Print out this guide for your event staff or volunteers to ensure your event runs smoothly.
This guide walks your check-in and floor staff through the key RallyUp workflows for managing a live event or gala — from guest check-in through final checkout. Menu labels are close to universal across Campaigns, but a few options (QR Code Check-In, Storefront items, custom check-in fields, etc.) depend on what your Campaign has enabled. Keep this handy at check-in tables and wherever staff are entering bids or donations.
Before the Event
- Add every staff member or volunteer who’ll need backend access as a Campaign Administrator so each has their own login:
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Campaign Management.
- Select Manage Campaign Administrators.
- Print this guide and post your event’s QR code or Campaign link at check-in tables and around the venue.
- Decide ahead of time whether cards should auto-charge at a set cutoff time or be collected manually after the event — this is a Campaign-level setting. See the Payment, Registration & Refunds FAQ for how to turn automatic checkout on or off.
Guest Check-In
How do I check in a guest?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Campaign Management, then View Ticket Registrations. (If QR Code Check-In is enabled, you can select that quick link instead.)
- Scan the guest’s QR code, or search their name.
- Confirm their email address is correct. If it needs fixing, select the three-dot menu on the far right of the row with the guest’s name and choose Edit Ticket.
- If guests have been asked to save a payment method to their account before the event, check whether they have a card on file. If not, select Resend Registration Email so they can add one before the event gets busy.
- Confirm any extra detail your Campaign collects at check-in, such as a meal preference.
- Select the three-dot menu and choose Mark as Checked In.
- Hand the guest their paddle or card with their Guest Number on it — they’ll need it for live bidding and Paddle Raises.
What if a guest doesn’t have their QR code handy?
- Exit the QR scanner.
- Search for the guest by name.
- Select the three-dot menu on the far right of the row with the guest’s name and choose Mark as Checked In, the same as above.
The guest isn’t in the system at all — what now?
If the guest hasn’t purchased a ticket, send them to the Campaign Page to register themselves, or add them yourself using the steps below.
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Campaign Management, then View Ticket Registrations.
- Select Actions, then Add Ticket.
- Enter their name, email, and phone number, then save.
- The guest will be auto-assigned a Guest Number. If guests have been asked to save a payment method to their account before the event, they’ll also receive an email with a link to add a card.
Note: tickets added manually by staff don’t count toward your Campaign’s displayed fundraising total, since no payment was processed through RallyUp for them. If a team or sponsor paid you directly (for example, through a separate sponsorship contract) and you still want that revenue reflected, log it as a separate offline donation. See the Payment, Registration & Refunds FAQ for more on manually added tickets.
Does a guest need a card on file, or to be checked in, to bid or give at the Fund-a-Need?
No — bidding and giving are tracked by Guest Number and roll into that guest’s Event Balance regardless of check-in status or card on file. If there’s no card, send a checkout email after the event so they can pay online.
A checked-in guest doesn’t have a Guest Number — why?
This is almost always caused by a missing or incorrect email address.
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Campaign Management, then View Ticket Registrations.
- Select the three-dot menu on the far right of the row with the guest’s name and choose Edit Ticket.
- Add or correct the email address and save. A Guest Number generates automatically.
Silent Auction
Are Silent Auction bids automatically added to a guest’s balance?
Unlike Live Auction bids, Silent Auction bids are not added to guests’ Event Balances. Guests manage bidding entirely from their own devices. When the Silent Auction end time is reached, RallyUp automatically identifies the winning bidder for each item and charges their payment method on file. No manual action is required.
Can I place a Silent Auction bid on a guest’s behalf?
Yes, if a guest does not have a mobile device with them, their device isn’t working, or it dies, you can place a Silent Auction bid on their behalf.
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Add Item to Event Balance.
- Select Auction bid for the item type, then choose the item and bid amount.
- Search for the guest and select Add Item.
What happens when the Auction closes?
Bidding locks and can’t be reopened. Winning bids are charged automatically as soon as the Silent Auction closes.
How do I cancel a bid?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Campaign Management, then View Auction Bids.
- Find the bid and select the three-dot menu on the far right.
- Select Cancel Bid, then confirm.
Only winning bids can be canceled. The next-highest bidder automatically becomes the winner and is notified.
Live Auction
How do I start a Live Auction?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Live Auction from the quick links.
- Select the item up for bid.
- To move on to the next Auction item, select CHANGE ITEM.
How do I record bids during a Live Auction?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Live Auction from the quick links.
- The item up for bid should already be displayed on the Live Auction Management page.
- Enter each Guest Number as it’s raised along with the bid amount, pressing Enter after each one.
How do I end a Live Auction?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Live Auction from the quick links.
- Select End Live Auction.
Are Live Auction winners charged right away?
No — it’s saved to their Event Balance and collected at checkout. No payment is processed at this step.
The Live Auction already closed and I still need to add a bid — what do I do?
Once bidding on a Live Auction item has closed, bids can no longer be entered. If the guest still wants to support the organization, you can add a general donation to their Event Balance instead.
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Add Item to Event Balance.
- Select Flat Donation Amount for the item type, then enter the donation amount.
- Search for the guest and select Add Item.
Fund-a-Need & Paddle Raise+
How do I start a Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise from the quick links.
- Select the need, donation amount, or item up for purchase.
- To move on to the next need, donation amount, or item, select CHANGE NEED/ITEM.
How do I record donations/pledges/purchases during the Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise from the quick links.
- The giving level/item/pledge amount should already be displayed on the Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise Management page.
- Enter each Guest Number as it’s raised along with the donation or purchase amount, pressing Enter after each one.
How do I delete a donation/pledge/purchase?
If a guest changes their mind or if a mistake was made (such as an incorrect Guest Number), you can easily remove a donation/pledge/purchase from a guest’s Event Balance.
- On the Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise Management page, scroll down to the list of donations.
- Find the donation/pledge/purchase you want to delete and select the three-dot menu on the far right.
- Select Delete donation.
How do I end a Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise from the quick links.
- Select Remove Paddle Raise.
Does this charge anyone immediately?
No — like Live Auction bids, Fund-a-Need and Paddle Raise charges are saved to the guest’s Event Balance and collected at checkout.
The Fund-a-Need/Paddle Raise already closed and I still need to add a donation/pledge/purchase — what do I do?
Once a Fund-a-Need or Paddle Raise item has closed, donations/pledges/purchases for that need or item can no longer be entered. If the guest still wants to support the organization, you can add a general donation to their Event Balance instead.
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Add Item to Event Balance.
- Select Flat Donation Amount for the item type, then enter the donation amount.
- Search for the guest and select Add Item.
Raffle Entries & Other Item Sales
How do I record Raffle entries or other item purchases made in person?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Add Item to Event Balance.
- Select the item type, then the item and quantity.
- Search for the guest and select Add Item.
This adds the purchase to the guest’s Event Balance without charging them immediately.
Guest Checkout & Event Balances
How do I charge everyone at the end of the night?
Depending on Campaign settings, you can either charge all payment methods on file or send everyone a checkout email when the event ends.
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Manage Event Balances from the quick links.
- Select all records (select the checkbox in the table header, then check Select all records), or check the boxes next to the specific guests you want to charge.
- Select Actions, then Charge Cards and Close Balances (if automated checkout is not enabled, select Send checkout emails).
If you’re using automated checkout and a guest does not have a card on file, they are automatically sent a checkout email instead so they can manually enter their payment information.
A guest is paying by cash or check — how do I close out their balance without charging a card?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Manage Event Balances from the quick links.
- Find the guest and select the three-dot menu on the far right of the row with the guest’s name.
- Select Charge Manually.
- Choose the payment method and submit.
This marks the balance as paid without running a card charge — use this any time a donation, pledge, or purchase is being fulfilled outside of RallyUp.
Can guests pay on their own?
- Yes — from Manage Event Balances, find the guest and select the three-dot menu on the far right of the row with the guest’s name.
- Select Send Checkout Email to give them a link to review and pay their balance themselves.
How do I edit a guest’s balance (add or remove an item)?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Manage Event Balances from the quick links.
- Find the guest and select the three-dot menu on the far right of the row with the guest’s name.
- Select Manage Balance and adjust the items.
Troubleshooting
A card was declined — what happens?
Both you and the guest receive an email with options to reprocess the payment.
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Manage Event Balances from the quick links.
- Filter by Paid, Unpaid, or Charge Failed to track these.
How do I reassign an Auction item if the winner backs out or their card keeps failing?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Campaign Management, then View Auction Winners.
- Find the winner and select the three-dot menu on the far right of the row with the guest’s name.
- Select Revoke. This cancels that winner and automatically charges the next-highest bidder’s card.
How do I add a general donation that isn’t tied to an Auction, Raffle, or Fund-a-Need?
- Go to Campaign Settings in the left menu and choose your event from the drop-down menu.
- Select Add Item to Event Balance.
- Select Flat Donation Amount as the item type and enter the amount.
- Search for the guest and select Add Item.
Related: See “RallyUp Event & Gala: Payment, Registration & Refunds FAQ” for settings-level questions — turning off automatic checkout, card-on-file requirements, fixing registration emails, sponsor/table management, refunds, and ticket pricing.