Events - GROUPS
      Back to home
      1. CCS Knowledge Base
      2. CORE - Event Types
      3. Events - GROUPS

      Senior Class Groups - Virtual (Recommended Workflow)

      When photographing Seniors for a Virtual Class Group you can get much more out of the photos you take then just a group photo. Learn how to increase sales by offering Virtual Class Group photos and Individual Grad Portraits

      Virtual Class Groups allow you to not only provide your seniors an amazing group product but you can also maximize sales by offering individual portraits.  The best time of the year to take photos for a virtual senior class group will be late winter or early spring, Jan - April.  You'll want them to either have or you provide graduation gowns for the individuals to be photographed in.  Because graduation will be coming up soon, these photos can be used for announcements and other graduation related products.

      Virtual Groups can be made for small to large classes.  Another customization is putting the seniors' names on the photos.  This adds value to the photo, especially in the future.

      Example Virtual Groups

      This group has approximately 300 Seniors and a sales total of over $8,500

      This group has approximately 350 Seniors and a sales total over over $9,000

      This group has approximately 500 Seniors and a sales total over $13,000

      Event Setup

      1. Go to the events page in CORE
      2. Click "Create New Event" button
      3. Make the following Add-On Feature selections
      4. Enter your event details
      5. We recommend the CCS Senior Class Virtual Group offer
      6. Continue to create the event



       

      Offer Setup

      1. On the left menu select Offer Setup
        1. Enter the logos and captions that will be the same for everyone
        2. Captions that will be unique to the person ordering should be left blank.  The customer will be prompted for these captions when they order.
        3. Save Changes

       

      Chroma-Key/TKO Setup

      1. On the left menu select Chroma-Key/TKO Setup
        1. Click the "Configure Folder" button
        2. From the folder dropdown select "Add Folder"
          1. Enter the folder name your photographer will use in PhotoMatch (we recommend you setup a second folder, in the event the photographer needs a backup folder)
          2. Setup a primary and background folder for each photographer
          3. Make sure folders are assigned to photographers so they know which ones to use.  Only one photographer can use a folder.
        3. Select Cutout Method of either Chroma-Key if photographing on Green or Blue Screen or TKO if photographing on White or Light Gray backgrounds
        4. Check allow customers to choose dynamic backgrounds on retail
        5. Save

       

      Setting Up Dynamic Backgrounds

      1. On the left menu select "Dynamic Backgrounds"
        1. Select Filter by category: All or narrow to a category
          1. If you don't have any backgrounds setups in your background library, click here to learn how to add backgrounds
          2. Check all backgrounds you want to offer on this event for the individual images

       

      PhotoMatch Settings

      Confirming your PhotoMatch settings are setup for your View First event.

      1. While in the event, click on PhotoMatch on the left menu
        1. Make the following PhotoMatch selections and Save Changes

       

      Group Photo Hold Retail Orders

      This option allows you to sell the group photo and/or packages that will contain the group photo, before the artwork is complete.  This allows your customer to view their individual photos and place orders immediately so you don't have to wait for the group to be complete.

      1. While in the event in CORE, select Images on the left menu
        1. Select ID Group Images and confirm "Hold Orders Containing Groups" is enabled.  If you don't see this option click on "Add On Features" on the left menu and check the Group Hold option, then return to the ID Group Images page.
        2. When this feature is enabled, orders place online that contain group products will be held until your group is available

       

      Event Settings

      These settings can be controlled by your workflow.  If your workflow is setup correctly for this type event, you can skip this step.

      1. Click on Event Details on the left menu
        1. Under Quick Links, click Event Settings
      2. Scroll down to Proof Card Settings
        1. Confirm your Email Campaign is selected
        2. Next to email campaign start date: Enter the event date
        3. Save Changes
        4. Click back on Event Details on the left menu
        5. Click the blue “Enable Event on Retail” button
          1. Wait for it to sync to retail
        6. Click the “Enable Campaign Auto Queuing” button in the pink box

       

      QR Code Registration

      You'll need to copy and print your Registration QR Code and/or link to share with those to be photographed and with your organization to allow people to register ahead of the event date.

      1. While in the event in CORE, click on Event Details on the left menu
      2. You will see a Registration QR Code on this page.  Click on it to open the link. 
        1. Copy the QR Code and paste it into a document you can print and display at the event
        2. Copy the URL link to share with your event organizer to share with participants ahead of the event date.   This will save time if subjects are already registered upon arrival. 

      Note:  Registration Codes and URLs are unique per event.  Make sure you share the correct link and QR with your event coordinator and participants.

       

      At the Event

      As subjects arrive to be photographed, if they have already registered they can proceed to the photographer.  If they have not registered, have them scan the QR and follow the link to the registration page.  There they will fill out the online form to complete registration.  They can then proceed to the photographer.   Their name will appear on the photographers PhotoMatch tablet in approximately 30-60 seconds.  An internet connection is required.

      1. Log into the event on the PhotoMatch tablet
      2. Start the image upload
      3. Photographer will pull up the subjects name on the PhotoMatch tablet and take multiple poses
      4. Have the photographer taken the pose for the virtual group either first or last, this will make ordering the virtual group much faster (they can optionally mark the virtual group as the default image, if not taken first or last)
      5. When finished photographing this subject, close the window and select the next subjects name an take their photos
      6. Repeat for each subject
      7. Within 3-5 minutes your subjects will receive an email and/or text message to view and order  photos  
         

      Ordering the Virtual Group Artwork

      1. While in the event in CORE select "Digital Artwork" on the left menu
      2. Select Artwork Type:  Virtual Group
      3. Product Restriction:  None
      4. Select Artwork Product:  This will determine the size print, we recommend at 10x24 or 10x30 for groups over 150 people
      5. Artwork Style:  select your style (with or without names)
      6. Category:  Choose All Categories , One Artwork
      7. Folder:  All Folders
      8. Image Filters:  Select first or last or default (determine by when the virtual group image was taken and must be consistent for all subjects)
      9. Image Sort Order:  Either folder, image or by name
      10. You may optionally enter sequences or use the organizer to move images around
      11. If you have narrowed images to first, last or default you can check all images.  If you did not and took multiple poses, you can manually select one image per person by checking each image.
      12. The number of images selected with equal the number of heads.  If the number is not correct for the number of seniors, you may not have checked images that should be checked or checked more than one image for one or more people
      13. Enter captions for your artwork
      14. Enter logos for your artwork
      15. When finished click Queue Order for Transmit to Lab
        1. If you opt'd to use the organizer you can click to view the group layout and edit it before transmitting
      16. Go to the Orders Page
        1. On the left menu select Transmit Orders
        2. Click on the number under the market your event is in
        3. Check the order and transmit it to the lab

       

      When Artwork is Complete

      When the artwork is complete, the person who placed the order should get an email stating the artwork is complete.

      1. Go into the event and select Images on the left menu
      2. Select ID Group Images
      3. Scoll down to view the group image and assign to the default division (or the division you assigned names to)
        1. After assigning the group to the division save changes
      4. Disable the group hold
      5. Click on Event Details on the left menu
        1. Disable the event on retail
        2. Enable the event on retail so it refreshes the group data
        3. Within a few minutes orders that were on hold should transmit
        4. Go back to ID Group Images to confirm held orders have transmitted