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Mapping event guests to the right constituents for accurate engagement tracking: a step-by-step guide

Follow this step-by-step process to clear your guest mapping queue — link every event registration to the right constituent so engagement is tracked accurately and your data stays clean.

Written by Sarita Markande

When guests register for an event on Almabase, the host (main registrant) needs to be linked to the correct person in your database before the registration can be fully tracked or synced. This link is called a mapping — it connects the registrant to an existing constituent. Accompanying guests don't need to be mapped — mapping them is optional.

Mapping is what ensures that event registrations are attributed to the right person. Without it, the registration sits unlinked — it won't appear on the constituent's engagement history, it won't sync to your CRM if you use a native integration (Raiser's Edge or BBCRM), and while it will still appear in event exports, it won't be connected to a constituent on the file. Whether you sync data automatically or export it manually, mapping the host is the step that keeps your records accurate and complete.

A handful of unmapped guest records is normal after a busy event — a new attendee the system has never seen, an alumna whose email changed, or accompanying guests who don't need to be mapped at all. This guide walks you through clearing your unmapped queue so every host registration is properly linked.

How It Works

Before you start: not every record needs manual mapping

You don't have to map every guest registration by hand. The system has a built-in auto-mapping capability that automatically links registrations to the right constituent the moment a guest registers. In most cases, auto-mapping handles the majority of your records — only the ones it can't confidently match land in your queue for manual review.

How auto-mapping works:

When a guest registers, the system looks for a matching record using the rule you've configured. It checks Almabase first; if no match is found there, it checks your connected CRM. If exactly one record matches the rule, the guest is auto-mapped — you never see it in the queue. If no record matches, or if multiple records match, the system can't decide for you, and the record lands in your unmapped queue.

Choose your matching rule under Sync configuration and connectors → Guest mapping. The available options are:

  • Email only (default) — matches when the registrant's email matches exactly one record

  • Name and email — requires both name and email to match

  • Name, email, or phone — broadens the match to include phone number

A broader rule means more registrations auto-map and fewer land in your queue. A stricter rule gives you more control but means more manual review.

For a full walkthrough of each rule and its trade-offs, see Auto-mapping Rules: Matching Guests and Gifts to your Constituents.

Step 1 — Open the unmapped queue

Records that auto-mapping couldn't place land in the unmapped queue. To access it, go to your Guest dashboard and click Review and Map.

Step 2 — Filter by event(optional)

At the top of the queue, use the filters to narrow down to a specific event. This is helpful after a large event when you want to clear that event's queue while the attendee list is still fresh. Skip this step if you want to clear the entire queue at once.

The queue organizes records into three sections based on how confident the system is that it found the right match:

  1. Ready to Approve — high-confidence matches

  2. Needs Review — probable matches that need your judgment

  3. New Constituent — no match found

Work through these sections in order, starting with high-confidence matches. This lets you clear the bulk of your queue quickly and saves your judgment for the records that truly need it.

Step 3 — Clear high-confidence matches (Ready to Approve)

Select the Ready to Approve section. These are guest registrations where the system found a single strong match — for example, the phone number matched and the name is close, but the email didn't match exactly.

For each record, you can:

  • Confirm the mapping — proceed with the suggested match

  • Remap — search for and link to a different record on Almabase or your CRM

  • Skip mapping — leave the record unmapped for now. This is a reasonable choice for accompanying guests, since they don't need to be mapped for the registration to sync.

  • Ignore — exclude this guest from sync and exports entirely. Use this when you don't need to track or sync this guest at all — common for small events or where tracking every attendee in your CRM isn't necessary.

You can review records one by one, or select multiple and click Map the selected ones to confirm them in bulk.

Tip: If you find yourself consistently approving high-confidence matches, toggle on the option to auto-map high-confidence matches going forward. This keeps them from reaching your queue in the future.

Step 4 — Review probable matches (Needs Review)

Move to the Needs Review section. These are guest registrations where the system found one or more possible matches, but the evidence isn't strong enough to be confident — for example, the name matches but the email differs, or more than one constituent could be the right person.

Review each record individually. The queue shows full details of every probable match, including whether the match was found on Almabase or your connected CRM.

For each record, you can:

  • Confirm the mapping if the suggested match is correct

  • Search and remap to a different record

  • Skip mapping — leave unmapped for now. Appropriate for accompanying guests who don't need to be mapped.

  • Ignore — exclude from sync and exports entirely, if tracking this guest isn't needed.

If you want to clear multiple records at once, select the ones you want to act on and use the bulk action options.

Step 5 — Handle records with no match (New Constituent)

The New Constituent section contains guest registrations where no match was found on Almabase or your connected CRM. These are likely new people who aren't in your database yet — first-time attendees, community members, or accompanying guests.

For each record, you can:

  • Create a profile — add them as a new constituent on Almabase (they'll then be mapped and their registration linked). This is recommended for hosts and main registrants, since they need to be mapped for tracking and sync to work.

  • Search and map — if you believe a record exists that the system missed, search for it manually

  • Skip mapping — leave unmapped for now. A reasonable choice for accompanying guests who don't need to be mapped.

  • Ignore — exclude from sync and exports entirely, if tracking this guest isn't needed.

For bulk actions, you have the option to create records in bulk for everyone in this section. Use the Only create records with contact info toggle to control whether the system creates profiles only for records that have an email, phone, or other contact details. Records without contact information are typically accompanying guests (where contact info is not mandatory on the registration form) or guests added manually by an admin. Creating a profile is most valuable for hosts and main registrants — for accompanying guests without contact details, skipping is usually the better choice.

Step 6 — Confirm sync is unblocked

Once your queue is clear, every guest registration is linked to the right constituent. This means:

  • Engagement tracking is accurate — each registration appears on the correct constituent's record

  • Exports are clean — when you export event data, registrations are attributed to the right people

  • Sync is unblocked (if you use a native CRM integration) — mapped records flow to Raiser's Edge or BBCRM on the next sync cycle

To verify, return to your Guest dashboard. The Guest matching card should show zero pending.

Keeping your queue manageable

A few habits keep the queue from piling up:

  • Map after every event while attendees are fresh in your mind and you can confidently identify people.

  • Tune your auto-mapping rule if you're repeatedly reviewing the same kinds of matches. A broader rule catches more automatically; a stricter rule gives you more control.

  • Clear high-confidence matches in bulk first every time — it's the fastest way to shrink the queue to just the records that need real judgment.

FAQs

Do I have to map every single guest before anything works?

No. Only the host (main registrant) needs to be mapped for a registration to sync and be tracked. Accompanying guests can remain unmapped without blocking anything — mapping them is optional.

Records that are already mapped are tracked and available for sync or export immediately. You can clear part of your queue and return to the rest later. For guests you don't want tracked or synced at all, use the Ignore option — this removes them from the queue entirely. Ignoring or skipping does not delete the guest from Almabase; it only affects whether the registration is linked and included in sync or exports.

What's the difference between auto-mapping and the mapping queue?

Auto-mapping runs automatically the moment a guest registers, linking clear matches instantly — you never see those records. The mapping queue holds the leftovers: records where there was no match, multiple possible matches, or only a weak signal.

A guest has two strong matches. Which one do I pick?

The system surfaces both so you can decide. This usually happens with a parent and child who share details, or with duplicate profiles. Look at surrounding details — class year, address, giving history — to identify the right person. If the two records are actually duplicates of the same person, that's worth cleaning up in your CRM or on Almabase separately.

What's the difference between Skip and Ignore?

Skip mapping leaves the guest unmapped — it stays in the queue and can be mapped later. Ignore is a deliberate decision to exclude that guest from sync entirely, and it removes the record from the queue.

When to use Skip: Skip is appropriate for accompanying guests who don't need to be mapped for the registration to sync. Avoid skipping a host or main registrant — skipping them means the registration stays unlinked, so guest tracking won't happen and sync won't go through for that registration.

When to use Ignore: Ignore is the right choice when a guest — whether a host or an accompanying guest — doesn't need to be synced to your CRM and tracking their attendance isn't important. This is common for small events or situations where tracking every attendee in your CRM isn't crucial. Ignoring removes the record from the queue permanently so it doesn't keep appearing.

In both cases, the guest registration itself is unaffected on Almabase — these actions only control whether the registration is linked to a constituent and whether it syncs.

I chose Skip or Ignore by mistake. Can I undo it?

Yes. If you catch it right away, use the Undo option in the confirmation message. If you've already moved on and the record is no longer in the queue, navigate to the individual guest record to reverse the action.

Should I create a profile for every accompanying guest?

Not necessarily. Accompanying guests don't need to be mapped for the registration to sync — only the host does. Creating a profile makes sense when the accompanying guest has enough contact information to be useful in your database and you want to track their engagement independently — for example, a spouse with a valid email address. For guests where you only have a name and no contact details (common for accompanying guests where contact info isn't mandatory on the form, or guests added by an admin), skipping is the more practical choice.

The same person shows up unmapped for every event. Why?

Mapping applies to a specific registration, not to the person permanently. This is intentional — it lets you handle each event in its own context. If a returning attendee keeps appearing, consider broadening your auto-mapping rule so the system catches them automatically.

Does mapping create duplicates in my CRM?

No — mapping is what prevents duplicates. It links a registration to an existing constituent rather than creating a second profile. New constituents are created only when you explicitly choose Create for a record with no match.

When a guest is mapped, does the registration information automatically flow to their profile?

It depends on how your Event connector is set up. Each connector has rules that control what happens when registration information comes in:

  • Auto — the information flows directly to the Almabase profile as soon as the guest is mapped.

  • Review — the information is flagged for an admin to approve before it updates the profile.

  • Don't update — the information is not applied to the profile.

You can configure these rules globally (for all events) or individually per event under Sync configuration and connectors.

One important note: this flow applies only when a guest is mapped to an Almabase record. If a guest is mapped directly to a CRM record (rather than an Almabase record), the registration information does not flow to the CRM directly — the record needs to be connected to an Almabase profile for the information to travel through.

For the full details on how contact information syncs from events to your CRM, see Syncing contact information from Events and Giving Campaigns to Raiser's Edge / BBCRM.

How often should I go through this process?

After every event is ideal — the attendees are fresh in your mind and the queue stays small. At minimum, a weekly review keeps things from accumulating. The longer registrations sit unmapped, the longer they're missing from constituent records.

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