Event Management Glossary

Abstract management

Abstract management is the process of collecting, reviewing and scheduling submitted papers or presentations, from the open call through review to the final program.

abstract review

Speakers and abstracts

Abstract submission

An abstract submission is a short proposal summarizing a paper or presentation, sent for review before a program committee decides what to accept.

paper submission

Speakers and abstracts

Attrition clause

An attrition clause is the contract term that makes an organizer pay a penalty when attendees book fewer rooms than the minimum committed in a room block.

attrition

Housing and venue

Badge printing

Badge printing is the production of attendee badges for an event, either in advance or on demand at the check-in desk as each attendee arrives.

onsite badging, badging

Badges and check-in

Badge scanning

Badge scanning is reading the barcode, QR code or chip on an attendee badge to record a check-in, a session entry or an exhibitor lead.

badge scan

Badges and check-in

Banquet event order

A banquet event order, or BEO, is the document a venue issues confirming every detail of a function, including timings, room setup, catering counts and charges.

BEO

Trade show operations

Breakout session

A breakout session is one of several smaller sessions running at the same time, letting attendees pick the topic or track that fits them.

parallel session

Agenda and sessions

Call for abstracts

A call for abstracts is the announcement inviting researchers and practitioners to submit proposals for review, with a stated topic scope and closing date.

call for papers

Speakers and abstracts

Call for speakers

A call for speakers is an open invitation for people to propose sessions, collecting topics, bios and session details for a program team to review.

call for presentations, CFP

Speakers and abstracts

Check-in kiosk

A check-in kiosk is a self-service station, usually a tablet on a stand, where attendees check themselves in and collect a badge without staff assistance.

self check-in kiosk, self-service kiosk

Badges and check-in

Concurrent sessions

Concurrent sessions are sessions scheduled in the same time slot, so attendees pick one and organizers size rooms around the likely split.

parallel sessions

Agenda and sessions

Conference agenda

A conference agenda is the published schedule of sessions, listing times, rooms, tracks and speakers so attendees can plan what to attend.

event agenda, program, schedule

Agenda and sessions

Conference badge

A conference badge is the credential an attendee wears onsite to show they are registered, carrying their name, organization and level of access.

event badge, credential

Badges and check-in

Destination management company

A destination management company, or DMC, is a local agency that arranges venues, transport, staffing and activities for an event in a city it knows well.

DMC

Trade show operations

Drayage

Drayage is the handling of exhibit freight at a trade show, covering the move from the loading dock to the booth, storage of empty crates and the return at move-out.

material handling

Trade show operations

Early bird pricing

Early bird pricing is a reduced rate offered for a limited window before registration moves to full price, used to pull attendee commitments forward.

early bird rate

Registration and ticketing

Event analytics

Event analytics is the reporting layer over event data, covering registration, attendance, session engagement and exhibitor activity across one event or a whole program.

event reporting

Data and ROI

Event ROI

Event ROI is the return an event produces measured against what it cost, calculated from pipeline, revenue or whichever outcome the organizer committed to.

return on event

Data and ROI

Exhibit hall

An exhibit hall is the area of a venue given over to exhibitor booths, where attendees walk the floor to meet vendors between sessions.

expo hall, exhibition hall

Exhibitors and sponsors

Exhibitor prospectus

An exhibitor prospectus is the sales document that presents booth options, the floor plan, pricing and deadlines to companies considering exhibiting.

exhibitor kit

Exhibitors and sponsors

Hosted buyer program

A hosted buyer program covers travel and accommodation for qualified buyers in exchange for attending a set number of prearranged meetings with exhibitors.

hosted buyer

Exhibitors and sponsors

Hotel room block

A hotel room block is a set of rooms an organizer reserves at a negotiated rate for attendees, released back to the hotel if they go unbooked by a cutoff date.

room block, event housing

Housing and venue

Lead retrieval

Lead retrieval is how exhibitors capture attendee contact details at a booth, usually by scanning a badge, so they can qualify and follow up after the event.

lead capture

Exhibitors and sponsors

Onsite registration

Onsite registration is signing up at the venue on the day rather than in advance, capturing details, payment and a badge in one step at the desk.

walk-in registration, day-of registration

Registration and ticketing

Plenary session

A plenary session is a session the whole audience attends at once, with nothing scheduled against it. Association and conference programs often use the term where others say keynote.

general session

Agenda and sessions

Post-event survey

A post-event survey is the feedback form sent to attendees after an event, asking about sessions, speakers, logistics and whether they would come back.

attendee feedback survey

Data and ROI

Registrant

A registrant is someone who has completed registration for an event. Not every registrant attends, which is why organizers count registrants and attendees separately.

Registration and ticketing

RFID badge

An RFID badge carries a near-field chip in the badge stock, so tapping it against a reader records a check-in, session attendance or an exhibitor lead without scanning a printed code.

RFID credential

Badges and check-in

Roundtable discussion

A roundtable discussion is a small-group session where participants talk as peers around a shared topic rather than listening to a presentation.

roundtable

Agenda and sessions

Run of show

A run of show is the minute-by-minute schedule an event team works from, listing every cue, speaker change, video and transition in the order it happens.

ROS, show flow

Trade show operations

Show floor

The show floor is the exhibit area of a trade show, laid out in booths and aisles, where exhibitors meet attendees and most trade show business gets done.

trade show floor, expo floor

Exhibitors and sponsors

Sponsorship prospectus

A sponsorship prospectus is the document an organizer sends prospective sponsors, setting out audience data, available packages, benefits and prices.

sponsorship deck

Exhibitors and sponsors

Ticket type

A ticket type is a named entry option an attendee selects at registration, such as General Admission, VIP, Member or Exhibitor, each with its own price and access.

registration category, pass type

Registration and ticketing

Venue sourcing

Venue sourcing is the process of finding and comparing venues against an event's dates, capacity, layout and budget before putting one under contract.

site selection

Housing and venue

Will call

Will call is the onsite desk or process where attendees collect badges, tickets or materials reserved in advance rather than receiving them by mail.

will-call, ticket pickup

Badges and check-in