This article covers how to create and configure a group event in Thryv Business Center™, including basic settings, pricing options, and client intake form customization.

Why Use Group Events for Your Business

Group events let you open a single session to multiple clients at once  so you can grow your revenue without multiplying your time. Whether you teach a weekly yoga class, run a welding workshop, or host an onboarding session for new clients, group events give you a structured, bookable service your clients can register for online.

Group events are a great way to get your customers together for classes or other get-togethers you may host for your business. Maybe your business is welding, and you want to host a class for people to learn how to weld. Or, maybe you are running an art studio, and you host regular painting classes. With Thryv Business Center, you can easily put these events together and provide these services to your clientele.

Set Up a New Group Event

To create a group event, click Settings in the left-hand navigation. Then click My Services. Click the New Service button and select Group Event from the dropdown menu.

The screenshot below shows the My Services page with the New Service button selected. The dropdown menu displays service type options, with Group Event listed as one of the available selections alongside individual appointment types.

The group event configuration page will open. The screenshot below shows the full configuration form, which includes fields for Service Name, Max Attendees, Location, Duration, and Price. Each of these fields is described in detail in the sections below.

Basic Event Settings

Configure the following fields to define the core details of your group event.

Service Name: Enter a name for your group event as it will appear to clients on your booking page and in any invitation links you share. Use a name that clearly describes the session, such as "Weekly Watercolor Class" or "New Client Orientation."

Max Attendees: Enter the maximum number of clients who can register for a single occurrence of this event. You can adjust the maximum attendee count when you schedule individual occurrences on your calendar, or when editing the event later.

Location: Select how or where the event will take place. The available options are Face to Face, Over the Phone, and Online.

• Face to Face: Select whether the event takes place at your business address or at another address. Selecting the business location will automatically populate your address on file. Selecting Other Address will open a field for you to enter a custom address for the event.
• Over the Phone: Enter the phone number clients should call at the time of the event.
• Online: Enter the URL for your preferred video conferencing or webinar platform.

Duration: Set the length of the event. This controls how long the session is blocked on your calendar for each occurrence.

Set Pricing and Payment Options for a Group Event

Thryv Business Center gives you full control over how your group event is priced and whether clients pay at the time of booking. Select the pricing option that fits your business model.

Free — Display a Fee — The event will appear as "Free" on your booking page. Use this option when you want clients to see that there is no charge for the session.

Free — Don't Display a Fee — No pricing information will be shown to clients during booking. Use this option when cost is not relevant to the registration experience.

Paid — Suggest to Pay at Booking — The event fee will be displayed to clients, and they will be prompted to pay online during registration. If a client chooses not to pay at the time of booking, the registration will still be confirmed and marked as unpaid on your calendar. You can collect payment later.

Paid — Require to Pay at Booking — The event fee will be displayed to clients, and payment must be completed before the registration is confirmed. The booking will not be finalized until payment is processed. Once payment is received, it will automatically be marked as confirmed.

Paid — Display Fee Only (No Upfront Payment) — The event fee will be shown to clients during registration, but no payment will be collected at booking. Once the registration is confirmed, you can issue an invoice through Thryv Business Center or record a payment if you collect fees offline or in person.

Price Varies — Display as "For a Fee" — Use this option when the price for your group event is not fixed. The event will display as "For a fee" on your booking page. You can discuss pricing with each client individually and issue an invoice or record payment at a later date.

Note: To collect payment at the time of booking, you must first configure a payment gateway. Click Settings in the left-hand navigation, then click Payments to set up your payment method.

Customize the Client Scheduling Form

Each group event can have its own client intake form so you collect the right information from clients at the time of registration. This is useful when you need service-specific details  such as skill level for a class, dietary restrictions for an event, or equipment preferences that are unique to this group event and not needed for every appointment type.

The screenshot below shows the client scheduling form editor. The editor is divided into two sections: Fields available in all scheduling request forms, which displays standard client information fields configured under your Client Card settings, and Additional fields for this service, where you can add fields that are specific to this group event only.

In the Fields available in all scheduling request forms section are pulled from your settings and will appear on every new registration. Returning clients will be recognized automatically by their email address and will not be asked to re-enter their client card information.

In the Additional fields for this service section appear every time a client registers for this specific group event, including returning clients.

To add a field to the scheduling form:

1. Click Add/Edit in the scheduling form section.
2. Click Add Field.
3. Select a field type from the dropdown menu. The available field types are:
   • Single Line Field — A short text input for one line of client response.
   • Multi-Line Field — A larger text input that allows clients to enter longer responses across multiple lines.
   • Drop Down Field — A dropdown menu that presents clients with a set of options to choose from.
   • Checkbox — A checkbox field. You can set whether the checkbox defaults to selected or unselected.
   • Datepicker — A calendar date selector for fields where clients need to provide a specific date.
4. Enter a Label to name the field as it will appear to clients.
5. Check the Required box if clients must complete this field before their registration can be submitted.

The screenshot below shows the Add Field panel, which displays the field type dropdown, the Label input field, and the Required checkbox. The field type dropdown lists all five available options: Single Line Field, Multi-Line Field, Drop Down Field, Checkbox, and Datepicker.

Additional Event Settings

Service Details: Enter a description of the group event. This text will appear directly below the event name on your booking page and in your service menu. Use this field to tell clients what to expect, what the session includes, and anything they need to bring or prepare.

Image: Upload a photo to represent the group event on your booking page and service menu.

Show on Menu: Turn this setting on to list the group event publicly on your booking page so any client can discover and register on their own. Turn this setting off to keep the event private and hidden from your public booking page. When Show on Menu is turned off, the event will not appear on your public service menu, but a unique invitation link will still be generated for the event. You can share this link directly with selected clients to allow them to register.

Preparation Time: Enter an amount of time to reserve before each occurrence of this event for setup or preparation. This time is added as a buffer before the event starts and will block that time on your calendar. Preparation time is not applied to the first available time slot of the day.

Staff :Select the staff member who will provide this group event by default. You can change the assigned staff member on a per-occurrence basis when you schedule the event on your calendar.

The screenshot below shows the settings on group event, service details and service image.

Save and Schedule Your Group Event

Click Save in the top menu to save your group event configuration. Your group event is now created and ready to schedule. The next step is to add occurrences to your calendar so clients can register for specific dates and times. 

Note: Clients will be able to see the group event on your booking page if Show on Menu is turned on, but available dates will not appear to clients until you have added at least one occurrence to your calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can a client register multiple people  such as their family or a group  under one registration? No. Group events in Thryv Business Center support individual registrations only. Each person must submit their own registration form and will be charged separately. If a client wants to register multiple people, each person must complete the registration process individually.

Do I need a payment gateway set up before I can require payment at booking? Yes. To use the "Require to Pay at Booking" or "Suggest to Pay at Booking" pricing options, you must first configure a payment gateway under Settings. Click Settings in the left-hand navigation, then click Payments. 

What is the unique invitation link and how do I share it? Every group event in Thryv Business Center has a unique invitation link, regardless of whether the event is listed publicly on your booking page. You can share this link directly with clients via email, text, or any other channel to allow them to register for the event. To find the invitation link for a group event, go to Settings, click My Services, and open the group event.

Can I edit a group event after it has been created? Yes. Go to Settings in the left-hand navigation, click My Services, and find the group event you want to update. Changes to the event configuration will apply to future occurrences. Changes do not automatically update occurrences that have already been scheduled on your calendar.

This article does not cover adding group event occurrences to your calendar, managing registrations, or processing payments for group events. 

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