Private Events: Best practices
Last updated: March 7, 2025
Private Events is only available to businesses based in North America.
The Private Events feature allows you to create and manage custom events and charters. This feature helps improve the experience for businesses and customers alike, streamlining workflows such as client intake, event management, contract management, and invoicing.
Explore this page to learn more about the best practices we suggest for using Private Events.
Dashboard configuration
Users & Permissions
We suggest implementing a setup that aligns with the following best practices:
- The Manage private event contracts and payment schedules permission should be enabled for any users who will need to make adjustments to private event items. (Note: Any Director-level permission groups created after the Private Events feature is enabled will have this permission enabled automatically.
- The Edit or remove individual resource uses (listed under a permission group’s Bookings & Payments tab) must be enabled for any users who need the ability to confirm proposals. (Note: Director-level permission groups will have this permission enabled automatically.)
- Ensure at least one Dashboard user is subscribed to all Private Events notifications.
Learn more about setting up Private Events user permissions.
Payment schedules
Although payment schedules are not mandatory for setting up private events, we highly recommend creating at least one payment schedule. A payment schedule allows you to control when payments are collected and provide payment links to customers for efficient payment collection.
Learn more about setting up payment schedules.
Contracts
Each business is fully responsible and liable for all contract content and enforceability. FareHarbor only provides the basic structure for contracts, and cannot offer legal advice or be held responsible for any errors or omissions.
Using a private event item
Customer notifications
Ensure your item’s notifications and messages are configured as relevant to your business needs. We generally suggest disabling all notifications for private event items so the customer only receives messages that are sent manually.
Configure item-specific automatic reminders and follow-up notifications as needed.
If desired, set up a proposal email message in the Proposal email message field, located under Info & Policies > Notes & Policies.
Learn more about setting up a private event item.
Sending emails or text to a customer
All communications can be sent to the customer manually via the booking overview.
Learn more about emailing a customer.
Adding a contract to a booking
Setting an expiration date can help mitigate confusion about which contract version the most up to date.
If a contract expiration date is set, customers will not be able to sign the contract as of the set expiration date. Today’s date cannot be set as the expiration date, as the contract will not be signable.
Learn more about adding a contract to a booking.
Sending a proposal
Before sending a proposal to the customer, add the following elements as relevant to the circumstance:
- Add a payment schedule
- Add a contract once the customer has verbally agreed to the terms of the event.
Please ensure a new proposal is sent to the customer when significant updates occur, such as when an addendum is added to the contract.
Learn more about sending a proposal.
Updating an event’s proposal status
Once the customer has signed the contract sent via proposal email, the booking can be confirmed.
If a booking’s confirmation must be revoked:
- Check to ensure the necessary resources are available for the new start date and time before making changes to the booking.
- Unconfirm the booking to make the necessary changes.
Learn more about updating an event’s proposal status.
Leveraging custom calendar views
We suggest creating two custom calendars for a private event item.
- Set the first calendar up as a Grid view that only includes the private event item. This setup will allow viewers to easily leverage the Proposal status filter, and provide a quick reference that differentiates between confirmed and unconfirmed bookings.
- Set the second calendar up as a Timeline view that only includes the private event item. Use the calendar’s Filter dropdown to include any resources associated with the private event item (Filters > Resources > check all relevant resources). This setup will allow viewers to quickly review the resource use of the item.
Print booking details
Select from and customize two different private event resources that can help prepare for the upcoming event.
- Private event sheet: Intended to help staff members prepare for the event. This resource includes booking details such as customer contact information, event details, and custom field information.
- Sign-off sheet: Intended for customer review and confirmation. This resource includes the same information as a private event sheet, but is formatted for a customer to confirm via signature and date.
Internal-only content. Don't copy and paste to anyone.
Creating a private event item
A private event item should have the following options enabled by FareHarbor Support:
- Under the item’s Listing > Basic Info, check the This item is used for private events setting.
- Under the item’s Bookability, check the Allow customers to make payments to underpaid bookings option.
- Check Accept payments for direct bookings and Accept partial payments.
Learn more about creating a new private event item.
Pricing
- Custom fields: We suggest keeping all private event pricing within custom fields as a best practice.
Price schedules: When a price schedule is used for a private event item, the price of the initial booking should be based on rules in place for the price sheet selected during the booking.
Pricing will not automatically update if the booking is moved to a new date or time. Depending upon your setup, pricing may need to be adjusted manually to accommodate any price schedule rules associated with the booking’s new date and time.
Dynamic pricing: Dynamic pricing rules based on date and time are compatible with private event items. However, capacity-based rules are incompatible with private events, as a private event availability’s capacity can only ever be one.