What's New? - May 2025 | Zoho Backstage
Hi everyone,
A May-zing month for you!
A May-zing month for you!
As summer rolls in and event season picks up the pace, we’ve been working on a set of updates in Zoho Backstage to help make your day-to-day life a little easier. This month’s improvements are all about tackling the real challenges that event professionals face daily, from complex stakeholder communications to payment processing bottlenecks.
Module-Specific Primary Contacts
May the right message reach the right inbox
Modern event management often involves multiple stakeholders managing different specialized areas. The new Module-Specific Primary Contact feature allows event organizers to assign dedicated primary contacts for each module individually, creating clearer communication pathways where registration queries reach the registration team, speaker communications connect with speaker coordinators, and sponsor-related emails land in the appropriate inbox.
Setting up these specialized contacts is straightforward. Event organizers can navigate to Communicate, then Email, Preferences, Primary Contact, and Assign Primary Contact, where they can add and verify contact details before assigning them to specific modules, including Registrations, Speakers, Sponsors, and Exhibitors. Once configured, each module operates with its own communication pathway, improving clarity and coordination.
The system includes essential management controls such as the ability to change primary contacts, edit sender names, and unassign contacts when team structures evolve. To ensure reliable email delivery, the platform provides authentication notifications when needed, maintaining reliable communication.
These primary contacts are integrated into their respective module interfaces:
- Registration Settings
- Speaker Settings
- Sponsor Settings
- Exhibitor Settings
When changes are needed, clicking Change Primary Contact in any module provides direct access to the email management interface.
Plan availability: Included in the Premium and Ultimate plans
Offline payments with visuals and verification
May offline payments be crystal clear
Building on recent registration improvements, Zoho Backstage has upgraded its offline payment system with two key features: the ability to upload QR codes or instruction images, and a transaction ID verification process.
The visual enhancement allows event organizers to upload QR codes or detailed bank instruction images for each offline payment method during the setup process. Located in Registrations > Setup > Payments under the Offline Payment options, this feature includes live preview capabilities and the flexibility to replace or remove images as needed.
For attendees, this translates to a clearer payment experience. When selecting offline payment options, they see the uploaded visual guidance, enhancing clarity and reducing payment errors. After placing their order, attendees can optionally enter a Payment Transaction ID if they've completed the payment, creating a direct link between their transaction and registration.
The organizer experience becomes more efficient with the verification process. Orders with transaction IDs enter a Payment Verification Pending status, where organizers can review the provided ID and choose to verify it or mark it as a mismatch. Verified orders are updated to Paid status, while mismatched entries trigger automated emails prompting attendees to correct their details.
The system maintains flexibility throughout the process. Attendees who initially skip the transaction ID can log in later to add or update this information, automatically triggering the verification process. Meanwhile, organizers retain the ability to manually enter transaction IDs when adding new orders, checking in attendees, or recording missed registrations, ensuring no payment scenario goes unaccounted for.
Plan availability: Included in the Essentials, Premium, and Ultimate plans
WhatsApp number change
May you change your mind—and your WhatsApp number
Zoho Backstage offers the ability to change registered phone numbers within WhatsApp integrations at any time. This enhancement provides flexibility for teams to update their communication settings as needed.
The phone number change process operates through Portal Settings > Integrations > Event Communication > WhatsApp, where organizers can click the Change button next to their current number and select any verified alternative from their WhatsApp Business account. For unverified numbers, the platform provides direct verification capabilities through OTP systems, allowing organizers to verify and switch to new numbers within the Zoho Backstage interface.
Importantly, changing phone numbers preserves all existing configurations. WhatsApp triggers, templates, and automated processes continue functioning as configured, ensuring communication continuity while providing the flexibility to adapt to changing organizational needs.
Plan availability: Included in the Essentials, Premium, and Ultimate plans
Recovering lost registrations with winback emails
May we remind you?
The Reminders for Missed Registrations feature introduces a sophisticated winback email system designed to recover potential attendees who begin but don't complete the registration process.
The system identifies missed registrations when purchasers reach the payment page but don't complete their order within the established registration time limit. These registrations are stored for up to 180 days, creating opportunities for recovery efforts through targeted reminder campaigns.
Event organizers can configure up to five reminder intervals through Communication > Reminders, setting triggers based on minutes, hours, or days after abandonment. A typical strategy might include an immediate 30-minute follow-up, a one-day reminder, and a final three-day appeal, though the system accommodates various timing strategies to match different event types and audience behaviors.
The reminder system includes intelligent safeguards for optimal communication. Only the most recent missed registration per purchaser receives reminders, and all automated emails conclude when the event ends. For events requiring more than five reminder intervals, limits can be increased upon request, ensuring the system scales with various event marketing strategies.
Plan availability: Included in the Essentials, Premium, and Ultimate plans
Directly convert approval requests to orders
May your approvals turn into orders instantly
Event planning frequently involves various payment methods and approval processes. This new feature provides organizers with direct transformation of approval requests into confirmed orders.
This enhancement proves invaluable for managing offline payments made through bank transfers, cash transactions, or other non-digital methods. Organizers can efficiently convert approved, pending, or rejected requests into active orders with complete payment details recorded in the system.
The process is simple: organizers locate the relevant request in their Registration Approval requests section, click the Convert to Order option, and complete the process by recording offline payment details. This direct conversion capability ensures that all registration records remain current and accurate within Zoho Backstage.
Plan availability: Included in the Essentials, Premium, and Ultimate plans
Looking ahead together
May these be the foundation for what's next
These May 2025 updates are all about making everyday event planning simpler, smoother, and more connected. Whether it’s clearer communication, easier payment tracking, or smarter follow-ups, each new feature is designed to solve real challenges you face while managing events.
We know how fast things move during event season. That’s why we’ve focused on updates that blend seamlessly into your existing workflows, helping you stay in control without adding complexity.
We hope these improvements make a meaningful difference for you and your team. As always, we’re here to support you—and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next.
All the features and enhancements mentioned in this article are available across all Zoho Backstage-supported data centers.
For additional assistance or questions regarding these new features, contact support@zohobackstage.com. Stay tuned for continued updates designed to enhance your event management capabilities.
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