Basic Usage Steps

The following is an example use case for this program.

1. When the program is run for the first time, an empty database is created.

2. The seating layout and customer information is entered into the program. If, as part of your purchase, you received a pre-generated data file containing this information, you would import it using the Admin->Import Data menu option. Otherwise, this data would be entered manually through the user interface. Customer data can also be imported from a CSV file (comma separated values) if the fields are in the proper order:

Last, First, Address, Phone

For Each Show:

3. The Show would be entered via the Show Manager tab of the main window. It would be assigned a date, price, and a particular seating layout.

4. Requests for tickets for a Show would be entered into the database via the Ticket Request tab.

5. Once all requests are received, a Ticket Lottery would be run for a show via the Lottery Manager tab. At any time before or after the lottery, tickets may be assigned manually via the Assigned Tickets tab. Manual ticketing after a lottery can be done to fill “open” seats. Often, a lottery may leave single seats un-assigned as the lottery will not break up a party requesting multiple tickets.

6. Tickets would be printed via the Print Tickets->Print Sold Tickets for Show menu option. These tickets would be sent to the appropriate customers.

7. A report might be run to show the unfulfilled requests (Reports->Request Report for a Show). This report would be used to notify/refund those customers that did not receive tickets.

8. A seating chart and ticket report would be printed and brought to the show. This will be used to facilitate at-show ticket sales for finding empty seats and recording the sales. Optionally, unsold tickets can be printed before the show to be given out at show time to show-time purchasers.

9. Optionally, the at-show purchases can be entered back into the program for record keeping purposes.