Corbin's Meetings Technology Software Tools
Send me your meeting planning spreadsheets, sample database files, checklists, and any other tools you have developed using standard off-the-shelf software. I will review and post the best ones here and include your name as the author and other contact information if desired. Let's share from each others experiences!
Excel Spreadsheets
These worksheet tools have been developed and honed over years of planning international, city-wide technology meetings. Although designed for large, association meetings, many of them are applicable to many types and sizes of meetings. All are fully functional Excel files -- just click on the hyperlink and save if you wish to keep for your own use. They vary in size and will take 10 seconds to 2 minutes to load depending on your modem connection. (A 50Kb file should take about 12 seconds with a 56Kb modem.) Faster loading, non-interactive HTML versions have been provided as well. Thanks to my colleagues at SPIE who assited or advised in their creation.
Downloading notes: On some browsers, a username and password is requested. Simply hit "cancel" and the spreadsheet will load. In order to save the document, click "File" and then "Save As" and name and place the document on your hard drive where desired.
- Meeting Specifications Spreadsheets:
Conference Matrix Grid View (67Kb) QuickView HTML version (non-interactive) - This provides a one-page view of a large, multi-session, multi-day meeting. This works especially well for meeting room assignments and finding out at a glance what is happening where.
Conference Resume (34Kb) QuickView HTML version (non-interactive) - Answer all the questions the hotel may have even before they have a chance to ask them! Convention Services Managers (CSMs) will love you for providing this information before they have to track it down. This document should be the opening pages of the Specifications Document and it addresses most of the department of the hotel.
Complete Conference Specifications (127Kb) QuickView HTML version (non-interactive)
This spreadsheet contains an example of the full specifications that are sent to the hotel CSM. This should follow the Conference Resume listed above. Included in this are numerous ideas on how to streamline and improve your communication with the hotel. Many CSMs have mentioned that these have been the clearest an easy-to-use specifications that they have every received! Check them out.
Specialized Tracking Spreadsheets (listed alphabetically by function):
Attrition Calculator (184Kb)
Provided by MeetingU.
Is your sleeping room pickup coming in short of the block? How bad is it? With this worksheet you enter your historical pickup pattern, your room block and your pickup up to date. It will automatically calculate the variance and note a danger flag based on the amount of contracted slippage is allowed.
- AV Equipment Bid Worksheet (35Kb) QuickView HTML version (non-interactive)
This worksheet provides a bid sheet that can be emailed to AV companies. It computes the total daily unit total for equipment from the day-by-day totals entered. A unit cost can then be assigned by the AV company, and automatically calculating a total cost per equipment type. The sheet provides cells for discounts to be inserted, as well as for sales tax, labor, and delivery charges. The total cost is found at the bottom.
Catering Cost Estimator Worksheet (54Kb) QuickView HTML version (non-interactive)
The handy spreadsheet will calculate daily and overall catering costs, inclusive pricing, and event how many gallons of coffee, tea and decaf should be served.
Conference Calendar and Timeline (18 Kb) QuickView HTML version (non-interactive)
This automated calendar allow you to enter a date and it will automatically calculate the deadline dates leading up to it. Thanks to Lisa Shimuzu, Corporate Meeting Planner for Milliman & Roberston, Inc., who contributed this sheet.
Exhibitor Tracker (51Kb)
This worksheet graphs three important exhibit variables:
1. The total number of companies exhibiting at a particular show over the years
2. The total net square footage sold over the years.
3. Exhibitor company registration pickup.
Hotel Room Pickup Trackers (2 worksheets in the same document - 254Kb)
This worksheet monitors the hotel sleeping room pickup for a single hotel (the first worksheet tab) and multiple hotels (the second tab). They calculate individual hotel and collective room totals, compares these totals to a percentage of the room block, estimates total revenue and graphs it out on a weekly basis compared to the block. The single hotel tracker will even calculate your comp credits.
Meeting Expense Tracking Workbook
(67Kb) Provided by PlanSoft
Meetings consolidation made easy. Track your meeting budget, forecasts and actual meeting expenses over several meetings in this easy-to-use, well planned and documented spreadsheet. Please note: the SUMMARY page is protected (you can't make chages to this page as it contains the formulas that consolidate the data from the meetings pages).
Rack Rate Discount Calculator (26Kb)
Provided by MeetingU.
This worksheet calculates discounts off of the rack sleeping room rate and future years' inflation
increases.
Packing List Worksheet (45Kb) QuickView HTML version (non-interactive)
The packing list is another item that naturally fits into a grid format, and, therefore, a good candidate for an Excel spreadsheet. It is broken down into areas (AV, Registration, etc). This location is marked on the address label, making it easier to unpack on site. Each box is numbered as well. As the equipment is packed, the box number is noted on the master packing sheet. Then it becomes easier to track onsite.
Registration Pickup Tracker (40Kb)
This document tracks and graphs registration totals by category over years. The second graph
looks at the registration pickup, and how it compares to the previous year. Note color coding by
year.
Sign List Worksheet (93Kb)
Yes, even the sign list can be made in an Excel spread sheet. The idea is that, using the multiple-tab worksheet feature, all of these documents can be combined into one larger document, and kept in one place with all of the relevant data. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this sheet, to find many tips on how signs should be used in a conference setting. This document also demonstrates the multi-tab feature -- look at the bottom for the tab for "Signs" as well as one for "Sign Guide."
Site Selection Rating Sheet (19Kb)
Submitted by Marcia Neu.
This decision-making aid for a site selection assists in comparing multiple sites. It allows for the decision-making factors and the weighting to be tailored to a particular meeting's priorities and needs. Ideally, the weighting of factors is set before the property review, so that a personal bias for or against a particular property won't show up in the weighting. After reviewing properties in detail or doing site inspections, you assign each property a number and rate it on a Likert scale (probably of 1 to 5 or 1 to 7).
Property Cost Comparison Spreadsheet
Courtesy of eMeetingExperts.com
Side-by-side pricing analysis
Temporary Staff (Security Staff/AV Staff) Hours Worksheet (58Kb) QuickView HTML version (non-interactive)
This worksheet will calculate hour worked, standard pay, overtime pay for individuals and a total. It also servers as a bid sheet to send to temporary staff agencies, security, AV firms, or any firm where you will be hiring staff on an hourly basis.
Word Document Tools:
Site Facility Information Request Template (Word Template 108Kb)
For the Planner, simply open and save the document to your hard drive. Tab through the fields that contain information you want to provide to the property. “Save as” to the desired site selection name and then email to all potential properties. Instruct the property to simply tab through the document and fill in the blanks. Save the document and return to you via email. Voila! All information returned to you by the properties will be consistent and provide you with the tools to create an apples-to-apples comparison. Provided through the courtesy of eMeetingExperts.com.
Site Facility Information Request Document (Word Document 105Kb)
For the FAX document, the Planner will follow the same steps as above. However the responding property can print the form to complete by hand and fax back. Provided through the courtesy of eMeetingExperts.com.
General Services Contractor Sample RFP (Word Document 130Kb)
Do you need to bid out for a General Service Contractor to manage your tradeshow? This nicely formated and detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) donated by Sabina Timlin, Director of Exposition, American Academy of Audiology is an excellent example of how to do it.
RFP Tracker (Word Document 100Kb)
Track your hotel RFPs using this Word document submitted by Holly Murray, Meeting Services Manager for Prime.
 Generic Meeting Planning To-Do List
Although one size does not fit all in meeting planning, this To-Do checklist of action items is a good start. Submitted by Barry Seidenstat of Multimedia By Design
Web Tool Links:
APEX Tools and Templates:
Event Specifications Guide, (Convention Industy Council APEX Innitiative)
Glossary, (4,000+ meeting terms from the Convention Industy Council APEX Innitiative)
Housing and Registration Accepted Practices, (Convention Industy Council APEX Innitiative)
Meeting and Site Profiles (Convention Industy Council APEX Innitiative)
Post Event Report, (Convention Industy Council APEX Innitiative)
Requests for Proposals (RFP), (Convention Industy Council APEX Innitiative)
Audio Visual/Computer
Choosing a Digital Projector
Connecting A Laptop to a Projector
Backup Softare
GFI (free backup software to local drives)
Mozy (web backup tool - up to 2GB for free)
Budget Tools:
Meeting Budget Calculator (from Eventageous)
Sample Budget Measurement Tool (from MPI Global Circle of Excellence)
Meetings Savings Template (from MPI Global Circle of Excellence)
Cost Estimate vs Actuals With Savings Template (from MPI Global Circle of Excellence)
Finding Your Budget Break Even Point (from Eventageous)
Catering:
Catering Tips and Ideas (Word Doc from ConventionPlanit)
F&B Cost Savings Checklist
Evaluations:
Meeting Evaluation Form .pdf file (Midwest Meetings Magazine)
Peer Review
Peer Review Checklist
Planning Checklists/Handbooks:
Meeting Planner Checklist .pdf file (MIdwest Meetings)
Meeting Timeline .pdf file (MIdwest Meetings)
Conferon Guide to Meeting Management, (Conferon)
RFPs
Sample RFP To Hotel Template (From eMeetingExperts)
RFP Management
Room Set-ups:
Meeting Room Setup Tool (from Dolce Meetings)
Room Capacity Calculator (Courtesy of Eventageous)
Room Capacity Calculator (Courtesy of Stage America)
Safety - Security - Accessibility:
Meeting Safety and Security Checklist .pdf file (Midwest Meetings Magazine)
Planning A Barrier Free Meeting (PDF file from North Caroline Office of Disability and Health)
Site Inspection:
Destination Selection Checklist . pdf file (Midwest Meetings Magazine)
Site Inspection Handbook (.PDF file) Mike Lyon, Write Style Communications Ltd.2004
Site Selection Checklist . pdf file (Midwest Meetings Magazine)
The Tech Check: Site Inspections for Today’s Wired Meetings Jeff Rasco, CMP, June 2001
The Technology Site Inspection, Technology Meetings, Updated Winter 2005
Speakers:
Speaker Checklist .pdf file (Midwest Meetings Magazine)
Suppliers:
Working with International Suppliers (ICCA)
Tips and Gratuities:
Tipping Guideline (Courtesy of MeetingsNet)
Virtual Meetings:
Time Zone for Virtural Meetings Conversion Tool (Act Conferencing)
Vyew Webinar Tool (free for up to 25 people -add supported)
Send in your favorite tool links!
- Send in your meeting planning spreadsheets, sample database files, checklists, and any other tools you have developed using standard off-the-shelf software. I will review and post the best ones here and include your name as the author and other contact information if desired. Let's share from each others experiences!
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