily
  • One click demo install. Just one click to install an exact copy of the demo
  • Deep Social Integration: show Latest Tweets, Instagram pics
  • No plugins needed all built in the theme.
  • Show a Video or a Slider in the homepage.
  • Choose the colors you want and a selection of the most popular Google Fonts
  • Create custom pages with the elements you prefer
  • Top notch, 24hrs SLA support desk when purchasing a support license
  • Built by event professionals
  • 100% GPL, but it once, use it on as many sites as you wish
  • Comprehensive, step by step tutorials
  • Showthemes powers more than 5,000 event websites around the world

With Mondree you can create the page that better suits your event, no limits to where to put elements, you are in control. Start creating your event now!

More Third-party Themes

Don’t forget to check out our complete listing of available third-party themes for Event Espresso.

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REST API Now In EE4 Core

Events REST API

Events REST API

It’s official, now that the WordPress REST API (WP-API) has been rolled into WordPress core, we’ve added our own REST API  into the Event Espresso 4 (EE4) core plugin.

Since we already have the READ endpoints available in a plugin version of the EE4 REST API, on January 4th, 2016 we released an update (version 4.8.29) with the READ REST API endpoints in EE4 core.

However, we still have more work to do to get the WRITE endpoints done. Once the WRITE endpoints are completed, developer’s will have the ability to directly interface with your event website using the REST API to make updates directly to the database, such as checking-in attendees, creating/updating events, tickets, and attendees.

What Is An API?

In layman’s terms, an API or Application Programming Interface is an agreed set of standardized ways that a particular piece of software can be used; the rules defined for its interaction with the wider world, which govern how other pieces of software can talk to a program and how it will respond.

A few good examples of APIs in action would be:

  1. Anytime an app uses Google Maps to display its location information.
  2. A mobile or desktop twitter client.
  3. A game/service that integrates Facebook features such as login, messaging, etc.

In these instances, and all others like them, the APIs “expose” certain internal functions of the primary applications (Google Maps, Twitter, etc) so that outside developers can use them in their own applications or websites. In these examples, app developers have been given the ability to tap into the powerful features (and/or content) of major web services so that they can build on top of them and/or integrate key content and features into their own products, in clearly defined ways. This allows open collaboration to walk hand in hand with security.

What Is A REST API?

REST or REpresentational State Transfer is an architectural style of building APIs; not a code language or description of its function. A REST API is designed to provide a lightweight form of communication (less bandwidth) between a producer (ex: Twitter) and a consumer (ex: Twitter client), making it a reliable solution for high volume web services like Facebook, Google Apps, Twitter, WordPress, and now Event Espresso.

In this case, you are the producer of content (event information and event data), and the applications you build can consume or use that data through the Event Espresso 4 REST API.

This Will Affect Everyone Who Works With Event Espresso

The EE4 REST API is a simple but powerful way to interact with Event Espresso. Even though the EE4 REST API is not readily visible to users, over time user’s will experience the benefits of more interactive Event Espresso websites. Once we roll out the WRITE endpoints Mobile, desktop and web applications can get data from Event Espresso and do anything you can do via the admin panel. It’s like the admin panel, minus the user interface (UI).

The availability of the EE4 REST API as a core feature also means less time spent by developers creating something similar, and more time spent creating features and custom applications.

How Will The EE4 REST API Be Used?

The Event Espresso 4 (EE4) REST API in Core is intended to allow client-side applications, and apps on different servers, to be able to interact with the WordPress Plugin Event Espresso. It is included in Event Espresso since version 4.8.29, and is built on the WP REST API included in WordPress since version 4.4.

The EE4 REST API can, and will be used in a multitude of different ways, such as:

  • Custom mobile apps
  • Custom admin interfaces
  • Integrating your events with other application platforms
  • Provide interoperability with many different programming languages
  • and much more!

By providing an agreed, standardized programmatic interface between Event Espresso and the outside world, Event Espresso opens itself up to every other application and development environment on earth.

Information for Developers

Now that the REST API is in Event Espresso 4 Core, you can start developing great integration’s for your customers. All you need to get started is review the documentation and start building something GREAT!

Also you should stay tuned to our developer-specific blog at developer.eventespresso.com so you’ll know about any important changes regarding backwards compatibility or other developments.

And if you do build something great with the EE4 REST API, consider listing it on our 3rd party addons page.

Reporting Issues

If you have an REST API feature request, or bug to report, please let us know on our github repo.

Building a WordPress Plugin? Use the EE4 Database Models Instead

If you are building a WordPress plugin that will use Event Espresso 4 data server-side (in the PHP code), generally you do not need to use the API, and can instead use Event Espresso 4’s database models, config, and other modules directly. Check out developer.eventespresso.com for tutorials on how to use many of these systems.

We hope you enjoy using the Event Espresso 4 modern REST API, let us know what you think.

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Now You Can Accept Payments with Braintree and PayPal Payflow Pro

Two new payment gateways are now available as add-ons for Event Espresso 4! Both will let you accept credit or debit card payments on your website.

Braintree

35222_paymentbraintreeBraintree is available to event admins / event organizers in many areas of the world including North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It is an onsite payment gateway which means that your registrants/attendees will remain on your website during the payment process.

An SSL certificate is recommended with Braintree. Your website host will be able to provide you one for a fee and this will help ensure that sensitive payment information is kept secure.

Make $50K. Keep $50K.

Braintree has a promotion available for merchants (event organizers) in the European Union and the United States. They will pay your transaction fees for credit and debit card payments for the first $50K of payments.

Click here to learn more about Braintree for Event Espresso 4

Looking for the documentation for Braintree? You can find the documentation for Braintree here.

PayPal Payflow Pro

payflow-proPayPal Payflow Pro is available to event admins / event organizers in Canada, Australia, United States, and New Zealand. It is an onsite payment gateway which means that your registrants/attendees will remain on your website during the payment process.

An SSL certificate is recommended with PayPal Payflow Pro. Your website host will be able to provide you one for a fee and this will help ensure that sensitive payment information is kept secure.

Click here to learn more about PayPal Payflow Pro for Event Espresso 4

Looking for the documentation for PayPal Payflow Pro? You can find the documentation for PayPal Payflow Pro here.

Need some help with Event Espresso?

If you have an Everything support license for Event Espresso 4, then your account has been automatically updated and you’ll be able to find these new payment options in your account page. Are you considering upgrading from a personal support license or another support license? Contact us so we can help you make the switch to your new support license.

Both Braintree and PayPal Payflow Pro require an up to date version of Event Espresso 4. If you have not updated in some time, then now is a good time to backup your WordPress site and update. Additionally, Event Espresso is compatible with the newest version of WordPress at 4.4. Please check out our update guide for Event Espresso 4.

If you have a question or are not sure about updating, then please get in touch via our support forums so we can help you!

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Save up to 50% during our ONLY sale of the year!

Our holiday sale has ended! Join our newsletter to receive updates about Event Espresso.


More power, control and up to 50% off the best WordPress events plugin during the ONLY sale of the year! Tweet This.

If you want to get Event Espresso for the first time, or haven’t renewed in a while now is your chance. If you are a current customer you can save a lot of money by getting 50% off new add-ons.

Offers end December 1, 2015. You must use the links below to receive the discount(s). Active members must be logged-in with an active subscription to receive the ‘Active Members’ price. Discounts cannot be applied retroactively.

Event Espresso 4:

Product(s) Active Members New Members
Developer License (5 licenses) $279.95 $153.97 $279.95 $181.97
Everything License (all add-ons) $279.95 $195.97 $279.95 $209.96
Personal License $69.95 $55.96 $69.95 $59.46
Event Espresso 4 Add-ons:
Promotions & Discount Codes – add incentives $79.95 $39.98
Printable Tickets – offer paper or digital tickets $59.95 $29.98
Ticket Scanning – scan bar/qr codes to validate tickets $79.95 $39.98
Multiple Event Registration – more events, one checkout $99.95 $49.98
Calendar – display your schedule of events $29.95 $14.98
WP User Integration – connect WP profiles to reg forms $39.95 $19.98
MailChimp Integration – add attendees to your mailing lists $39.95 $19.98
People/Staff – organize and display staff by roles $49.95 $24.98
Social Sharing – make it easy to share your events $14.95 $7.48
Infusionsoft Integration – add attendees to your contacts $69.95 $34.98
Stripe Integration – use Stripe to process payments $59.95 $29.98
Sage Pay Integration – use Sage Pay to process payments $69.95 $34.98
Vanco Integration – use Vanco to process payments $69.95 $34.98
iDeal/Mollie Integration – use iDeal/Mollie to process payments $69.95 $34.98
Authorize.net SIM – use Authorize.net to process payments $69.95 $34.98
Table View Template – display your events in a table layout $29.95 $14.98
Grid Template – display your events in a grid layout $29.95 $14.98

Event Espresso 3:

Product(s) Active Members New Members
Developer License (5 licenses) $549.95 $302.47 $549.95 $357.47
Business License (most add-ons) $249.95 $174.97 $249.95 $187.46
Personal License $99.95 $79.96 $99.95 $84.96
Event Espresso 3 Add-ons:
Ticketing – offer tickets to be scanned at the door $179.95 $89.98
Multiple Event Registration – more events, one checkout $49.95 $24.98
Recurring Events – schedule your events in the future $49.95 $24.98
Custom Files – override certain aspects of the plugin $39.95 $19.98
WP User Integration – connect WP profiles to reg forms $39.95 $19.98
MailChimp Integration – add attendees to your mailing lists $39.95 $19.98
Roles & Permissions Basic – manage staff roles $69.95 $34.98
Roles & Permissions Pro – manage staff geographies $119.95 $59.98
Infusionsoft Integration – add attendees to your contacts $69.95 $34.98
Custom Templates – exciting and interesting layouts $29.95 $14.98
Accordion Template – display events in a accordion layout $19.95 $9.98
Calendar Template – display events in a table layout $19.95 $9.98
Date Range Template – display events in a range layout $19.95 $9.98
Recurring Events Template – display events in a recurring layout $19.95 $9.98
Map Template – display events in a map layout $19.95 $9.98
Grid Template – display events in a grid layout $19.95 $9.98

 

Our holiday sale has ended! Join our newsletter to receive updates about Event Espresso.


Happy Holidays from the entire team at Event Espresso! We look forward to working with you in 2016.

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New Features You May Have Missed from this Summer

Did you know we released some exciting improvements for Event Espresso this summer? It’s now possible for your audience to purchase multiple tickets from multiple events in one checkout, you can offer promotions and discount codes, you can list your approved attendees on a page, and much more! We think you will like what we’ve done.

Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

This is not an exhaustive list of enhancements, bug fixes, and security updates. For that information, please see our changelog.

Multiple Event Registration

Yes! It’s here, the long-awaited Multiple Event Registration add-on for EE4! Now you can create a shopping cart experience and allow your attendees to add multiple events to a cart for checkout.

Now your audience can register for multiple events with multiple tickets in one checkout using @EventEspresso http://evts.io/1KLClfT Tweet this

Here is a two-minute overview of the EE4 Multiple Event Registration add-on features:

With MER we introduced the ability to add events to a cart. In Event Espresso 4.7.7.p we added an enhancement to allow removal of multiple events from the cart simultaneously. This can be accomplished by setting the quantity to 0.

For more information, see the MER documentation here.

Promotions and Discounts

The Promotions & Discount Codes add-on for Event Espresso 4 adds powerful and flexible promotional pricing features to your events. You can create discount codes and promotions that can provide discounts for your attendees when they are registering for an event or buying tickets.

You can now give your event attendees promotions and discounts with @EventEspresso http://evts.io/1KLClfT Tweet this

More on the new Promotions and Discounts add-on for EE4 here.

Event Espresso 4 REST API Add-on

The Event Espresso 4 REST API Add-on is available now! The current version gives you read access to all EE4 data. That means you can build client-side Javascript code, mobile apps, and programs in any language (and on any server) that can read data used in Event Espresso 4.

More on the Event Espresso 4 REST API Add-on here.

The Attendee List Shortcode

The Event Espresso 4.6.31.p update brought Attendee List shortcodes. Attendee lists can be helpful in a variety of ways, whether you want to create a password protected page to allow certain users to view the attendee list, or if you want to build social credibility by showing your potential attendees who has already registered for the event.

2015-10-08_14-34-24

With the new [ESPRESSO_EVENT_ATTENDEES] shortcode, you can display lists of approved attendees for your events. There are several parameters that can be used to display different kinds of lists, like lists for a specific event, datetimes, tickets, and even certain registration statuses. With no parameters set, the default shortcode shows the attendees for the earliest active event or if there is no active event, then the earliest upcoming event is shown. If it is used in the event description area (via your event editor), then it will show the attendees for that specific event.

The Events CPT Slug

In version 4.7.3.p, we added the ability to change the event slug for the Events custom post type. Previously, the slug defaulted to /events/. You can now change the slug in Event Espresso > Events on the Templates tab.

WP User Integration Enhancements

In version 2.0.1 of the WP User Integration add-on, we added the [ESPRESSO_MY_EVENTS] shortcode to display list of registrations for user on a front end WordPress page.

Click the image below to see it in action.

my-events-expanded-2

“Your Registrations” page now available in the Event Espresso 4 WP User Integration Add-on! http://t.co/Guve91T3Ta #WordPress #eventtechTweet this

Read more about the “Your Registrations” page here.

Event Check-In Now More Mobile Responsive (WP 4.3+)

We added mobile styles to the event check-ins and other EE admin list tables (WordPress 4.3+ only). We also moved attendee the list table search field closer to the top of the mobile view for easier access.

Event Registration Check-in

New Messages Shortcode Picker UI

We made creating or modifying message templates easier by adding a message shortcode picker which displays the shortcodes that are available for each field.

Click the image below to see it in action.

MessageShortcodes

So, what do you think about these improvements? Have you used any of these new features? If so, what do you think?

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Your Registrations Page Now Available in the Event Espresso 4 WP User Integration Add-on

We managed to sneak in a great new feature without anyone even knowing. That’s right, the “Your Registrations Page” is now available in the  WP User Integration add-on for Event Espresso 4.

The “Your Registrations” page is a front facing page for logged-in members of your website to view their registration history. Just by logging into your website, and viewing a specific WordPress page on the front-end of your website, users can view events they’ve registered for in the past.

If you are using the EE4 WP User Integration add-on in your WordPress website, just add the [ESPRESSO_MY_EVENTS] shortcode to any page and your users will see a nice looking table of past registrations.

my-events-expanded-2

That’s not all!

We’ve also packed it full of other nice features, such as:

  • Responsive table design
  • Expandable rows that allow your user’s to:
    • view purchase history
    • view/edit personal details
    • download ticket(s)
    • print receipts
    • make a payment
  • Customizable using shortcode parameters:
    • template : defaults to simple_list_table. Can be either simple_list_table or event_section as the template slug (see screenshots above for difference. This has been designed so developers can hook in their own templates down the road if they want (or we can add additional layouts at whim as well).
    • per_page : defaults to 10. This allows the user to set the limit of rows that are shown before pagination kicks in on the main table (the event_section template does no pagination of tickets listed for each event).
    • your_events_title : defaults to localized “Your Events”. This allows for users to customize the label for the listing.
    • your_tickets_title : defaults to localized “Your Tickets”. This allows for users to customize the label for the listing of your tickets. Note, the “Your Tickets” label is currently only used with the event_section template.
  • Customizable templates. Developers can override the templates by copying the files from the template directory into your theme.

Don’t have the WP User Integration add-on?

What are you waiting for? Get the WP User Integration add-on now.

Already have this add-on?

You’re probably wanting to know how to use this great new feature. No worries! You can learn how to use it here. If you need support, just ask 🙂

 

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Promotions & Discount Codes Now Available

promotions-discounts-addon

The Promotions & Discount Codes add-on for Event Espresso 4 adds powerful and flexible promotional pricing features to your events. You can create discount codes and promotions that can provide discounts for your attendees when they are registering for an event or buying tickets.

The Promotions & Discount Codes add-on is included in the EE4 Everything License.

Promotions and Discount Codes Features:

  • Promotional pricing with discount codes
  • Promotional pricing without discount codes
  • Optional usage quantity limits per discount
  • Optional start and expiration dates for each discount
  • Percentage or fixed amount discounts
  • A shortcode and widget that displays a list of non-coded promotions on your website
  • Configure whether a promotion can or cannot be combined with any other promotions
  • Custom confirmation and declined coupon code messages
  • List a message on your website about automatically applied promotions that do not need a discount code
  • Easily setup similar promotion codes by duplicating an existing promotion code
  • and more!

These features allow you to incentivize your audience to purchase more ticket(s) sooner or register for more events, allowing you to run your business more efficiently and make more money.

Screencast Demo

Here is a brief screencast demonstration for the Promotions & Discount Codes in Event Espresso 4:

As an event organizer, promotions and and discount codes allow you to:

  • Target and re-target attendees with banners or email campaigns offering automatic discounts or giving them special discounts with a code
  • Distribute and promote your event through partners (speakers, sponsors, venues, affiliates, etc.) by offering them a special coupon code they can share with their audience
  • Track and measure the performance of marketing campaigns and advertising
  • Reward loyal customers by offering them a special discount and incentivize them to attend again
  • Encourage customers to take action now by offering limited quantity or limited time discounts
  • Test and discover what pricing, distribution, marketing or advertising strategy works best for your audience(s)
  • Offer discounts to different target audiences so that your event is priced perfectly
View documentation for Promotions & Discount codes add-on.

Get help with the EE4 Promotions & Discount codes add-on in our support forums

Ask a pre-sales question about this add-on

Screenshots

Your audience can enter their discount code in the last step of the checkout.

Apply promotion discount code


Each promotion code can be configured with a custom message confirming or rejecting a promotion code.

 

Apply promotion discount code confirmation message


Discounts are reflected individually in the checkout.

Promotions discounts cart checkout


The discounts are also reflected on the receipts and invoices.

Transaction confirmation details


The Promotions List Table provides an overview of all your promotion codes, the events they apply to, when they are valid, the number of uses, etc.

Event Espresso 4 Promotions & Discounts List Table


Each promotion code can be configured with a number of options (see the Promotions & Discount Codes documentation).

Promotions Discounts Details


The Promotional Discount Code settings allow you to configure if taxes will be applied be fore or after a discount is applied.

Promotions Discounts Settings


The discount is detailed in the Event Espresso Transaction and Registration details too.

event promotions discounts transaction details

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Event Espresso 4 REST API Add-on Now Available

Earlier this year we announced we started work on the EE4 REST API addon. Well its ready-for-use and now bundled with Event Espresso 4 core!

We’ve reached the first milestone which provides read access to all EE4 data. That means you can build client-side Javascript code, mobile apps, and programs  in any language (and on any server) that can read data used in Event Espresso 4.

So what’s great about the EE4 REST API and what can you do with it? Here’s a start:

  • Unlike its predecessor, the EE3 JSON API, this addon is compatible with Event Espresso 4 (not Event Espresso 3)
  • It’s built using the WordPress REST API (aka WP API). That means many plugins that work with the WP API work with it too. WP API gives the EE4 REST API a solid foundation by handling authentication, providing endpoint discovery, and supplying lots of the “behind-the-scenes” code.
  • It provides read access to all Event Espresso 4 data: events, tickets, datetimes, registrations, custom questions and answers, payment methods, and configuration data. Even Event Espresso 4 addons’ data, like from the Mailchimp Addon or the People Addon, is available by default. If we’ve missed something tell us in the github issue tracker!
  • It uses Event Espresso’s models system for querying the database. This gives API clients nearly as much querying abilities as server-side plugins. Here are some of the crazier queries we thought of: Read More

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WordCamp Columbus 2015

columbus-sponsor-badgeI’m super excited about this opportunity to sponsor WordCamp Columbus 2015.

If you want to learn more about WordPress, meet new people, and have a great time while doing so, then WordCamp Columbus is the place to be. You might even get to meet some of the biggest names in the WordPress community, such as Andrea Rennick, Ryan Duff, and Topher DeRosia.

An Interview with Seth Shoultes

Not only are we sponsoring, but our good friend, and long time customer, Angie Meeker who is organizing the event this year, has asked to interview me about rearchitecting Event Espresso and the transitions we’ve made over the past 6 years.

This looks like an amazing event, and we hope to see you there! If you plan on attending, please let us know in the comments section below. I (Seth Shoultes) will also be there, handing out shirts, so if you’re around, come say hello 🙂

When is WordCamp Columbus?

WordCamp Columbus 2015 is scheduled for Friday, July 17, through Sunday, July 19th, 2015!

Schedule

This year’s schedule looks jam-packed with great speakers, and lot’s of great sessions!

What is WordCamp?

WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress. WordCamps are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users like you. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other.

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Event Espresso