We strongly advise you to do a test run (dress rehearsal) of your virtual event at least a few days prior to your actual event. Testing allows everyone to make sure their equipment works as intended, ensures good livestream video and audio quality, and helps your event team get comfortable performing their roles.
You have two options for the "dress rehearsal" test of your virtual live event:
- Create a new site specifically for your test. (Upside: doesn’t impact your actual event site--no post test cleanup necessary; Downside: time spent creating and migrating to a new site.)
- Use your existing site. (Upside: practicing on the site you’ll actually use for your event; Downside: time spent adding test items and cleaning up test orders/bids/donations after your test.)
Testing on a New Site
Create a new site on your account.
Migrate the settings and data from your real virtual site to your test site.
To ensure that no actual credit card charges run on your test site, contact Support and ask us to set your site to credit card demo mode. This will allow your testers to vault a fake credit card using card # 4111 1111 1111 1111, exp date: 12/25 cvv: 123.
IMPORTANT: Edit your test site's Virtual Event date to a date in the past at Site Settings > Events > Virtual Event > General Settings. This prevents your site from being moved to a dedicated server.
If you haven’t already, invite each team member who will need access to the Virtual Event Control Panel to assume a chair role on your site. This includes your auctioneer, AV technician, as well as your chat monitor and your item display monitor.
Make sure your test bidders/viewers have User records with current email addresses at Admin > Manage Users.
Invite your test viewers/bidders to attend.
Connect your external livestream, or start your single webcam broadcast.
Set your Virtual Event Control Panel mode to Virtual Event.
Have your Chat Monitor type a chat welcoming people to your event.
Ask your viewers to enter some test chats.
If you’re holding a paddle raise, move your Test Paddle Raise into the display position on your Virtual Event Control Panel and set the giving level to your preference. Your auctioneer should call for donations and your test bidders should give at various levels.
If you’re auctioning off items, practice moving your test items into display position and awarding them. Your auctioneer should call for bids for the item displayed and your test bidders should bid high and often. Award the item to the high bidder when your auctioneer calls “Sold!”
Turn on the Cart icon on your Virtual Event Control Panel and type a chat asking your viewers to review their carts. Any payments they make will be real, so instruct them not to actually pay.
At the conclusion of your test, if you’d like your test site removed from your account, contact Support and we will purge it for you.
Testing on Your Existing Site
If you haven’t already, invite each team member who will need access to the Virtual Event Control Panel to assume a chair role on your site. This includes your auctioneer, AV technician, as well as your chat monitor and your item display monitor.
Make sure your test bidders/viewers have User records with current email addresses at Admin > Manage Users.
If you’ll be selling items during your event, add a couple of Virtual test items to your Catalog.
If you’ll be holding a paddle raise during your event, add a test Virtual paddle raise to your Catalog.
Invite your test viewers/bidders to attend.
Click the Hide “Virtual Event is Live” Banner box at Auction Night > Virtual Event Control Panel, so that no visitors to your site can view your testing.
Set your Virtual Event Control Panel mode to Virtual Event.
Auction Night > Virtual Event Control Panel:
Connect your external livestream, or start your single webcam broadcast.
Have your Chat Monitor type a chat welcoming people to your event.
Ask your viewers to enter some test chats.
If you’re holding a paddle raise, move your Paddle Raise into the display position on your Virtual Event Control Panel and set the giving level to your preference. Your auctioneer should call for donations and your test bidders should give at various levels.
If you’re auctioning off items, practice moving items into display position and awarding them. Your auctioneer should call for bids for the item displayed and your test bidders should bid high and often. Award the item to the high bidder when your auctioneer calls “Sold!”
Turn on the Cart icon on your Virtual Event Control Panel and type a chat asking your viewers to review their carts. Any payments your test bidders make will be real, so instruct them not to actually pay.
At the conclusion of your testing:
- Be sure to end the broadcast.
- Delete all test chats by clicking the X next to each message at Auction Night > Virtual Event Control Panel.
- Click on the red x next to winning bids and donations made to remove from carts.
- Cancel Test Item bids.
- Delete test items and test paddle raise from your Catalog.
- Uncheck the Hide “Virtual Event is Live” Banner box at Auction Night > Virtual Event Control Panel.
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