New: Events with Unconfirmed Locations

We've added a new option for event hosts: events with locations yet to be announced. We've received feedback that sometimes hosts want to begin recruiting attendees before they've confirmed final locations for their event. Maybe they want to get an idea of the number of attendees first, or there are security concerns and they want to wait until closer to the event to announce its location, or they're just waiting for final confirmation that their preferred venue is a go.

Regardless of the reason, we now allow event hosts to mark that their event's location is not yet finalized.

What's Changed?

1.  New checkbox: The first change you'll see is a new checkbox on the event creation form.  
2. Looser location requirements: When a host checks the "This event's location is not yet confirmed" checkbox, we'll loosen our location validations. Event hosts will be able to create an in-person event without a full street address. 
   
   Despite the looser location requirements, if the event is moderated to good, it will have a corresponding marker on event lookup pages' maps and the location information we have will be shown on event lookup pages.
   
   
3. Event page updates: When the event is launched, the location's unconfirmed status will be shown on the event page – ensuring that attendees understand that the location is not yet finalized.
4. New host email message:  When a host sets their event to unconfirmed, we'll schedule a new notification email for them. If the event's location is still unconfirmed 36 hours before the event, we'll send a reminder to the event host asking them to confirm their location. We've scheduled the reminder email so that the host is able to update the event's location prior to the reminder emails sent to attendees 24 hours before the event. 
   
5. New attendee email messages: When the host confirms their event's location, attendees will receive a new notification email with the correct location. If the host updates an event's location to mark it as unconfirmed, attendees will be similarly notified. 
   
   
6. Updates to default content: We've updated default email content to include a new event.unconfirmed_location variable. This allows for adding a disclaimer about unconfirmed event locations to the thank you emails for hosts and attendees and the reminder email for attendees. 

What do I need to do?

You won't need to make any changes to enable this new behavior. However, if you've updated any of our default event email templates, you may wish to update your templates to include the new location variable. Changes to our default message content are not applied to already-customized content. 

The updates we've made to default contents are: 

In the Create Event Thank You Email (Settings > Content > Events) and the New event approved email (for organizations using pre-moderation only, Settings > Content > Email), we've added the following code below the {% event_details %}:

{% if event.unconfirmed_location %}

  <p>You've marked this location as to be confirmed. Please be sure to confirm
  your event's location at least 36 hours before the event. To update the location,
  go to your <a href="{% edit_event_url %}">event's edit page</a>.<br/>

  Attendees will be automatically notified of changes to the event's location.</p>

  {% endif %}

In the Thank Attendee RSVP Email (Settings > Content > Events), we've added the following code below the {% event_details %}:

{% if event.unconfirmed_location %}
<p>This is an approximate location. Once the host has confirmed the event's location, 
attendees will receive the address via email.</p>
{% endif %}

In the Approaching Event Email Reminder for Attendees (Settings > Content > Events), we've replaced the 'where' list item with"

<li>
Where: {{ event.location.query }}{% unless event.extra_location_info == blank %}. 
{{ event.extra_location_info}}{% endunless %}
{% if event.unconfirmed_location %}
<br>
The event host <strong>hasn't confirmed the location yet</strong>. 
We will send you another email letting you know what is the new location once it is 
confirmed.
{% endif %}
</li>

You're welcome to use our default text or further customize the email messages with the new {% if event.unconfirmed_location %} block.

If you have any questions, please feel free to send us a support email