TicketMaven TIPS

Download the free program PDF Creator:

It will allow you to view your tickets as a PDF file before you print them so you can see if they have come out as you wish. It eliminates the waste of expensive card stock every time you need to test.

It is important to set up an Automatic Backup Folder:

Go to File->Options->System

Enter the path for the folder you wish by using the Backup Folder button.

If possible, choose a folder on a different physical drive than the one containing your database.

To Reserve seats that are to be left unassigned during a lottery:

Create a special needs zone that is marked as Exclusive. Add the reserved seats to the zone in the layout editor. Do not add any customers into this zone.

Limit Special Needs Request Size:

Special needs customers should be limited to buying 2 or 3 seats. Since special needs customers often get preferred seats, if such customers are allowed to buy large numbers of tickets, then their entire party gets to take advantage of the special need, even if only one person in the party has that need.

Make Sure that Special Needs Customers Don't Get All of the Best Seats:

Special needs seats don't have to be the best. Don't reserve the entire front and center of a theater for special needs. For example, hearing and vision impaired special needs zones can be created that are always in the front, but off to the side, or perhaps always in rows B through D instead of row A. Mobility and Restroom special needs can be in the middle or rear. Different layouts can be created that vary where the special needs zones are from show to show.

To Import a New Database:

Select a new database folder on the File->Options->Database tab. Then exit the program and restart. It should start with an empty database in this new folder. Go to Admin->Import and locate the file you wish to import, and import the data.

To Enter a New Ticket Request for One or More Shows:

Click Assigned Tickets->Enter New request→Customer. Locate the customer and click on name. Click Select Customer. Click on # of tickets to be purchased. Click on Show->select show. If more than one show, hold down the CTRL key and click on all the shows requested. Click on Save Request.

To Custom Design a Ticket using Paint:

Create a new folder (Images) to store ticket background images. Open up “Paint”->Click on New. Set Image->Attributes to 238 x 126 pixels. Go to Edit->Paste from and locate an image you wish to include. Size the image into the ticket space. Add a background color if you wish. Save the image to the Images folder. Open TicketMaven. Click on Show Manager. Go to the show->ticket editor tab and click on the Logo button. Your new ticket background will be inserted into the ticket. Now adjust the text, fonts, and colors to your liking

[If you have downloaded PDF Creator, print tickets to PDF Creator and view to see if it has come out as you wish]

To See an Existing Table Layout for a Particular Show

Click on Reservations->Table View. Use Select Show to select the show you with to view. Filled tables will be red. Tables with available seats will be green. If you hover your cursor over the table image the names of the people sitting there will be displayed.

To View a Show’s Seating Plan/Who is Occupying Each Seat

Click on Assigned Tickets->Seat Grid->Select Show. Hover your cursor over the seat and the name of the occupant will appear.

You can undo a lottery:

If there is a flaw in the way a theater is laid out, a lottery may product poor results, such as unfairly good seats for special needs customers or a show not being filled in well. The lottery manager has an undo option that converts all of the tickets for a show back to requests and lets you fix any layout issues and rerun the lottery.

Exiting the Program:

In File->Options->General, if you have checked “Stay running in system tray when window closed”, the program will continue to run in the background even though you have closed all the windows. It will appear as a ticket icon in the system tray (task bar).

The best way to exit the program is to click File->Exit. It will ask you if you want to write a backup file. If you have done any work or changes in the program, click Yes.

Exporting Your Database:

If you do not use the automatic backup feature, it is wise to Export your database to save a copy. Click on Admin->Export Data. Name your file something like TMBAK11-26-11. Always date it so you can readily retrieve the most recent database.

The Admin Menu Item:

These items should be rarely touched unless you are VERY adept at using TicketMaven. It can be very dangerous to the integrity of your database.

Layout Changes:

Layouts cannot be altered once shows have been assigned to them. If you wish to alter the layout for use with another event, you can use the Copy Layout button, and alter the copy.

Making Selections:

By holding down the CTRL key while you click the selections, you can select many choices at once. By holding down the SHIFT key, you can click on the first item in a row, then the last, and get the entire range selected.