Don't worry, this article isn't too technical for you. We promise. ✋
The 'Pass Data to URL' checkbox is an option in most parts of the Webex Events Platform when you add an External Link. Simply put, 'Pass Data to URL' lets you send attendee and event information from the Event App to a website when attendees click the website's URL. Data passed from the Event App can pre-fill forms such as surveys and sign-up forms, for example. This saves users time re-entering information they already supplied in Webex Events.
How to pass data
Almost every place in the Webex Events Platform where you can add an External Link includes the Pass Data to URL checkbox. Here's the full list of features/items that can pass data:
Live Stream feature (Custom Tab)
Agenda sessions (External Links, Custom Tab)
Sponsor/Exhibitor profiles (Attendee Calls to Action, External Links)
Speaker profiles (Attendee Calls to Action, External Links)
Custom List items (Attendee Calls to Action, External Links)
Banners (when set to Banner layout)
⭐️ Keep in mind, the 'Open link in external browser' checkbox isn't available for the Custom Tab in the Live Stream feature or Agenda sessions.
In any of these locations, simply enter the URL and check the Pass Data to URL box. When attendees click the external link you provided, Webex Events passes the data listed below to the URL clicked.
Prepare the external site
For passing data to work, the website must accept the data in the correct format. This may require some configuration on the external website so it properly maps the data.
For example, if you pass data to Typeform, you have to add the Webex Events data fields as Hidden Fields before it can use data from Webex Events. Learn more about passing data to Typeform in our Typeform and Webex Events article.
It's up to you to identify, implement, and test any changes required for the external site to use Webex Events data. As you'll see in the next section of this article, Webex Events field labels follow a very simple, common convention, so there's a good chance a website already uses these formats. 😺
Data fields we pass
⚠️ Caution, make sure the website you're linking to accepts the data in the exact format shown below. We strongly recommend testing!
The fields that Webex Events passes depend on the feature or item the data passes from. Here's a breakdown:
All links
For all links with 'Pass Data' activated, Webex Events sends the following data points:
user_id
first_name
last_name
email
lang
external_id (only when it exists)
⭐️ Keep in mind, the lang data point sends the language selected in the Webex Events event, not the user's device or browser language selection. Also keep in mind, external_id only passes when Lead Retrieval is active for the event.
Session External Links
An Agenda session's external link with 'Pass Data' activated includes the following data points, in addition to the data points above:
session_id
session_name
Item External Links
Links in list-based feature items such as Sponsor profiles or Custom List items pass the following data points, in addition to the data points above:
item_id
item_name
Slido
When the Webex Events Platform detects a Slido URL, either in a Custom Tab or anywhere else you can enter a URL, the following data points are sent instead of the above data points. Slido also automatically adjusts its display language based on the user's language selection in the event!
user_name (full name)
user_email
user_company
lang
Example
Here's an example of how data passes in the URL to Slido. The format of the data passed from Webex Events won't change, regardless of the website it's sent to.
URL pasted into Webex Events:
https://app.sli.do/event/7q0zb4jq/live/questions?
URL after attendee clicks it:
https://app.sli.do/event/7q0zb4jq/live/questions?user_id=1234567&first_name=Hans&last_name=Gruber&email=email@domain.com&lang=de&item_id=1234567&item_name=Webex&external_id=SC-123456-1234567&user_name=Hans%20Gruber&user_email=email@domain.com&user_company=NakatomiPlaza
Fun fact: Slido doesn't require any configuration to accept data passed from Webex Events! Check out Slido & Webex Events for more on integrating Slido with your Webex Events event.
Now you know all about using 'Pass Data to URL' in your event! That wasn't so bad, was it? 😉
Questions? Chat Us or Email support@socio.events