eventruWhat spreadsheets do well
They are free, flexible and familiar. For a single event with one organiser and a short guest list, a spreadsheet for the budget and another for attendees is often all you need, and there is no reason to change a process that works.
Where they start to cost you
The signs that the spreadsheet has become the problem:
- Versions: "budget_v7_final_FINAL.xlsx", and nobody is sure which one the client approved.
- Retyping: venue quotes are copied from emails into the comparison, then into the proposal, then into the budget, then into the invoice.
- Sharing: the client, the venue and the attendees each need a different slice of the information, so you export and email it by hand.
- Money: commission, VAT and supplier costs are worked out in formulas that one person understands.
- On the day: the run of show and the attendee list are printed copies that are out of date by lunchtime.
- Handover: when the person who built the file is away, the event stalls.
What to look for in event management software
Look for one system that covers the event from first enquiry to final invoice, not a set of separate tools you have to stitch together. Specifically:
- One record per event that every module reads from, so nothing is typed twice.
- Views for people outside your team (clients, venues, presenters, attendees) that do not need a paid seat.
- Budgets that understand commission and VAT, and produce the invoice from the same numbers.
- A live run of show and attendee list that work on a phone on the day.
- A free way to try it on a real event before you commit.
How eventru handles it
eventru runs every event from first enquiry to final invoice in one workspace: venue RFPs, proposals, the agenda and run of show, attendees and accommodation, and budgets and invoicing with Xero and QuickBooks sync. Clients, venues, presenters and attendees each get their own view without a seat. It works alongside the email, accounting and venue tools you already use, so you can move one part of your process at a time. It is built on 15 years of event experience, and there is a free plan with every module included.
Questions
Can I import my existing spreadsheets?
Most event platforms, eventru included, import attendee lists and contacts from a spreadsheet, so moving does not mean starting again.
Is event management software only for large events?
No. The tipping point is usually the number of people involved and the number of events running at once, not the size of any single event.