Tracks are a great tool for events that have multiple agendas which occur simultaneously. This document goes over how to implement tracks so an event may have multiple simultaneous agendas occur seamlessly.
When to Create Tracks
Oftentimes event creators may think that our tracks are used to categorize agenda items when they are crafting their events. Tracks in Goldcast however have a more technical meaning and are not for categorizing agenda items. Rather, tracks are meant for hosting multiple agenda items simultaneously.
If your event at any point has multiple agendas occurring at the same time, then you should create multiple tracks; however, if your event does not at any point have multiple agendas happening at the same time, then you should only make one track and assign all agenda items in that event to that solo track.
Without further ado check the section below to learn how to create tracks.
How to Create Tracks
Step 1: Enter the admin panel and create a new event or click the pencil icon next to an existing event to edit it.
Step 2: Click Space on the left side menu.
Step 3: If you do not need multiple tracks for your event, you can click + Add Stage Agenda. All items you create will default to the same single track. If you do need multiple tracks for this event, click + Add Track to create a second track.
Now you will see there are two tracks for this event. You may create additional tracks by clicking + Add Track again.
Step 4: You can rename or delete your track by clicking the three dots next to the track name.
After clicking Rename, enter the name of the track and click save.
Now when you create agenda items, you can assign them to one track or multiple tracks.
Step 5: Click + Add Stage Agenda or click the pencil icon to edit an agenda item that already exists.
Step 6: If you are creating a new agenda item, select the broadcast type and click Next.
Step 7: Select the tracks this agenda item should be listed in. You may select one or many.
Step 8: To add this item to all tracks, click the check box next to "Select all tracks"
When you are done editing the agenda item, click Save. You may return to an agenda item later and edit its track assignment.
So What Do Tracks Really Do?
In conclusion having multiple tracks enables you to have multiple simultaneous agenda items. If, for example, you want to host an event where attendees can either listen to a speaker with a serious sales background or a speaker with a serious marketing background who are both speaking at the same time, then you will want to have two tracks created for the event.
As aforementioned make sure to create all of the event’s tracks before you add ANY agenda items.
If you are using multiple tracks for your event then you must assign all agenda items to all tracks except for agenda items that happen concurrently with other agenda items. For example, Agenda Item G might be happening at the same time as Agenda H; if this is the case, then Agenda Item G and Agenda Item H only need to be assigned to one track each. The reason for this is because of how the tracks flow.
[*Note: Attendees can change tracks anytime they want to during an event; because of this, if an agenda item is only assigned to 1 of 4 total event tracks and there are no other agenda items in tracks 2-4, were an attendee to click on tracks 2-4 then the person will only see a black screen and be totally confused.*
For example: See below for an Incorrect format. While there are enough channels for the 4 agenda items in light blue that happen at the same time, if an attendee is in tracks 2-4 at any other time, then that person will only see a black screen.)
For example: See below for the Correct format. This event needs 4 tracks because the agenda items in light blue are each different events; in order to play all 4 of these agenda items simultaneously, there must be 4 channels for each item to nest in.
To assign an agenda item to all tracks when you click a button to add an agenda item you must click the “Select all tracks” check box in order to assign all the tracks to an event.
All of your agenda items will be assigned to all tracks in the event except for any that occur simultaneously with other agenda items. For these simply assign each of them to one track. [*Note: Assign each of these simultaneous agenda items to a different track, don’t put 2+ simultaneous items on the same track.*]
The image below shows how each of the agenda items is assigned to one track that is different from its counterpart agenda items. It should be noted that each agenda item happens at the same time and in different tracks.
The simultaneous agenda items will appear differently depending on how you are looking at the agenda schedule. If you click each Track's tab then you will be able to view each track individually. If you click the “All Tracks” button then you will only be able to see one linear schedule of all of the agenda items; in this view the simultaneous agenda items will be right next to each other in the column and shall each say the same time.
The image below shows the simultaneous agenda items in two different formats.
