Planning Guide
The Complete Event Registration Guide: Forms, Confirmations & Attendee Tracking
Complete guide to event registration: custom registration forms, attendee data collection, waitlist management, automatic confirmations, and tracking in one place.
Running conferences, workshops, or training sessions without a proper registration system is like taking attendance with random scraps of paper. This guide walks you through setting up event registration that actually works: collecting the attendee information you need, managing your waitlist without manual chaos, sending automatic confirmations, and tracking everything in one place. Built specifically for organisers who need to know who's coming, what they need, and who's showing up.
Before you create your first registration form, decide exactly what information you actually need from attendees. Every field you add increases drop-off rates. Every field you skip creates problems during the event.
Identify your required fields vs. optional fields
Required: name, email, attendance confirmation. Optional depends on your event. A workshop instructor needs dietary restrictions and skill level. A conference organiser needs company and job title. A webinar host only needs email. Ask yourself: will I use this data during or after the event?
Plan for custom registration questions
Use conditional questions based on event type. "Will you attend in person or online?" determines which follow-up fields appear. "First time at one of our events?" helps you identify new attendees for a welcome call. Limit to 3-5 custom questions maximum.
Decide on attendance confirmation method
Email confirmation link? QR code scan at the door? Waiting list approval? For paid events, payment confirmation IS your registration confirmation. For free events, an automated email confirmation within 5 minutes reduces no-shows by creating commitment.
Plan how attendees will receive updates
Email reminders work best. 48-hour reminder has the highest open rate. Include: date, time, location link, what to bring, parking/access instructions. Avoid sending more than 2 reminder emails or you'll see people unsubscribe.
Frequently asked questions
What registration information should I actually collect from attendees?
Collect only what you'll use: name, email, and attendance confirmation are always required. Add: dietary restrictions if you're providing food, experience level if you're running skill-based sessions, company/role for networking events, timezone for hybrid/online events. Every extra field increases registration abandonment. Test with 3 fields, then add only if you genuinely need the data.
How do I reduce no-shows for registered attendees?
Three tactics work: 1) Send an automatic confirmation email within 5 minutes of registration (creates commitment). 2) Send a 48-hour reminder with event details and a 'Can't make it? Cancel here' link (gives you warning). 3) Ask people to confirm their attendance in the reminder email. Combined, these tactics reduce no-shows from 30-40% to 10-15%.
Should registration be open until the event starts or close before?
Close 24 hours before. This gives you time to finalise headcount, arrange materials, and prepare your check-in list. For very informal events (open office hours, drop-in classes), you can allow same-day registration, but you lose the ability to send helpful prep reminders. The 48-hour reminder email is your most effective no-show prevention tool.
How do I manage a waitlist without manual chaos?
Use a registration system that handles it automatically. When capacity is full, new registrations go to a waitlist queue. When someone cancels, the system automatically notifies the first person on the waitlist with a 'Spot available' email and a 24-hour acceptance window. This prevents you from manually tracking and manually emailing each person.
What's the difference between registration confirmation and a reminder email?
Confirmation (sent immediately after registration): Confirms they're registered and provides event details — prevents buyer's remorse and increases attendance likelihood. Reminder (sent 48 hours before): Re-confirms the time/location and asks for cancellation if they can't make it — reduces no-shows and gives you attendance forecasting. Both are essential.
How do I track which registered attendees actually showed up?
Use QR code check-in (attendee scans their confirmation email at arrival) or manual check-in (tick off their name as they arrive). Your registration system should have a simple attendance tracking field. This data lets you send different follow-up emails to attendees vs. no-shows and helps you forecast future attendance rates.
Can I collect payment through my registration form?
Yes. Who's In supports paid events — set your ticket price and payment is processed through Stripe. Payment confirmations automatically count as registration confirmations. This is especially useful for workshops and training where you need revenue to cover costs. Free events work equally well if your goal is just data collection and attendance management.
What should I do with registrants who cancel or no-show?
Don't delete them. Your registration system should mark them as 'cancelled' or 'no-show' for tracking. Send no-shows a brief 'We missed you' email 3 days later with the next event link. Track patterns: if someone no-shows twice, follow up personally. These people often become regular attendees if you persist gently. Keep all historical registration data for your own metrics.
Related Planning Guide guides
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