Create and structure an event

Create an event from an inquiry or from scratch, capture the right information up front, and keep a clean file all the way to the big day.

The event is the central file that brings everything together: contact, dates, space, quote, tasks, notes and files. Everything you do next — sending a quote, preparing a function sheet, tracking follow-ups, measuring your conversion rate — rests on this file. Creating it well from the start saves back-and-forth, keeps your availability reliable and secures your follow-up all the way to signature.

Think of the event less as a form to fill in than as the living memory of a sales opportunity: it often starts with a simple question ("Are you free on June 15?") and grows until the day itself. The cleaner it is early on, the easier the work downstream.

What you'll learn

Create an event from an inquiry or manually
Capture early the information that truly matters
Understand statuses to steer your pipeline
Attach a space and handle a multi-day event

Prerequisites

You can create an event with nothing prepared, but attaching it to an already-configured room makes it far more useful. A configured space (recommended) lets you link the event to a room and its service catalog: your availability stays reliable and your quote is built from the right prices.

Create from an inquiry (recommended)

Most files start from a client message. Starting from the inquiry rather than a blank page saves time and avoids re-keying errors, because the information Joinways already understood is carried over for you.

In the Inquiries, open the inquiry and check the extracted fields. You see what Joinways understood from the message (date, attendees, budget): fix anything inaccurate before going further.
Click Create event. A new file opens, already pre-filled with what you just confirmed.
Contact, date, budget and guest count are carried over automatically. All that's left is to complete what's missing and pick a status.

💡 Tip: starting from an inquiry avoids double entry and keeps the conversation thread attached to the file. You keep the original context in view at every follow-up.

Create from scratch

Some opportunities don't arrive by email: a call, a visit, a referral. In that case, create the file manually — the logic is the same, you simply enter the basic information yourself.

Click New event. A blank file opens.
Enter the title, the date(s) and the status. These three are enough to make the file exist in your calendar and pipeline.
Add the contact, the space, the guest count and the expected budget. Each of these fields will later feed the quote, logistics and your reporting.
Write a short brief: event type, expectations, constraints. This is what your team reads to grasp the file at a glance.

The information that matters

Not all fields are equal. Four of them truly structure the file and decide what you can do next. Make a habit of filling them in early, even roughly.

Dates: they lock the availability of the space. Once the event is confirmed, the date shows as taken on the calendar, which prevents any double-booking.
Attendees (Pax): it drives quoting and logistics. PAX guides quantities, room choice and the sizing of services — hence the importance of entering it, even approximate.
Space: it links the event to the right service catalog. By attaching the room, your quote is built from the prices and services actually available in that venue.
Contact: it centralizes emails, quotes and history. Every interaction attaches to the same record, giving you a complete view of the client relationship.

A clean file then pays off at every stage: the function sheet (BEO) reuses the space and PAX, the quote draws on the linked catalog, and your reports aggregate only reliable data. Conversely, an incomplete file forces you to re-enter everything at the worst moment.

Understand the statuses

The status shows where the opportunity stands. It is what feeds your pipeline and forecasts: a mis-classified file distorts your sales view. Update it as soon as a step is crossed.

Option: opportunity in progress, quote under discussion. The date is held provisionally, nothing is signed yet.
Confirmed: signed quote, firm booking on the calendar. The space officially becomes taken for that date.
Lost: opportunity that did not convert. The file stays in your history so you can analyze why you didn't sign.
Cancelled: confirmed event later cancelled, sometimes with fees. Distinct from "Lost": here the deal had been signed before being dropped.

Attach a space and handle multi-day

Attaching the space at creation is what makes your availability reliable: until a room is linked, the event "holds" no date on the calendar. Pick the room matching the inquiry, and the date attaches to it.

For a multi-day event, set a start date and an end date. The file then covers the whole period, and your quotes can be organized by day — handy for a residential seminar or a wedding with an eve and a morning-after.

How it works

The event file acts as a point of convergence. The status places it in the pipeline; the dates and space place it on the calendar and lock availability; the contact links the history; PAX and the catalog feed the quote and the function sheet. Every field entered early avoids a re-entry later.

When you move the status to Confirmed, the booking becomes firm: the date flips to taken for the linked space and any potential conflict is flagged. This mechanism is what turns a plain file into a safeguard against double-bookings.

Edge cases

Date still uncertain: create the file in Option status with the most likely date. You hold the slot and can adjust it later without starting over.

Space not yet chosen: create the event anyway and attach the room later. Bear in mind availability will only truly lock once the space is linked.

Poorly extracted inquiry: if the fields carried over from Inquiries are wrong, fix them before clicking Create event rather than after — you avoid propagating the error into the quote.

💡 Tip: even when everything is uncertain, at least set a title, an approximate date and an Option status. An imperfect but existing file always beats an opportunity kept in your head and forgotten.

Best practices

Name your events clearly ("Smith Wedding — June 15") so you can find them at a glance in the list and the calendar.
Always enter the PAX, even approximate: it drives the quote and logistics.
Attach the space at creation to keep availability reliable and avoid double-bookings.
Keep the status up to date at every step: that's what makes your pipeline and forecasts usable.

Troubleshooting

Two files for the same client?

Cause: a new inquiry generated a separate file even though the contact already existed. Solution: attach the new inquiry to the existing contact rather than creating a duplicate — you keep all the history in one place.

The date doesn't show as taken?

Cause: no space is attached, or the status stayed at Option. Solution: link the relevant room and move the file to Confirmed to truly lock availability.

The quote doesn't offer the right prices?

Cause: the event isn't linked to the right space, hence the right catalog. Solution: check the attached space; correcting it makes the quote draw from the expected catalog.

Real-world example

A seminar inquiry lands in Inquiries for 60 people in October. The planner opens the inquiry, checks that the date and PAX were correctly extracted, then clicks Create event.

They attach the main room, set the status to Option and immediately create a quote. With the contact, conversation thread and dates already linked, the file is ready to follow: all that's left is to chase the client and, on signature, flip the status to Confirmed.

FAQ

Can I manage a multi-day event?

Yes, set the start and end dates; quotes can be organized by day, which is ideal for a residential seminar or an event spread across a weekend.

Do I have to fill everything in at creation?

No. A title, a date and a status are enough to start. Complete the contact, space and PAX as soon as you know them: the earlier, the less you re-enter afterward.

What's the difference between Option and Confirmed?

Option flags an opportunity under discussion with a date held provisionally; Confirmed means a signed quote and a firm booking on the calendar.

What happens to a lost or cancelled file?

It stays in your history. "Lost" covers an opportunity that didn't convert; "Cancelled" a confirmed event that was later dropped, sometimes with fees.

Should I create the file from Inquiries or from scratch?

If the inquiry came by email, start from Inquiries: fields are carried over and the thread stays attached. For a call or a visit, create from scratch.