Development update – Aug. 2017

Introduction to RegisterONE

My name is Arie Vandenberg. I’m the developer of RegisterONE and a food vendor based in Cincinnati Ohio. I’ve been programming for many years, so I’m in rather unique position to put my knowledge to good use to help others with the whole process.

The reason I started developing RegisterONE is that, from a vendor’s perspective, I found it difficult to keep track of every market and festival that we were attending. Maybe it’s just me, but I always had to look and see which events were paid, which ones we were approved for (or “OK”), etc. So my first concern was to make a tool that vendors could use to make it easy to track all the markets we were setup to attend.

Another concern for me was documents I was sending to event organizers, such as proof of insurance, mobile food licenses, etc. The question was always, “Did they look at them? Did they approve them? Are we good to go?!” I thought that there must be a better way to handle this, because I was always sending them emails asking if we were confirmed as approved.

It’s my hope that RegisterONE will really help those people who are tasked with setting up web-based vendor applications, processing their applications and keeping tabs on everything related to making sure it vendors are well served.

Improving the document review process.

I started with the idea that it would be great to setup required documents automatically based on what kind of vendor you were. So, for example, food trucks would need to submit food permits and mobile licenses, but not for a vendor that doesn’t sell food. This way, organizers and vendors would be able to see exactly what documents were required to upload and the status of them (uploaded, not uploaded yet, uploaded but not valid, etc.).

The amount and types of documents required, multiplied by the number of vendors applying for an event, equals hundreds of different types of documents necessary to review by the organizer. Multiply this number by the review status of each one (approved, rejected, problem to fix, etc.), and you have a LOT of information to keep track of.

Tracking of amenities like tables, chairs and tents.

Normally when you attend an event, part of the application process includes an order form for various things such as how many tables and chairs you need, if you need a tent and 110v AC for lights, etc. Other events offer a lot more you can order, especially if it’s a food related event. Mandatory items such as 3 compartment sinks can sometimes be ordered through the event production company.

The process of tracking all these order from the organizer side can get complicated depending on how many vendors they have. For the vendor, it’s handy to know that you did indeed order so many amenities and paid for them.

For the organizer, RegisterONE keeps track of every amenity per vendor and in sum total for each type. This allows event organizers to see at a glance, the quantities they need the day of the event (ex. how many tents, or sinks). The vendor can see exactly what they paid for and what to expect when they get there.

Where do you want to be? Just select a location!

A lot of festivals are setup so location is first come, first serve. But sometimes organizers will allow you to select which location you would like to setup at. So they send you a map of the venue with sections drawn in for you to choose from. RegisterONE allows you to do the same thing, but all from your browser or phone.

Organizers can setup location maps and assign them different pricing if they wish, or all the same pricing. This allows organizers to charge more for a corner booths or key areas. Vendors also get to choose where they would like to setup at.