One of the most common sources of confusion we see in new staff using MeetingMaxx for the first time is understanding the distinction between a ‘Registration’ vs. an ‘Attendee.’ Some associations use these two terms interchangeably in planning their meetings, but there is a key distinction between them in the MatrixMaxx AMS.
Attendee
An attendee is an individual who has indicated through registration that they intend to come to the meeting. Individuals participating in the conference are considered attendees, and any family members, spouses or kids who are registering with them are also considered attendees.
Registration
A Registration is the form in MatrixMaxx that is filled out to indicate an individual is attending the meeting. The registration form holds the main meeting attendee and can also be setup to hold an additional spouse/partner attendee and potentially also guest/children attendees. So a registration may contain 1 or more attendees.
Example
Robert Smith registers for the Annual Meeting. Within his registration he indicates that he is bringing his wife, Sharon, and his son, Bobby. This one registration contains three attendees.
Reporting
Some of the reporting in MatrixMaxx calculates data based on registration numbers, and some calculates based on attendee numbers. It is very important that you note which type of number is being calculated in the report you are running.
Each type of calculation is valuable in its own way. Comparing registration numbers across years and venues gives you general information about your members’ interest in your meetings and topics. Comparing attendee numbers between years and venues can give you some insight into which locations are more popular with families. For example, you’re probably going to see more total attendees at a conference in Orlando, Florida, than in another less-family-friendly venue, but you may have nearly the same number of registrations … or not. And that is all interesting data.