Ticketing Guide

💳 Payment Setup

ParadeSmart uses Stripe (preferred) or Authorize.net to process ticket payments. You'll need to connect one of these before you can sell tickets. Get this to us early — it takes time to get keys set up correctly.

What to send us

🎟️ Ticket Types & Pricing

You can create as many ticket types as you need — Adult, Child, VIP, Senior, Group, Premiere Party, and more. Each type has its own price, availability window, and optional coupon code.

How to create a ticket type

1. 1
   Go to Tickets → Ticket Types in the Web Manager

   URL: parade.velocitywebworks.com/manage/ticket-types/

2. 2
   Click Create

   You can create multiple types — one for each price tier or audience group.

3. 3
   Set the name, price, and description

   For free tickets, set price to 0. For discounted tickets, enter the discounted price.

4. 4
   Check the Active box

   Only active ticket types are visible and purchasable on your ticket sales page.

5. 5
   Save

   The ticket type is now live. Test it on your ticket sales page to confirm it appears correctly.

📅 Scannable Date Windows

Scan Start and Scan End dates control when a ticket can be scanned successfully — not when it's available for purchase. A ticket scanned outside its date window will show an error, even if it was validly purchased.

This is most useful for:

• VIP or Premiere Party events on a specific evening
• Sponsor or influencer tickets that only apply on day one
• Any ticket that should scan during a restricted window only

How to set scannable dates

1. 1
   Go to Tickets → Ticket Types
2. 2
   Click the ticket name (or Edit)
3. 3
   Set Scan Start Date and Scan End Date

   These are the first and last days the ticket can be successfully scanned.

4. 4
   Confirm Active is checked

   The ticket must be active to be purchasable.

5. 5
   Save

   Always do a quick test scan before the event.

🏷️ Coupon & Discount Codes

Create coupon codes that unlock a discounted or free ticket type — perfect for sponsors, community groups, media partners, or early-bird offers. You can create unlimited codes and toggle them on or off at any time.

How to create a coupon code

1. 1
   Go to Tickets → Ticket Types

   parade.velocitywebworks.com/manage/ticket-types/

2. 2
   Create a new ticket type

   Set the price to the discounted amount (0 for a free coupon, or a lower price for a partial discount).

3. 3
   Set an Access / Coupon Code on the ticket type

   This is the code you'll share with recipients. Keep it short and memorable — e.g. SPONSOR2026

4. 4
   Save and share the code

   On the ticket sales page, visitors enter the coupon code and the discounted ticket type becomes available.

🎁 Complimentary & Free Tickets

You can send free tickets to specific individuals, organizations, or in bulk. Choose the method that fits the situation.

Option 1: Purchase tickets and send to recipients

1. 1
   Go to your ticket sales page

   Use your parade website or the link we provided.

2. 2
   Select how many tickets to purchase
3. 3
   Enter your information or the recipient's
4. 4
   Select "Email tickets to specific recipients"

   This lets you send individual tickets to multiple addresses from a single purchase.

Option 2: Coupon code for recipients to get their own

For larger quantities, create a free ticket type with a coupon code and share the code with recipients. They get their own ticket on demand, reducing your admin work.

✅ Free Events

If your entire parade is free to attend, you can still use ParadeSmart's ticketing system for attendance tracking, scanning, and analytics — without charging anyone.

1. 1
   Create a ticket type with price set to 0

   Follow the ticket type creation steps above. Set the price field to 0.

2. 2
   No credit card required for attendees

   Free tickets skip payment entirely. Attendees still register and receive a QR code they can use at the door.

3. 3
   All scanning and analytics still work

   You'll still have full access to attendance reports, visit counts, and demographic data.

🎫 Paper & Printed Tickets

Many events run paper and digital tickets side by side — the backend tracks and scans both the same way, so you're covered no matter which format a guest shows up with.

How printed tickets are produced

ParadeSmart doesn't design or print physical tickets — we generate the data behind them. Your printer handles the actual design and printing. Here's the full process:

1. 1
   Create the ticket type, then tell us how many you need

   The physical ticket type must already exist in the Dashboard first. Then let the ParadeSmart support team know how many tickets you need generated for that type.

2. 2
   We generate a batch and export a CSV

   Our system creates a ticket batch and exports it as a CSV file containing a hash code, ticket number, and secret code for every ticket in the batch.

3. 3
   Send the CSV to your printer

   Your printer generates the QR code themselves from the hash code, then places the QR code, ticket number, and secret code onto each physical ticket.

4. 4
   Send us a proof before printing

   Once your printer has a ticket proof, ParadeSmart needs to review it before the full print run. We test that registration, scanning, and the QR code itself all function correctly.

5. 5
   Print and distribute

   Once we've approved the proof, the printer can run the full batch. From there, sell or distribute the tickets however works best for your event.

Want to add a printed ticket option to an event that's currently digital-only? Email us at support@paradesmart.com with the ticket type and quantity you need, and we'll generate the batch.

📱 Scanning & Volunteer Setup

Ticket scanning works on any smartphone — your volunteers and builders don't need dedicated hardware. The ParadeSmart app handles everything.

How builder scanning works

Builders log into the app with their builder account credentials. They'll see a scanning interface tied to their home(s). They can scan visitor tickets and sell tickets at the door — all from a single screen.

Viewing live scan stats

Builders can view scan data without having access to full ticket or visitor reports. In the app, after logging in as a builder, they'll find:

• Scan Stats — full event scan history, plus scans for their specific home
• Scanned Tickets Log — record of all scans made on that device (Pending / Success / Error tabs)

The Reset Button

The Reset button (near the login button in the app) clears cached data so builders see the most recent version after a fix or update. After resetting, they'll need to log back in and re-register their ticket, but previous scan history stays intact.

🔍 Finding & Editing Ticket Records

Every ticket purchase is stored in the Web Manager. You can search, view, update, or resend any ticket.

1. 1
   Go to Tickets & Analytics in the Web Manager

   parade.velocitywebworks.com/manage/tickets

2. 2
   Search for the ticket

   You can search by: Transaction ID · First name · Last name · Ticket number · Address · Phone · Email

3. 3
   Click the ticket number to view full details
4. 4
   Use the action buttons at the top of the ticket record

   Resend email · View ticket · Update visitor info · Add home visit manually

📧 Receipts & Lost Tickets

When a purchaser can't find their ticket email

Ask them to check their spam or junk folder first. If they still can't find it, you have two options:

1. 1
   Resend from the ticket record

   Find the ticket in the Web Manager and use the "Resend email" button.

2. 2
   Send a screenshot of the QR code

   Open the ticket record, view the QR code, take a screenshot, and send it to the purchaser. A screenshot scans just as well as the original email.

3. 3
   Tell them how to self-recover

   In the app menu, they can tap "Recover ticket number & code." If they still have their order confirmation (with the ticket number and code), they can enter it in the E-ticket section and the ticket will appear in the app.

Resending a purchase receipt (not the ticket itself)

Purchase receipts are sent from your payment processor, not ParadeSmart. To resend a receipt:

📊 Ticket Demographics & Data

ParadeSmart can collect demographic information from ticket purchasers during checkout — age, household income, zip code, occupation, homeowner status, and more. Any question can be optional or required.

The Tickets Sold Report export includes all demographic data you've collected, including: gender, age, household income, occupation, homeowner status, zip code, referral source, and newsletter opt-in status. This data is extremely useful for sponsor reporting and future marketing planning.

📄 Terms & Conditions

You can display your own terms and conditions that attendees must agree to before completing a ticket purchase.

1. 1
   Write your terms and conditions

   Draft your own language covering ticket refund policy, event rules, and data use. This is your association's legal text — ParadeSmart doesn't provide legal templates.

2. 2
   Send them to ParadeSmart

   We'll add your terms to the checkout flow. Purchasers will be required to check an agreement box before completing their purchase.

🔧 Troubleshooting