General Questions
Q: What is the difference between Invite-only Events and Visibility Controls?
A: The Invite-only Events feature restricts access via email verification against an invitation list without requiring login credentials. Visibility Controls display or hide content based on authenticated user attributes and require Experience Cloud login. Invite-only Events uses a public link but limits registration, while Visibility Controls require authentication to access the Event.
Q: Can I use Invite-only Events with existing Events that have registered Attendees?
A: Yes. You can enable the invite-only feature on existing Events. However, please note that this will alter the registration experience for new Attendees. Existing registered Attendees will see their registration confirmation when they verify their email.
Q: Do invite-only Events appear in search engines?
A: No, invite-only Events are automatically protected from search engine indexing to maintain privacy and exclusivity.
Setup and Configuration
Q: What happens if I have duplicate Attendee records with the same email?
A: If multiple Attendee records have the same email address, the system will use the first match found and redirect to that Attendee's registration link.
Q: Can I customize the error message when an email is not recognized?
A: Yes, you can customize both the verification landing page text and the error message displayed when an email does not match any of the Attendee records related to the Event.
Q: Is reCAPTCHA required for invite-only Events?
A: No, reCAPTCHA is optional. To enable it, check the Enable Captcha box on the Event Settings record. When enabled, Attendees must complete the reCAPTCHA challenge before the Verify Email button becomes accessible.
Q: What permission sets do users need to configure invite-only Events?
A: Users need READ/EDIT permissions through one of these permission sets: Blackthorn | Events (Admin), Blackthorn | Events (Organizer), or Blackthorn | Events (Community/Platform User).
Attendee Experience
Q: What is the experience for Attendees with different registration statuses?
A: Review the table in the “Registration Status Behaviors” section to see the different experiences.
Q: Can Attendees change their information during registration?
A: This depends on the value selected in the Event Settings Allow Edits to Attendee Fields field. You can prevent or allow Attendees to modify their email and other information on the registration form for security purposes.
Q: What if an Attendee tries to access the cart without first verifying their email?
A: They will be automatically redirected to the Event's overview page, where they will be prompted to verify their email.
Technical Questions
Q: What version of Blackthorn Events is required?
A: Invite-only Events functionality is available in Blackthorn Events version 5.12 and later.
Q: How does email verification work behind the scenes?
A: The system compares the entered email against the Email field (conference360__Email2__c) on the Attendee records that are related to the Event. If the system finds a match, the Attendee goes to their personalized AttendeeLink.
Troubleshooting
Q: An Attendee says they are invited, but they can't verify their email. What should I check?
A: Verify the following information:
The Attendee record exists with the correct email in the Email field (conference360__Email2__c).
The Attendee record is related to the correct Event.
There are no typos in the email address.
The Attendee entered the exact email address that is in their Attendee record.
Q: What should I do if Attendees report they can't complete reCAPTCHA?
A: Check if reCAPTCHA is configured correctly in your Event Settings. If issues persist, you can temporarily turn off reCAPTCHA by unchecking Enable Captcha in Event Settings while troubleshooting.
Best Practices
Q: How should I communicate the new registration process to invitees?
A: Include clear instructions in your invitation emails explaining that Attendees must verify their email address before registering. Mention that they must use the exact email address that was used in their invitation.
Q: Should I use the Invite-only Events feature for all my Events?
A: Use the invite-only feature when you need to control access to specific Attendees. For open, public Events where anyone can register, continue using the standard registration process without email verification.