An event is the booking as the client sees it: who it's for, its status, the contract and the money. An event has no date or time of its own. Its dates and times come from its functions.
A function is one booked block of time: one day, in one room, from a start time to an end time. For a booking that runs several days, you add a function for each day.
What lives where
| On the event | On each function |
|---|---|
| Client, name, type, status — no date or time | Date, start and end time and the room (space) |
| Lifecycle stage and tasks | Guest count |
| Contract, quotes, invoices | Function type |
| Payments and payment schedule | Room rental fee |
| Contacts, documents, messages | Services (linens, AV, labor…) |
| Vendors and staff | Setup style |
Event numbers look like 0042-1; function numbers add a suffix (0042-1-1, 0042-1-2). Contracts, quotes and invoices for the whole event carry the event's number.
The event page
An event's page is organized into tabs, with a Next step banner across the top that tells you what to do next (create the contract, send it, collect the deposit…).
| Tab | What's there |
|---|---|
| Overview | Client, dates, status, lifecycle and the headline numbers. |
| Functions | Each date and room, with services and the room rental fee. |
| Financials | Charges, quotes, invoices, payment schedule and payments. |
| Documents | A hub for the contract, invoices and files, with what's been sent and signed. |
| Messages | Email with the client, threaded. |
| Tasks & notes | The lifecycle's tasks and your internal notes. |
Cancelling an event is part of the lifecycle: use Cancel event there, which asks for a reason.
Event status
INQUIRY → HOLD → TENTATIVE → CONFIRMED → COMPLETED, or CANCELED / NO_SHOW. Status follows the lifecycle stage; see Lifecycles.
Cancelling an event needs the Manager role and records a reason.
Adding functions
On the event's Functions tab choose + Add another day / room:
- Pick the space (rooms show their seated capacity).
- Set the start and end time and guest count.
- Pick a function type from the dropdown.
- Enter the room rental fee.
VenueDB checks the room is free for that time. If another live event is already using it, you'll see a conflict message and can't save — unless a Manager overrides it.
Function types
Function types are a managed list, not free text. Edit the list in Settings → Custom Lists → Function Types (Reception, Ceremony, Cocktail Hour, Rehearsal, Meeting, Meal, Set Up, Breakdown to start). The chosen type is printed on the contract's schedule.
If you remove a type from the list, functions already saved with it keep showing it.
Room rental fee
Each function has its own room rental fee. Type digits and it formats as you go ($1,500.00). It is charged under the Room rental revenue category, so the service charge and taxes you configured apply to it. See Pricing, fees and taxes.
Services
Services are the priced extras on a function: linens, audio-visual, labor, food and beverage.
- Add from price list… picks an item from your catalog. Its title and description fill in, and you can change them before clicking Add — your edit applies only to this function, not to the catalog.
- Custom item… adds a one-off line with its own category, name, description, quantity and price.
- Edit in place: click a service's title or description to change the text; change the quantity or unit price directly. Press Enter or click away to save, Esc to cancel.
The panel shows a services subtotal. Fees and tax are added on the contract and invoice.
Contacts, vendors and staff
- The client is the event's primary contact. Add other people (a planner, an accountant, an on-site lead) under Contacts with a role from your Contact Roles list. There can be only one Primary and one Billing contact per event.
- Assign vendors (caterer, DJ, florist…) and staff to the event's main function.
- Create a BEO (banquet event order) for the day-of run sheet and distribute it.
Holds
A hold reserves a room for a prospect before a contract exists. Holds expire automatically after your hold window (48 hours unless you changed it in Settings → Company) and block the room on the calendar until then. See Calendar, holds and blackouts.