Normally, we require every person who registers through Webex Events Registration to enter a unique email address. Although allowing duplicate emails has several downsides, we give you the power to allow duplicate email addresses. This article shows you why you might want to allow duplicate emails, how to allow them, and how to fix them. We also provide outreach templates to help you contact registrants with duplicate emails.
Why are duplicate emails a problem?
Attendees use their email addresses to log in to your Event App or Community. After logging in, they create a networking profile and start making connections and interacting with your Event App features. All of these must be unique to each person, or events would get really confusing, really fast. 😵
Email addresses also uniquely identify each person who checks in through Webex Events Onsite. If two people have the same email address, neither can check in or print their badges. 📇
While you can let multiple people register for your Event, we don't let multiple users access a single Event App or Community with the same uniquely-identifying email address. If we did, it would be a security nightmare.🔒👻
Ok, so why would I want to allow duplicate emails?
As you now know, one unique email address for each attendee is ideal. However, there may be valid reasons to allow duplicate emails — at first. We've identified two of the most common reasons you might allow duplicate emails in Registration:
Depending on how you'll use the registrant data, duplicate emails might be fine if you're using Webex Events Registration by itself without an Event App, Community, or Onsite.
Sometimes companies decide to send a group of employees to an event, and they aren't quite sure who they want to send. One person from the company might purchase the right number of tickets in advance to lock in early pricing and then simply use their own email address for every ticket. If you want to allow this type of situation, you may decide to enable duplicate emails and then fix them later when the correct information is available.
Allow duplicate emails
In your Event or Community navigation bar under ‘Registration', click Settings, then click General. Scroll down to the 'Email Settings' section and find the Restrict Duplicate Email Addresses option. This option is active by default so that every ticket must be associated with a unique email address.
To let multiple people register with the same email address, deactivate the toggle, and click Publish Changes to save.
Identify duplicates
After registrants order more than one ticket using the same email address, you can easily find those duplicate emails and fix them so people can access your Event App or Community.
In your Event or Community navigation bar under ‘Registration', click Attendees. When there are duplicate emails, a banner above the attendee list appears, warning you that there are duplicates. Click the Show Duplicates button to apply the Duplicate Emails filter to the attendee list.
💡 Keep in mind, the list doesn't automatically group attendees with the same email address. Review the list carefully to verify how many times an email was used.
You'll want to make sure the right people get the right tickets, so we recommend reviewing the following columns:
The Ticket Name column to determine if each ticket with the same email is unique or different
The Order ID # column to find out if the attendees registered on the same order or different orders
Contact attendees
Once you've identified the attendees with duplicate emails, get in touch with the attendees and request updated information so everyone can access your Event App or Community and check in with Onsite. We've provided the following template to help you out!
⚠️ Caution! For unpaid orders by invoice or check, we recommend waiting until those orders are paid to ask for updated information.
Email update request template
Replace the bold text in {braces} with the actual information from your event. If the names for each ticket are identical, mention each Ticket Name so that each person gets the right ticket.
Hi there!
Your email address was used to sign up {x} people for {event name/community name}. Please send us the correct name and associated email address for each ticket so everyone can access the {event/community}.
Currently, the following tickets are associated with your email address:
{attendee name, ticket name}
{attendee name, ticket name}
{attendee name, ticket name}
{etc.}
We look forward to welcoming you!
Fix duplicates
As attendees reply, update attendee profiles with the information.
⚠️ Caution! If multiple attendees use the same email address, be very careful to associate the right email address with each attendee.
Access the list of attendees with duplicate emails as described earlier and click on a registrant to open their attendee profile.
Click on the Settings (⋯) icon next to the 'Attendee Registration Info' section, then click Edit.
In the modal that appears, update the attendee's name and email address as needed, then click Save Changes.
Resend confirmation emails
Now that you've updated the attendee information, click the Settings (⋯) icon next to the attendee's name, then click Resend Confirmation. This ensures that each person gets the right ticket.
Now you know how to allow, locate, and fix duplicate attendee email addresses in Webex Events Registration. This is a great time to learn about launching and promoting your Event App!
Questions? Chat Us or Email support@socio.events