Chapter 3 · Guests
Add or import guests
In the “Guests” tab, create the categories you need, then add people one by one or import a list. InviteKey does not collect guests’ replies: add people whose attendance is already confirmed. The columns expected in an import file are described below, in “Preparing the import file”.
Step by step
- Prepare the categories
Every event starts with 6 categories, in the language of the person who creates it: Guest, VIP, Speaker, Organizer, Partner and Sponsor. Rename them or change their colour with “Edit”, archive the ones you do not need, and add your own with “Add category”. A guest without a category gets the default category — “Guest” to begin with; “Set as default” picks another one. A category is a label shown at check-in, not a particular access right.
- Add the guests
“Add guest” for one person; for a list, prepare a file, then open the import.
- Import a file
The file has one row per guest with, at the very least, their email address and their identity: first name, last name or full name — at least one of the three. Two columns are optional: the category (left empty, the guest gets the default category) and the company. Details follow in “Preparing the import file”.
During the import, check how the columns are matched, then settle unknown categories, duplicates, rows to correct and capacity in the preview. The import creates the accepted guests; it sends no invitation.
- Review the list, then tick “I have reviewed the list”
Check names, email addresses and categories. In “Prepare my event”, the box unticks itself if the list changes afterwards.
Preparing the import file
One row per guest, with the column titles on the first row.
The file
- Formats: Excel (
.xlsx) or UTF-8 encoded CSV. - Size: 10 MB at most, 10,000 rows and 100 columns at most.
- Formulas: a cell containing a formula is kept as text, never calculated.
The columns
Your headings can be different: during the import, you say which column matches which field. Common headings are recognised automatically.
| Field | Required? | Recognised headings | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | email, e-mail, mail, courriel, correo | One valid address per guest: that is where their invitation goes. | |
| First name, last name or full name | At least one of the three | first name, prénom; last name, nom; name, full name | First and last name: 100 characters each; full name: 200. |
| Company | No | company, organisation, organization, société, empresa | 200 characters at most. |
| Category | No | category, type, group, catégorie, categoría | For example VIP or Partner. Empty: the default category. |
Check the preview before confirming
The import shows a row-by-row preview before creating the guests. Valid rows can be imported even if others need correcting. Unknown categories and duplicates still have to be settled.
- Needs correction: missing or invalid address, missing name, value too long. These rows are skipped; correct them in the file, then import them again.
- Unknown category: create it, or attach it to an existing category of the event.
- Possible duplicate: the same address appears twice in the file, or already exists in the event. For each case, choose “Import as a separate guest” or “Skip this row”. Nothing is merged without you.
- Capacity reached: beyond the plan’s places, the preview shows the rows that will not be imported. An organisation administrator can increase the capacity; otherwise, “Commit anyway” imports the rows that fit.
Finally, tick “I confirm that every person in this list has already confirmed attendance outside InviteKey”, then create the accepted guests.
Good to know
Archiving a category that has guests: it is no longer offered for new guests or for choosing a sending group. Its guests stay in it, or you move them to another category — their Wallet pass is then updated, and what shows at check-in changes for them. “Unarchive” makes it available again.
An example
| First name | Last name | Company | Category | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camille | Martin | camille@example.com | Studio Nord | VIP |
| Noah | Petit | noah@example.com |
These five headings are recognised automatically. Noah has no category: he will get the default category, “Guest” unless you have changed it.