You can use the "Access key" function to restrict access to certain ticket categories. These categories are only visible to ticket buyers if they enter the access key. This function is included in the Plus and Pro event packages. It can be used to grant discounts to certain visitors, such as VIPs or members.
You can specify one or more categories to be protected by an access key while you are creating the event.
Please note:
The menu item "Codes" in the main navigation on the left-hand side is only visible to organisers. They are also the only ones who can create, edit and assign access keys and "Codes on tickets".
Enter your event with Ticketing. Create one or more ticket categories and name them. Set how high the ticket price should be and how many seats each category has. You can make further settings under "Options". Under "Visibility" you can set how this ticket category is displayed; the default setting is visibility for all. Here you can now select "Protected by access key". You can store and manage the access keys yourself after entering the event. Click on the green "Save" button to apply this setting.
If you have created an event with a seating plan, it is not possible to protect entire ticket categories directly with an access key and thus hide them. However, you can create protected subcategories as variants of the ticket category.
Go to "Ticket categories, seating plan" in the "Tickets & seating plan" section of the Cockpit. Click on the "Edit categories" button to add variants to the individual categories.
You can edit each individual variant using the "Options" button. The individual variants are displayed to ticket buyers as subcategories. If a subcategory is protected by an access key, ticket buyers will only see it if they have previously entered the access key. You can set this under "Visibility" in "Options". Tick the checkbox "Do not apply visibility settings of the main category" and click on the green "Save" button.
This will open up new options for you. Select "Protected by access key" to hide the subcategory. Click on "Save" to confirm your selection.
You can protect individual categories after the event has been published using an access key.
For the desired event, go to "Ticket categories, seating plan" in the "Tickets & seating plan" field and click on "Edit categories". Under "Options" you can then adjust the settings for the categories. Under "Visibility" you can set whether the category should only be visible using an access key.
If your event was previously in the Free package, it will now fall under the Plus package. If you have already published the event and sold the first tickets, the costs of the package will also be transferred to the tickets that have already been sold.
After creating the access keys, you can now store them under "Codes" by clicking on Access keys. You can create individual codes as access keys here or upload entire lists. To do this, click on the "Create access key" button.
If you enter the codes for the access keys, separate them with commas and spaces. You add them as a list using the plus symbol.
If you upload the codes as an Excel list, only the first column of the list is read out. You do not need any further descriptions in the list, as it is imported from the first line.
An access key must never appear twice. Only letters, numbers and hyphens may be used for the keys: e.g. AB-567, cd5432. A key must be at least 4 characters long. A maximum of 20 characters can be used.
It also makes sense to name keys with the same purpose similarly, e.g. with prefix EF-123333, EF-123334, etc.
You can limit the use and assignment of access keys.
If you tick the "Restrict tickets globally" checkbox, you can specify how many tickets should be available via an access key, regardless of the number of buyers. You can also set up a limit for ticket buyers. A ticket buyer can then purchase a maximum of two tickets via one access key, for example.
Click on "Create" to confirm the selection.
As soon as you have created the access keys, "Assignment: multiple access keys (X)" appears. Tick the checkbox for the desired event. In the next step, select the categories to which you want to assign access keys.
Note: Only categories that have activated the "Protected by access key" function are displayed.
Click on the "Save assignments" button to save your selection.
In the main navigation under "Codes" you can edit one or more access keys (at the same time).
To do this, tick the "Access key" checkbox or click on individual key codes to select them.
From here, you will return to the settings screen, where you can set the restrictions for the access keys (see above).
If you would like to refer a specific target group directly to the access keys or send them directly to enter them, you can create a direct link using an addition in the URL.
If ticket buyers use this direct link, the box for entering the access key will be displayed to them, and they can enter it.
To create this link, take the URL/link of your event and add the following text after .html: ?showCodeBox=1
The direct link can be customised further. You can display the previously protected category. This is often used, for example, if you want to send an email to patrons so that they receive a discounted ticket and the access code is the same for all recipients.
To implement this, a text and the code would also have to be set in the URL after the .html as follows: ?accessCode=CODE
The "CODE" must now be replaced by the access key.
Another option is to create the link so that the protected/hidden category is already displayed and all non-protected categories are hidden.
Here, the following addition must be added to the URL after the .html: ?showAccesscodeCatsOnly=true&accessCode=CODE, with which all non-protected categories can be hidden.
CODE also stands for the actual access code.
