FAQ

Is Event Manager a Web-based application?

No, although it makes use of the Web. The software is installed locally, on each user's computer. But Event Manager does allow for online registration. Registration information from your attendees is sent from a Web page, received as email in a standard format, and moved directly into the event database. Web-page templates are provided to simplify the process of building your registration pages.

Is there a version of Event Manager for SQL Server?

No. All of our software is based on Microsoft Access.

Will Event Manager and Summit Central run on a Macintosh?

"The good news for Mac users is that they can finally run Windows natively on their machines if they have an Intel processor. Microsoft Access was never a part of the Mac version of MS Office, but any Mac using Windows can now run the PC version of Office, including Access. Since Event Manager is an Access application, it now runs smoothly on a Mac, as one California user attests.

What are the advantages Summit software offers over Web-based applications?

Lower cost is the largest advantage for most people. After setup charges, most online services will charge enough per attendee to equal or surpass the purchase price of software such as ours. We recently attended a presentation by one of the largest companies in the field and found that they charged $5 per attendee at a medium-sized non-profit event (presumably more to a smaller or commercial event). And they charged this for each event the client put on; they even assessed penalties for an inaccurate estimate of attendees.
    For an office-based application such as Event Manager, there is no charge after the initial purchase.

Accessibility to your event data is another advantage. If all of your work is done in an environment where you have high-speed Internet, this may not be a factor, but if you want to work while travelling or be free of the need for connectivity at your event, it's a deal-breaker for Web-based software.

Speed — Even with a fast connection, speed on the Web cannot equal that of a hard disk or even a wireless LAN. This is especially true when using functions that require rapid updating or feedback, such as name-badge design, managing tabling and seating, catering requirements, even registration.

Security and privacy of your data and the flexibility that comes from having it all locally stored are paramount to some clients, particularly when they consider the direction the recent news at Google seems to point.

Customizability and extensibility  Being able to work with the code means you're free to take the application in directions that a Web app can't go—complete freedom in designing your own queries and reports, re-designing forms, even building new functions.

This is not to say that an office application suits everyone's needs. Particularly where staff is widely dispersed and needs to work directly with the event data, Web access can be helpful, although we have clients who prefer using a VPN; one client keeps a current copy of one of their event files on their own Web server so that a staff member can download it by ftp.

Do I have to own Microsoft Access in order to use your software?

Absolutely not. However, Access will give you the advantages of working with the design of forms and reports and making other modifications. It can sometimes be helpful in going directly into your data tables for troubleshooting purposes or for bulk editing of many records (not that we recommend this except for Access mavens anyway!). But if you do not own Access and have no other reason to purchase it, you can use Microsoft's free "Access Runtime 2003" to run any application based on the program. Details are in the sidebar here.

Does Eventek charge a service fee per registrant?

No. We are not involved with management of your event itself in any way. There is a large group of companies who can manage your Web hosting and registration with their software. Their fees range from almost reasonable to exorbitant; as a rule, your registration costs for a moderate-sized event will exceed the cost of our entire software package. Summit Event Manager and Summit Central are meant for those who want to manage their own events free of these external strings.

Am I responsible for creating the pages and adding information? 

The Web-page templates are so complete that you will likely not have to add fields, but just remove those that don’t apply to your specific event, meanwhile adding your own graphics and text for the benefit of the user. They are set up to guarantee that incoming data are properly formatted so that Event Manager can process everything into the database with a minimum of attention from you. The final appearance of the page is entirely up to you. We are not directly involved with your event process by the time it reaches this stage.

Apart from the initial license purchase, what are the other costs involved?

There are no other mandatory fees. We offer annual support contracts, training, and programming to customize the software, but all of these are optional.

Am I responsible for creating the pages and adding information? 

As I mentioned, there are several Web-page templates provided. They will help to guarantee that incoming data are properly formatted so that Event Manager can process everything into the database efficiently. They are so complete that you will likely not have to add fields, but just remove those that don’t apply to your specific event, meanwhile adding your own graphics and text for the benefit of the user. The final appearance of the page is entirely up to you. We are not directly involved with your event process by the time it reaches this stage.

Am I able to add travel information and a travel booking link to the registration site?

Templates are provided to help build your online registration page (and other pages). These templates include travel and accommodation details. Once set up properly, these details flow effortlessly into your database for each attendee, and reports are already in place for communicating with hotels and travel agencies. The software will also track block bookings for rooms and travel. Of course you could choose to insert a link to an accommodations provider and remove yourself from the hotel booking process.

What type of customer service and technical support is offered? Is there an additional cost?  Is it 24 hours?

When you purchase the software, you receive three months of essentially unlimited support, by phone or email. This is meant to take the place of familiarizing yourself with the user manual, of course, but we enjoy our contacts with our clients and look forward to working closely enough with all new users to be sure they are comfortable with the software.

The programs themselves are intuitive and user-friendly enough that within three months you may find you don’t need additional support. If you are more comfortable with a support contract and knowing that we are at the other end of the phone line anytime, we offer annual support starting at 12% of your purchase price the first year, declining in later years.

Training is also available. At $1,500 plus expenses for a two-day session, this is prived beyond most small offices, but in a large setting can pay for itself immediately in improved efficiency.

In a small-office situation, we suggest postponing decisions about training and annual support until after the 3-month support period. You will most likely find you do not need them.

Support CAN be 24-hours, but. . . .  We try always to be available by phone, and will answer email questions within a day. We don’t provide an around-the-clock hotline to take minor questions in the middle of the night, but if a crisis occurs during an event we want to help, regardless of the day or time. If you are concerned about support during an event, you should simply ask us to be alert for calls from you, and we will make ourselves available in evenings and on weekends. Basically, we are just people who value your business, want to be sure our product serves you well, and that your relationship with us is meeting your needs.

How long does it take to get Event Manager up and running?

If all the details of the event itself have already been determined, setting it up in the software and beginning to take registration manually can be accomplished in a day or two. Setting up the online registration process is likely to take another day or a bit longer, depending on the skill and schedule of your Web people.

These are minimum times for a simple event. We don't recommend postponing your software decision until the last minute!

 

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