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Event Dates and Times: Scheduling Performances

Schedule event performances on Seaty: use list or week view, set time types, name dates, sell multi-day passes, mark signed or captioned shows, and copy dates.

Overview

The Dates section is where you schedule when your event happens. Whether you have a single performance or dozens of shows across multiple weeks, this is where you define every bookable time slot.

At its simplest, dates answer one question: When can customers attend your event?

Who uses this: Event organisers with editing permissions.

Key capabilities:

  • Add individual performances or build schedules quickly with copy tools
  • Switch between list view and week view depending on your schedule complexity
  • Choose how times display (single time, time range, multi-day, or all day)
  • Give a date its own name, such as "Full Weekend" or "Gala Night"
  • Sell a single multi-day pass that admits the holder on every day it spans
  • Mark performances as signed or captioned for accessibility
  • Add custom information for specific performances
  • Suspend dates without deleting them
The Dates and Times editor in list view showing the toolbar, quick add controls, and six event dates with sort and action buttonsThe Dates and Times editor in list view showing the toolbar, quick add controls, and six event dates with sort and action buttons

How It Works

At a glance: Add your first date, then use quick add or copy features to build out your full schedule.

1. Choose your view

Start in list view for most events. Switch to week view if you have many performances (events with more than 20 dates automatically start in week view).

2. Add your first date

Create your initial performance with the correct time type for how you want it displayed to customers.

3. Build your schedule

Use quick add buttons to create subsequent dates at regular intervals, or use copy times to duplicate an entire day's schedule to another date.

4. Add accessibility and information

Mark signed or captioned performances, and add any date-specific messages customers should see.

5. Review before selling

Check all dates are correct before opening ticket sales, as dates with orders cannot be changed.

Think of it this way:

  • List view shows every date in a simple list - best for events with fewer dates or irregular schedules
  • Week view shows dates in a calendar grid - best for events with many performances or weekly patterns
  • Copy times duplicates all performances from one day to another - perfect for repeating schedules

Choosing Your View

List View

Best for most events, especially those with:

  • Few performances (1-20 dates)
  • Irregular schedules
  • Dates spread across multiple weeks or months

What you can do:

  • Quick add buttons for common intervals (1 hour, 1 day, custom)
  • Full detail editing for each date
  • Sorting options (ascending/descending)
  • Copy times for duplicating schedules

Week View

The week view showing a calendar grid with days of the week, navigation buttons, a green time button for a date with orders, and calendar interval optionsThe week view showing a calendar grid with days of the week, navigation buttons, a green time button for a date with orders, and calendar interval options

Best for events with:

  • Many performances (more than 20 dates)
  • Regular weekly patterns
  • Multiple shows per day

What you can do:

  • Visual weekly calendar layout
  • Quick date addition within each day
  • Copy times functionality
  • Navigation between weeks

Note: Events with more than 20 dates automatically start in week view. You can switch views at any time using the button in the toolbar.

Understanding Time Types

Each date you create can use one of four display formats. Choose the one that best represents how customers should see the timing.

The time type dropdown open showing all four options: Single time, Time range, Day range, and All day with descriptionsThe time type dropdown open showing all four options: Single time, Time range, Day range, and All day with descriptions

Single Time

Displays one specific start time.

Example display: "Saturday 15 March 2025 at 19:30"

Best for: Standard performances, classes, or any event where only the start time matters.

Time Range

Displays both start and end times on the same day.

Example display: "Saturday 15 March 2025 from 15:00 to 17:00"

Best for: Workshops with specific durations, timed sessions, or events where customers need to know when it finishes.

Day Range

Displays a date that spans more than one calendar day.

Example display: "20 June - 23 June 2025"

Best for: Multi-day exhibitions, festivals, weekend retreats, or any pass that should admit the holder on every day it covers.

A Day Range date is more than a label. A ticket sold against it is a single multi-day pass: it scans as valid on every calendar day from the start date to the end date. The same pass works on Saturday and again on Sunday - staff do not need a separate ticket for each day.

Why offer a multi-day pass? It lets you sell a "whole festival" or "full weekend" option alongside per-day tickets. The customer buys once, carries one ticket, and is admitted each day.

Think of it this way:

  • A Single Time or Time Range date sells a ticket for that one day
  • A Day Range date sells a pass valid for every day in the range
  • A single-day ticket scanned on a different day is rejected; a multi-day pass scanned on any day inside its range is accepted

To offer Saturday-only, Sunday-only, and a full-weekend pass on the same event, create three dates on one event: a Single Time date for Saturday, a Single Time date for Sunday, and a Day Range date starting Saturday and ending Sunday. Attach the per-day tickets to the two single-day dates and the weekend pass ticket to the Day Range date. Customers then see all three options on one screen, with the multi-day pass shown in its own section above the single days.

Validation Requirements: Every date must have a unique start date and time, even across different time types. Because your Day Range pass starts on the same calendar day as your Saturday single-day date, give it a different start time (for example set the Day Range to the festival opening time while the single-day dates use the performance time). The Day Range type does not show that time to customers, but it keeps the two dates distinct so the event can be saved. If two dates share an identical start date and time the editor shows a "Duplicate event dates" task and the save button stays disabled until you change one.

All Day

Displays just the date without any time.

Example display: "Saturday 15 March 2025 - All Day"

Best for: Full-day events, open houses, or events with flexible arrival times.

Note: When using All Day, include arrival instructions or opening hours in your event description so customers know when to arrive.

Adding Dates

Quick Add (List View)

After adding your first date, use the quick add buttons to create subsequent dates:

Preset buttons:

  • Add +1 hour - Creates the next show one hour after the last
  • Add +1 day - Creates the next show at the same time tomorrow

Custom intervals:

  1. Enter a number in the first field
  2. Select the interval type (Years, Days, or Minutes)
  3. Click the button to add

Examples:

  • Theatre matinee/evening pattern: Add first show at 14:00, then use custom "+5 hours" for 19:00 show
  • Weekly workshop series: Add first date, then use custom "+7 days" repeatedly
  • Conference sessions: Add first session, then use custom "+90 minutes" between sessions

Note: Quick add uses the time from your last added date, making it easy to create consistent schedules.

Week View Calendar

  1. Navigate to the desired week using the arrow buttons
  2. Find the day you want to add a performance
  3. Click the + button within that day's column
  4. The system adds a new time slot based on:
    • First date in event: defaults to 09:00
    • First date for that day: uses time from first event date
    • Subsequent dates that day: adds your configured interval (default 30 minutes)

Calendar interval settings: At the bottom of the week view, you can configure the time gap between performances when adding multiple shows to the same day.

Event Creation Wizard

When creating an event, you add initial dates in the wizard. These become your first dates and can be modified or expanded in this section.

Editing Dates

List View Editing

Each date displays its time and status indicators. To edit:

  1. Click the expand button (down arrow) to show all options
  2. Modify any of the available settings:
    • Date and time
    • Time type
    • Active status
    • Accessibility options
    • Additional information
    • External event settings
  3. Changes save when you save the event

Time type changes: Use the dropdown to switch between Single Time, Time Range, Day Range, or All Day. The interface adapts to show appropriate date/time pickers.

Note: If you set an end time before the start time, you will see a warning message.

Week View Editing

  1. Click on a time button to enter edit mode
  2. Modify the time using the time picker
  3. Click the save button to confirm or cancel button to discard
  4. Use the suspend button to toggle suspension
  5. Use the delete button to remove (only for dates without orders)

Visual indicators:

  • White buttons: Editable dates (no orders)
  • Green buttons: Dates with orders (limited editing)
  • Asterisk: Date has unsaved changes
  • Suspend indicator: Date is suspended

Copy Times Feature

The copy times feature duplicates all performances from one day to another - perfect for weekly shows or repeating schedules.

Using Copy Times

In List View:

  1. Click the copy button next to any date
  2. The copy times window opens

In Week View:

  1. Click the copy button within a day that has performances
  2. The window opens showing all times for that day

Copy Times Window

The Copy event date times modal showing source date, destination date picker, additional options checkbox, event times to copy, and action buttonsThe Copy event date times modal showing source date, destination date picker, additional options checkbox, event times to copy, and action buttons

What you will see:

  • Copying from: The source date selected
  • Copying to: Date picker for the destination date
  • Additional options checkbox: Copy accessibility and information settings
  • Times to copy: Checkboxes for each time on the source date

Steps:

  1. Select the destination date
  2. Tick which times you want to copy
  3. Optionally enable "Copy additional options" to include:
    • Suspension status
    • Signed performance indicator
    • Closed captioning indicator
    • Additional information text
  4. Click the copy button to confirm

Use cases:

  • Weekly theatre runs: Copy Friday's shows to next Friday
  • Matinee/evening pattern: Copy Saturday's two shows to Sunday
  • Workshop series: Copy one week's schedule to the next

Note: If you have a complex daily schedule (multiple shows per day), set up one perfect day then copy it to all other dates rather than adding each performance individually.

Date Options and Features

An expanded date without orders showing time type, active status, signed, captioned, additional info fields, external event toggle, and delete buttonAn expanded date without orders showing time type, active status, signed, captioned, additional info fields, external event toggle, and delete button

Naming a Date

Give a date its own short name, shown as the main label customers see on the date selection button.

Setting it:

  1. Expand the date details
  2. Under "Do you want to give this date a name?", enter a name (up to 100 characters), for example "Full Weekend" or "Gala Night"
  3. Save the event

Customer experience: The name replaces the usual time text as the primary label on the date button, with the time or date range shown beneath it. Leave the field blank to show the time as normal.

Examples:

  • "Full Weekend" - on a Day Range pass covering Saturday and Sunday
  • "Gala Night" - on a special performance
  • "Opening Night" - to make the first date stand out

Note: A date name is the short button label. It is different from Additional Information per Date, which is a longer title and message shown at the top of the ticket selection page after the customer has chosen that date.

Suspend a Date

Suspending a date removes it from public booking while keeping it visible to administrators.

Why suspend?

  • Performance cancelled but you want to preserve existing bookings
  • Temporarily close sales while resolving an issue
  • Preserve order history without allowing new bookings

How to suspend:

  1. Expand the date (list view) or click edit (week view)
  2. Toggle "Is this date active?" to "No, suspend this date"
  3. The date shows a suspended indicator

What happens: Public users cannot book this date. Existing orders remain valid. Administrators can still view and manage orders.

Signed Performances

Mark dates that include British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation.

Setting it:

  1. Expand the date details
  2. Toggle "Is this a signed date?" to "Yes, this is a signed date"
  3. Save the event

Customer experience: Signed performances display an indicator to help BSL users find accessible shows.

Captioned Performances

Mark dates that include closed captioning or subtitles.

Setting it:

  1. Expand the date details
  2. Toggle "Does this date use closed captioning?" to "Yes, uses closed captioning"
  3. Save the event

Customer experience: Captioned performances display a CC indicator.

Additional Information per Date

Add custom messages for specific performances.

Fields:

  • Title - Header text (max 100 characters)
  • Message - Detailed information

Examples:

  • "Post-show Q&A with the director"
  • "Gala night - includes champagne reception"
  • "Relaxed performance - suitable for children"
  • "Early bird special - 20% off tickets"

Where it appears: At the top of the date-specific ticket selection page.

External Event Dates

Link to external ticketing providers for specific dates.

Why use this?

  • One date sold through another platform
  • Partnership events using different systems
  • Redirect to venue box office for certain shows

Setting it up:

  1. Expand the date details
  2. Toggle "Is this an external event date?" to "Yes, link to an external site"
  3. Enter the full external URL (max 500 characters)
  4. Save the event

Example URL: https://venue-box-office.co.uk/tickets/special-gala-night

Customer experience: When customers select this date, they are redirected to the external URL instead of proceeding to ticket selection.

Note: When using external dates, all ticketing happens on the external platform. You will not see order data for these dates in your Seaty dashboard.

Managing Dates with Orders

What Happens When Orders Exist

An expanded date with existing orders showing the restriction notice, time type selector, and date options that remain editableAn expanded date with existing orders showing the restriction notice, time type selector, and date options that remain editable

Once customers purchase tickets for a date, certain restrictions apply:

You cannot:

  • Change the date or time
  • Delete the date

You can:

  • Suspend the date (stops new bookings)
  • Add accessibility indicators (signed, captioned)
  • Add or edit additional information
  • Change time type display

Why These Restrictions?

Changing dates after purchase would invalidate customer tickets and cause confusion. If you need to modify a date with orders:

  1. Contact support: Email support@seaty.co.uk
  2. Explain the situation: Date change, venue change, cancellation
  3. Support team assistance: The team will help manage the change and customer communications

Visual Indicators

List View: Dates with orders show a notice explaining they cannot be changed.

Week View: Dates with orders appear in green rather than white.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Theatre Production

Scenario: "Romeo and Juliet" runs for one week with evening and matinee shows

Setup:

  1. Add first show: Friday 14 March 2025 at 19:30 (Single Time)
  2. Use custom quick add "+19 hours" for Saturday 14:30 matinee
  3. Use custom quick add "+5 hours" for Saturday 19:30 evening
  4. Use "Add +1 day" for Sunday 14:30 matinee
  5. Use custom quick add "+5 hours" for Sunday 19:30 evening
  6. Use copy times to copy Saturday's schedule to the following weekend

Result: Multiple performances scheduled efficiently

Example 2: Photography Exhibition

Scenario: Gallery open Thursday to Sunday for two weeks

Setup:

  1. Add first date: Thursday 1 May 2025 (All Day)
  2. Use "Add +1 day" to add Friday, Saturday, Sunday
  3. Use copy times to copy all four days to the second week
  4. Add additional information to opening night: "Artist reception 6-8pm"

Result: 8 days scheduled with special notes for the opening

Example 3: Workshop Series

Scenario: Weekly pottery class every Tuesday for 6 weeks

Setup:

  1. Add first class: Tuesday 5 March 2025 at 18:00 (Time Range)
  2. Set end time to 20:00
  3. Use custom quick add "+7 days" five more times

Result: Complete 6-week series scheduled showing 2-hour duration

Example 4: Festival Weekend

Scenario: 3-day music festival with multiple stages

Setup:

  1. Switch to week view
  2. Navigate to festival weekend
  3. Set the calendar interval to 2 hours for typical set lengths
  4. Click + repeatedly within each day to build the schedule

Result: Visual schedule for multi-performance festival weekend

Example 5: Conference with External Registration

Scenario: Two-day conference, but day 2 uses external registration

Setup:

  1. Add day 1: Monday 10 June 2025 (All Day) - normal Seaty ticketing
  2. Add day 2: Tuesday 11 June 2025 (All Day) - toggle "External event date"
  3. Enter external URL: "https://conference-platform.com/register"

Result: Day 1 tickets sold through Seaty, day 2 redirects to external platform

Example 6: Weekend with Per-Day and Full-Weekend Tickets

Scenario: A two-day jazz weekend. Customers can buy Saturday only, Sunday only, or a single Full Weekend pass valid on both days.

Setup:

  1. Add Saturday: Saturday 12 June 2027 at 14:00 (Single Time)
  2. Add Sunday: Sunday 13 June 2027 at 14:00 (Single Time)
  3. Add a third date (Day Range) starting Saturday 12 June and ending Sunday 13 June. Set its start time to something other than 14:00 - for example 10:00 - so it does not clash with the Saturday single-day date (every date needs a unique start date and time; the Day Range type does not show this time to customers)
  4. Name the Day Range date "Full Weekend"
  5. In ticket setup, attach the per-day tickets to the Saturday and Sunday dates, and the weekend pass ticket to the "Full Weekend" date

Result: Customers see all three choices on one screen, with "Full Weekend" shown as a multi-day pass above the single days. A Full Weekend pass scans as valid at the door on both Saturday and Sunday. A Saturday-only ticket is rejected if presented on Sunday.

Sorting and Organisation

Sort Order (List View)

Use the dropdown at the top of the date list to change sort order:

  • Date Ascending - Earliest dates first (default)
  • Date Descending - Latest dates first

Note: If you are managing an ongoing event and adding future dates frequently, descending order shows newest additions at the top.

Date Count

The heading shows your total: "Event date list (X)" where X is the number of dates.

Deleting Dates

Rules for Deletion

You can delete:

  • Dates with no orders
  • Dates you added by mistake
  • Dates no longer needed

You cannot delete:

  • Dates with customer orders
  • Instead: Suspend the date

How to Delete

List View:

  1. Expand the date
  2. Scroll to the bottom
  3. Click the delete button showing the date and time
  4. The date is removed immediately

Week View:

  1. Click the time button to edit
  2. Click the delete button
  3. The date is removed immediately

Note: Deletion is permanent and immediate. The system relies on you saving the entire event to persist changes.

Best Practices

Plan Your Schedule Before Adding

  1. Map out your complete schedule on paper or in a spreadsheet
  2. Identify patterns (same time each day, weekly repeats)
  3. Add the first instance of each pattern
  4. Use quick add or copy times to replicate

Why this matters? This approach is faster than adding dates one by one randomly.

Use Time Types Consistently

Pick the right time type for each date:

  • Most performances: Single Time
  • Workshops with fixed duration: Time Range
  • Multi-day events: Day Range
  • Open studios: All Day

Mixing types within one event is fine if different dates genuinely need different formats.

Add Accessibility Information

If your event offers signed or captioned performances:

  1. Mark them clearly using the toggles
  2. Add additional information explaining the accessibility provision
  3. Promote these dates in your marketing materials

Why this matters? Accessibility features help customers find suitable performances easily.

Copy Times for Repeating Schedules

Rather than adding each date individually:

  1. Perfect one day's schedule with all shows and settings
  2. Copy that day to each subsequent date
  3. Make minor adjustments if needed

Why this matters? This saves enormous time for weekly shows or repeating patterns.

Use External Dates Sparingly

Only mark dates as external when absolutely necessary:

  • Seaty analytics will not track these bookings
  • You will not see order data in your dashboard
  • Consider whether you can handle all dates through Seaty for better management

Double-Check Before Orders Arrive

Once the first order is placed on a date, you cannot modify it. Before opening sales:

  1. Review all dates and times carefully
  2. Verify time types display correctly
  3. Test book a ticket to see the customer experience
  4. Check timezone if your event involves international attendees

Common Questions

Adding and Managing Dates

Can I add more dates after my event is live?

Yes. You can add additional dates at any time. New dates appear alongside existing ones, and customers can book them immediately.

What happens if I have duplicate dates?

The system warns you when saving if you have multiple dates with identical times. Each performance should have a unique date/time combination.

Can I change a date from matinee to evening?

If the date has no orders, yes - just edit the time. If orders exist, you will need to contact support for assistance.

What is the maximum number of dates I can add?

There is no hard limit, but events with many dates should consider whether they are better structured as separate events or a recurring series.

Can I bulk import dates from a spreadsheet?

Not currently. Use the copy times feature and quick add buttons to speed up adding multiple dates.

Dates and Tickets

Do I need to add all dates before adding tickets?

No - you can add dates and tickets in any order. However, adding dates first helps when setting up ticket availability per performance.

Names and Multi-Day Passes

Do I have to name a date? No. Naming is optional. If you leave the name blank, the date button shows the time as normal.

Where does the date name appear? It becomes the main label on the date selection button customers see when booking, with the time or date range shown beneath it.

Does a Full Weekend pass really scan on both days? Yes. A ticket sold against a Day Range date is a single multi-day pass and scans as valid on every calendar day from the start date to the end date, including offline scanning.

Can someone use a Saturday-only ticket on Sunday? No. A ticket tied to a single-day date is only valid on that day. Scanning it on another day shows a "different date" rejection.

Can I sell per-day tickets and a weekend pass on the same event? Yes. Create a single-day date for each day and one Day Range date covering the whole period, then attach the per-day tickets to the single days and the pass to the Day Range date. See Example 6.

Tours and Multiple Venues

How do I schedule a tour with multiple venues?

Each venue should be a separate event with its own dates. Consider using the Tours feature to group related events together.

→ Learn more about Creating a Tour

Warnings and Validation

The system validates your dates and shows warnings if issues are detected:

Duplicate Event Dates

Warning: "There are two event dates with the same time of [date/time]"

Cause: You have added two performances with identical date and time values.

Solution: Edit one of the duplicate dates to a different time or delete the duplicate.

Invalid Time Ranges

Warning: "The end time you have entered is before the start time"

Cause: For Time Range or Day Range types, the end is set earlier than the start.

Solution: Adjust either the start or end to create a valid range.

No Event Dates

Warning: "You must add at least one event date"

Cause: You have not added any dates yet.

Solution: Add at least one date before saving your event. Events require dates to be bookable.

Next Steps

Once you have scheduled your event dates, continue configuring your event:

Recommended next section: Venue Setup - Set up your event location and address

After dates are configured:

Complete Event Editor Guide: Editing your Event

Need help? Visit our Organiser FAQ or contact support.