Unless you're hosting an event in a large venue with more than 1,000 seats or multiple floors, 'Simple' seating charts typically include everything you need to sell reserved seating for your event.
💡 If you haven't yet, check out 'Getting started with our seating chart tool' to make sure you know how to use key tools in the seating chart builder.
How to create a simple seating chart by tracing a reference image
Start by creating a new 'Simple' seating chart, and when prompted, upload the image of your seating chart.
You'll then have to go through the calibration steps, which matches the spacing between seats and rows in your image with the seats in the designer, so that you can trace more accurately.
When you see a close-up version of your image, click to place a seat over one of the seats in the image. You can use the toggle at the bottom to adjust the size of the seat marker — you want the seat edges to match the edge of the marker.
Click to mark at least four seats to help calibrate. When you're ready, click 'Next'.
You may find that the designer automatically resizes your seats for you. You can manually adjust again if you'd like. Click 'Next' when you're happy.
Next, you'll be provided a duplicate row, and asked to move it so that it's parallel with another one. This helps calibrate the distance between rows in your image. When you're done, click 'Next'.
Now, you're ready to start tracing! Use the 'Row' and 'Multiple rows' tools to start tracing the seats in your image. The calibration should have set up the designer so that the spacing between seats and rows accurately matches the reference image below.
You can use the eye 'Preview' icon to see what your seating chart will look like without the reference image.
You can also toggle the reference image 'off'.
If you want to display your reference image on your customer-facing seating chart, you can upload it underneath the 'Background' header on the right side. You can adjust the size using the percentage toggle.
Next, you need to label and categorise your seats. Use the 'Select' tool to select the first block of rows you want to label. This will bring up the Category and Row menus on the right hand side.
First, update the Row labelling. You can choose between alphabetical, numerical, or Roman Numeral labels.
Next, select your Seat labelling. Again, you can choose from multiple options in the 'Labels' dropdown.
Once you've set these, you should see the changes reflected in your seating chart.
Then, make sure to set and add a 'Category' to all seats, which we'll explain below.
How to create a simple seating chart by drawing sections by hand
In this example, we'll use a standard 200 capacity room, with an even number of rows, and an aisle in the middle.
Open a new 'Simple' seating chart in the designer.
If you have a floor-plan for your venue, you can upload it and calibrate it at this stage, then follow the steps below.
Toggle to the 'Rows tool' to draw your seating chart, and draw your seats in the layout of your venue.
If you have a symmetrical venue, you can draw a section of your venue, then 'Select' all of your seats, and then use the 'Duplicate' and 'Mirror' tools, to duplicate your first section. You can move this over to illustrate the venue layout and create space for an aisle.
Next, you need to label and categorise your seats. Use the 'Select' tool to select the first block of rows you want to label. This will bring up the Category and Row menus on the right hand side.
First, update the Row labelling. You can choose between alphabetical, numerical, or Roman Numeral labels.
Next, select your Seat labelling. Again, you can choose from multiple options in the 'Labels' dropdown.
Once you've set these, you should see the changes reflected in your seating chart.
Before you finish, you need to set a 'Category' for all of your seats.
How to add seat categories
As explained in 'Getting started with our seating chart tool', categories are required for all seats within a seating chart.
The 'Category' is what will be associated with a ticket type in Ticket Tailor so that the system knows what each seat costs, and what remains available per ticket type. Read more about this here.
In a simple seating chart, like the one in this example, you may not need more than one category. In this case, you can just create one called 'Reserved seating'. However, if you want to have different pricing in different areas of your venue, add multiple categories.
To do this, make sure you've not selected any seats with your cursor, and click the 'Manage' button next to the 'Categories' header.
Then, click '+ Create a new category', and enter the name of your new category. Hit enter, or click out of the text field to save it.
Once you have all of your categories created, select the relevant seats from your seating chart, and select the related category from the menu on the right.
Once the category's been applied, you'll see the seats change colour to match the category.
Before you finish, you can use the 'Shape' and 'Text' tools from the left menu to indicate notable markers in your venue, like a stage or screen.
Make sure to give it a name in the top left corner, and click 'X' to leave the designer.
If you don't see any errors in red on the right hand side, your seating chart is ready to use!
How to link your seating chart to your event
Open the 'Events' tab in your dashboard, and click 'Add new event'.
Add your event details.
Scroll down to 'Create ticket types', and click 'Use seating chart'.
Select the relevant seating chart from the dropdown menu.
You can choose whether or not you'll allow your ticket buyers to from leaving single seats available.
Click 'Save settings'.
You should see a new button appear called 'Add seated ticket type', which means your seating chart is connected to your event.
Add all of the seated tickets you want to sell for your event.
For a more detailed look at this step read How to link your seating chart to an event.