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How to Subscribe to an Event

PortalsPublished 5 min read

Subscribe to an event on an agency portal to receive messages about that event. You can start from an event link the agency shares with you or from an individual entry on its portal calendar.

Overview​

Subscribe to Event opens a contact form for following one event. The agency decides whether the form is available to everyone or only to signed-in clients. Once subscribed, your client record is attached to that event as an additional recipient of its messages.

An event subscription follows only the selected event. A case subscription follows a case number and its associated events, while a calendar subscription adds a feed to your calendar app.

Prerequisites​

  • An event link supplied by the agency, or access to an individual event on its portal calendar
  • Event subscriptions enabled by the agency
  • Client login if subscriptions are restricted to signed-in clients
  • Your first and last names and a valid phone number
  • An email address if you also want to provide an email contact

How-To Steps​

Subscribe to the Event​

  1. Open the event link supplied by the agency, or open its portal calendar and select the event you want to follow.
  2. Review the event details to confirm the date and event you want.
  3. Sign in if the agency requires client login for subscriptions.
  4. Click Subscribe to Event.
  5. Enter your First Name.
  6. Enter your Last Name.
  7. Enter Your Phone.
  8. Enter Your Email if you want to provide an email address.
  9. Click Subscribe.
  10. Check for the success message confirming your subscription.

Unlike the public case-subscription form, the event form requires a phone number and makes email optional. Use Cancel before submitting if you want to close the form.

Enable Event Subscriptions as an Administrator​

  1. Go to Admin > Portals.
  2. Click Edit beside the portal used by the event or calendar.
  3. Click Search in Portal Preview.
  4. Select Public in Allow Case Subscriptions to allow visitors to subscribe, or Private to require client login.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Open an event on that portal to check for Subscribe to Event.

Despite its name, Allow Case Subscriptions controls individual event subscriptions too. Allow Case Search does not need to be enabled for the event form. Administrators need update_portals to change this setting.

Allow about a minute for a portal setting change to reach the event page, then reload it before checking the button.

What to Expect​

After a successful submission, the form closes and a success message says you will receive event details within a few minutes. Actual delivery follows the agency's messaging setup and your contact notification settings.

The portal uses an eligible existing client record matching the phone number you enter or creates a client record, then attaches it to the event. Submitting again for a client already attached to that event does not add a second attachment or queue the event again.

The subscription form does not offer an Unsubscribe button after submission. Contact the agency if you need it to remove your event subscription.

Best Practices​

  • Confirm the event's date and details before subscribing.
  • Use a phone number you can receive messages at, and check any email address before submitting.
  • Keep the confirmation so you can refer to the event when contacting the agency.
  • Subscribe to the case instead when you want reminders about other events sharing that case number.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Can I subscribe from a calendar entry?

Yes. Open the event from the portal calendar and look for Subscribe to Event on its detail page. The same subscription form is available there when the agency permits it.

Do I need both a phone number and an email address?

A phone number is required on the event-subscription form. Email is optional. The public case-subscription form is different and requires both.

Does Cancel remove an existing subscription?

No. Cancel closes the open subscription form. Ask the agency to remove a subscription you already submitted.

Will this subscribe me to every event on the case?

No. This form follows one event. Use Subscribe to Notifications on a Case Lookup result to follow the case and its associated events.

Does this add the event to Google, Apple, or Office calendars?

No. Subscribe to Event registers you for the event's messages. To sync a calendar feed, follow How to Share Event Calendars.

Troubleshooting​

The event page has no Subscribe to Event button.

Symptoms: You can view the event details but cannot open the subscription form.

Solution: Sign in if the agency requires private subscriptions. Ask the agency to check Allow Case Subscriptions on the portal used by that event or calendar.

The form rejects a phone number or email address.

Symptoms: A message appears below the contact field after you click Subscribe.

Solution: Correct the highlighted contact and submit again. Provide a valid phone number and, if you enter email, an address the agency accepts.

The subscription succeeds but no event details arrive.

Symptoms: The success message appears, but you receive no text or email after a few minutes.

Solution: Check your email spam folder if you entered email. Ask the agency to verify the phone number, the client's notification and opt-in settings, and the event's messages.