Creating multiple performances & tickets using spreadsheet upload (with seating plan)

If it is your first time using the spreadsheet upload we would recommend 
viewing the video tutorial before starting to ensure you understand how to 
structure the spreadsheet.

NOTE: This help article is for bulk performance and ticket creation when using a seating plan.  If you are not using a seating plan, please see the alternative help article, here

We recommend watching the full tutorial video showing how to build your upload spreadsheet before watching this video which covers the specific details needed for use with a seating plan.  For full details please see the tutorial video on the help article:

Creating multiple performances & tickets using spreadsheet bulk upload (no seating plan)

If your event has several occurrences (or performances as they are called on the system) and multiple tickets, then you may find it quicker and easier to use a csv file (spreadsheet) to upload and create all performances and tickets in one go.

The following steps will take you through how to create the spreadsheet in the correct format, building out your performance and ticket information, and then how to upload the spreadsheet. 

Creating your performance and ticket creation spreadsheet:

• Download the template spreadsheet and save a new version of it to your computer - under the event details you will be using it for.  IMPORTANT - please ensure you save the file in a .csv format - it must be a csv file for the spreadsheet to be uploaded.
• You will see the template has some example performances completed - you will need to delete or update these in the new version you have saved, but you can refer back to the template at any time to see the example.
• In the newly saved version, create the first performance (occurence/instance) following these steps:
• Create the first occurrence/performance/tour in the template spreadsheet, this should include the following in this order (see template spreadsheet for context)
1. date - this must be in the format dd/mm/yyyy
2. start_time - this must be in 24 hour time e.g 07:00 for 7am or 19:00 for 7pm
3. end_time - this can be left blank if there is no set end time
4. seating_plan_id - this will tell the system what seating plan to attach to the performance.  You can get this information by going to the tools section in your account and clicking the seating plan option.  This will load a page that displays all the seating plans you have created.  In the table you will see that the ID for each plan is given next to it - copy the ID for the seating plan you want to use.  If you have not created a seating plan yet, you will need to do that first.  Please see the help article that covers creating seating charts for help with that.
5. capacity - this is the total number of tickets you want to sell for that performance
6. performance_status - This will normally be left blank which means the performance will be available on the customer facing booking widget.  If you don't want it to be available on the customer booking widget put the word hidden in the cell
7. ticket_name - this is the name of the ticket
8. ticket_description - this is the sub-line that sits below the ticket name on the booking widget and used for additional information about the ticket, e.g. the ticket name may be “Child” and the detail line may be “Under 16 years old”
9. quantity - the number of that ticket type you wish to sell.  This is the ticket inventory.  To understand more about the difference between performance capacity and ticket inventory, please see the following help article:  Capacity vs Inventory - what's the difference?
10. ticket_face_value - the face value price of the ticket
11. booking_fee - you can set an external booking fee of any amount you want the customer to pay e.g. for a £1 external booking fee, enter 1.  The external booking fee shows separately to the ticket price.  If you do not want to have an external booking fee, leave this cell empty
12. ticket_status - for a regular paid ticket that the customer can see and purchase you should leave this cell empty.  For any tickets that are not available for the customer to see and book on the customer facing booking widget enter the word hidden into the cell.  For example, for a complimentary ticket you would put the word hidden in this cell for that ticket which means it will only be available via the box office issue tickets widget
13. seating_category_key
    • This field connects each ticket type to the seat[s] on the seating plan.  You will need to have set each seat on your seating plan with a category (e.g. Stalls, Circle).  To get the Seating category keys, go to the seating plan you are using and hover the mouse cursor over the categories you have created in the bottom right hand side.  Leave your mouse hovering over one of the categories and you will see a pop-up appear which will have "Key:" followed by a number.  That number is the seating category key for that seat and should be added to the spreadsheet field in the cell next to the ticket you want to be available on that seat.
    • For example, if I have two category areas on my seating plan - Stalls and Circle - and I want a "Standard" and a "Concession" ticket to be available on both categories of seats.  In my spreadsheet I will have "Stalls: Standard" and "Stalls: Concession" tickets, both with the seating category id for the Stalls seats and "Circle: Standard" and "Circle: Concession" tickets, both with the seating category id for the Circle seats. 

• NOTE:  Date, start time, end time and capacity should be entered once, on row 2.  Type, description, quantity, total, fees passed and custom fee can be entered multiple times on multiple rows - enter as many tickets as you want for that performance
• When you have finished setting up the first occurrence, your spreadsheet should look something like this:

Once that is done, that will be the first occurrence/performance set-up, now we are going to create the rest of performances by copying the first performance down:

• Copy the first performance by highlighting the full rows and paste directly below it to create the 2nd performance (NOTE:  Do not leave any rows between the 2 performances)

• Change the date/time for the 2nd performance
• TIP:  If you use the formula =A2+1 in the date box for the second performance the date will automatically update to the next day every time you copy down

• Once you have changed the date/time and any other details for the 2nd performance, copy and paste the 2nd performance down to create the third performance
• Repeat the process to create the first week of performances (make sure you change the start time for any performances starting at a different time)

• Once you have created your first week of performances, copy the whole week and paste below to create the 2nd week
• If you have used the =A2+1 formula for your date field, in the first performance of the second week, change the date to =A2+7 - this should then update all dates for the 2nd week so they are now 7 days later than the dates in the first week

• For the third week, copy the whole of the second week and paste it below - if you are using the date formula then all the dates in the third week should automatically change to be 7 days later than the second week.
• Repeat the process for additional weeks - copying the 3rd week down to create the 4th, and the 4th week down to create the 5th etc etc.  Repeat until all occurrences have been created. 
• You have now created your spreadsheet and it is ready to be uploaded

For a full tutorial video that shows the above - how to copy and paste your performance down to create a full run, please watch the tutorial video on this help page:  Creating multiple performances & tickets using spreadsheet bulk upload (no seating plan)