Paper Tracking vs. Google Forms vs. Attendance
Event management has come a long way in the last decade, with an array of tools now available for organizing your event. From traditional paper tracking to Google Forms to specialized software like Attendance, there are multiple ways to plan and track your event.
This article will compare these three options through the following stages of event planning: Invites and RSVPs, handling online and offline registrations, managing table hosts or team captains, organizing your tables or teams, and managing check-ins and changes the day of the event.
1. Invitations and RSVPs for Guests
Paper Tracking:
Paper invitations with RSVP cards are classic, and there's a certain charm to receiving a beautifully designed card in the mail. However, they can be time-consuming and costly to produce, and there's no guarantee that recipients will respond promptly. Plus, tracking RSVPs can become a headache, especially for large events.
Google Forms:
Google Forms offers a free and user-friendly way to create simple online registration forms. While it's possible to add your branding to the form, keep in mind that the overall design options are limited and can look clunky. You’ll also need to create all the necessary data inputs to make sure you capture all the information you need for each guest. While Google Forms can streamline the registration process you will need to manage emails and update and export your lists frequently to make sure you are sending the appropriate follow-up emails to the right invitees.
Attendance:
Attendance provides a comprehensive, one-stop solution–allowing you to create fully customizable and professional-looking registration landing pages and branded emails to match. Additionally, with forms and templates dedicated to nonprofit event management the setup process is streamlined, from design to sending invites and tracking RSVPs in real time.
2. Tracking Both Online and Offline Registrations
Paper Tracking:
When using paper tracking all RSVPs must be manually entered into a spreadsheet or database for any planning or label creation you need for your event. This can be time-consuming and error-prone. Unfortunately, this process is also likely to miss RSVPs from donors and makes follow-up communication very slow, as you have to update your list before each communication goes out.
Google Forms:
Google Forms automatically collates responses into a spreadsheet, simplifying online registration tracking. However, integrating this data with offline registrations still requires manual input into a spreadsheet, which means that anyone entering data needs to be trained to use the same format and process.
Attendance:
This is another area where Attendance’s focus as event management software for nonprofits excels. It offers a user-friendly design to easily update offline registrations, allowing you to see both online and offline registrations in a single platform.
3. Table Hosts/Team Captains Managing Guest Lists
Paper Tracking:
Delegating guest list management to table hosts or team captains is extremely challenging when using paper tracking. They must constantly communicate with you and the event organizing team to provide updates on their guest list, which can lead to misunderstandings and inaccuracies.
Google Forms:
The good news is Google Forms can be shared with table hosts or team captains allowing them to manage their own guest list. But if the idea of letting people outside of your event team have editing access to your guest list puts a knot in your stomach then you already realize the potential errors that can arise from this option.
Attendance:
Attendance allows table hosts and team captains the ability to manage their guest lists independently while keeping your events team informed in real time. Using their login they can update RSVPs and even communicate with their invitees, ensuring a smooth and secure collaboration process.
4. Mistake-Proof Table or Team Assignments
Paper Tracking:
Whether creating a diagram of your venue's layout and seating arrangements for a banquet or assigning guests to specific teams for a golfing fundraiser, trying to manually draw out and assign your guest list is not only tedious but very time-consuming. Plus, with the inevitable changes, cancellations, and last-minute sign-ups, your final drawing will likely resemble a Picasso painting from his early days.
Google Forms:
Google Forms does not have a built-in feature for diagramming table layouts, or an easy solution for guest seating or team assignments. This means you will need to find another type of software that allows you to design your layout and then manually enter your information and guest list.
Attendance:
Attendance’s built-in tools for creating venue diagrams and managing table or team assignments ensuring a seamless and mistake-proof process. This also allows for easy last-minute changes, as your team can quickly update data like table assignments and see the impact on the overall layout instantly.
5. Managing Check-Ins and Day-of Changes:
Paper Tracking:
Using a paper-based check-in process for the day of the event can be slow and inefficient, leading to long lines and frustration for guests. Making last-minute changes to guest lists or table assignments is also challenging, as it requires manual updates and coordination between event staff.
Google Forms:
While Google Forms can help you create a digital guest list, it doesn't offer a dedicated check-in feature. You'll need to use the spreadsheet generated by the form to check guests in, which can be cumbersome and slow, especially for large events.
Attendance:
Event check-in management is a core feature in Attendance, allowing guests to check in quickly and efficiently using a tablet or mobile device. This streamlines the process and helps to minimize lines at the entrance. Furthermore, last-minute changes to guest lists or table assignments can be made easily within the software, ensuring a smooth experience for both guests and event staff.
One Stands Out From the Rest
Paper tracking, Google Forms, and nonprofit event planning software like Attendance are all possible options to use when planning and managing your nonprofit’s next fundraising event.
But for the most efficient and professional event management experience Attendance comes out on top. It offers a comprehensive solution that addresses all aspects of event organization, from RSVPs and registration management to table assignments and check-ins.
Want to learn more about Attendance? Schedule a call with our team to discuss our event attendance app.
If you'd like to learn more about our Peer-to-peer, Attendance, or Crowdfunding products, please reach out! We'd love to chat.
Also, if you haven't joined already, we have an exclusive Facebook Group just for our customers! If you are a current FundEasy Customer and would like to join, go here to learn more and request to be added!
Madison Hull
This article was inspired by our customers and written to encourage your fundraising efforts. Although we work with nonprofits and events daily, our team members are not Event Consultants. We encourage you to consult with your event consultant, executive team, and/or affiliate organization before making any major changes to your events.
