Open registration with approval lets people request access while the organiser stays in control. Instead of publishing a normal ticket shop for everyone, you collect registrations and approve the people who should receive access.
This is useful for curated events, member events, B2B events, press moments, limited guest lists or events where eligibility matters.
When approval works better than public tickets
Use approval when:
- Not everyone should be accepted.
- Capacity is limited.
- You need to review role, company or membership.
- You want a controlled guest list.
- You need extra information before issuing access.
For normal paid sales, public ticket types are usually simpler.
Decide what applicants must provide
Ask for enough information to make a decision, but keep the form focused. Common fields include name, email, company, role, ticket quantity request and practical requirements.
If you ask custom questions, explain them clearly so applicants understand why the information is needed.
Review and approve registrations
The approval workflow should have an owner. Decide who reviews pending registrations, how often they review them and which criteria they use.
When a registration is approved or rejected, the communication should be clear and respectful. Avoid leaving applicants in limbo close to the event date.
Watch capacity
Approval workflows still need capacity control. Before approving many registrations, check remaining allocation and the expected no-show risk.