There may be a time when you need exhibitors to have specific information at the time they are making entries, and there are a few ways to do that: Content Blocks, Terms Message, Welcome Message. In each case, keep the content short, because typically people do not read longer messages--if they read at all.
Content Block
This custom field is an excellent way to just add information, not requiring input from the exhibitor. Once they see the information, they will just click Continue to move on to adding the entry.
As with all Custom Fields, a Content Block that is added at the fair level will display only once for each exhibitor--when they set up their initial invoice. Content Blocks that are added at lower levels of the hierarchy will appear each time an exhibitor makes an entry into that portion of the hierarchy. They will just click Continue after (hopefully) reading the content.
Please Note: If you use a content block in a portion of the hierarchy that is set up for Multi-Entry, each entry will show as incomplete until the exhibitor goes back and clicks Continue on each entry. That will not be user-friendly and will likely result in phone calls from exhibitors.
Instead of having exceedingly long names for your classes, you can provide some of the fairbook information in a content block.
- Example 1: Sweet Corn class--instead of having the class name be "Sweet Corn, yellow or multicolored variety, six ears, with husks attached, on a paper plate" (this will not print nicely on entry cards/tags), you could name the class "Sweet Corn" and then at that class level, add a custom field Content Block to indicate to the exhibitor what the details/rules are.
- Example 2: Dairy Department/Division--instead of a class name "Holstein Sr. Yearling, born before 1/1/2025, in milk", you could shorten the name to "Holstein Sr. Yearling" and at the department or division level (depending on how your hierarchy is set up), include a Content Block listing the dates and qualifications that correspond with each age division. If you include the actual year, you will need to change that for the next fair, but only in this one place, not in each class name.
- Example 3: Beef Exhibitors need to sign up for Showmanship, and reserve their stalls when they make entry. There is no way to REQUIRE entry into a specific class, but you can remind exhibitors (the ones who read) that they need to do this.
Terms Message
(Fair Setup/Payment Integration) The terms message can be used if you need the exhibitor group to verify that they have seen (and hopefully read/understood) the information. At the end of the entry process, before exhibitors can click Submit, they are required to check the Agree box first. This is true of each invoice for each exhibitor group--whether it's their first invoice or an additional one.
Welcome Message
(Fair Setup/Fair Details) The welcome message can contain information that exhibitors need to know when they're making entry, but it's also useful if you're using Animal ID. During the Animal ID period, your terms message can clarify exactly WHO should be using this, and WHAT Animal ID does (and doesn't) do. When it's time to take entries, and Animal ID is closed, you can change the Welcome Message to contain entry information. Note: This is the ONLY way to get information on screen during Animal ID, since there are no custom fields or terms messages available for that process.
Sample for Animal ID:
Sample for Entry Registration: