How to Set Up Event Parking in 30 Seconds

Event parking doesn't have to be complicated. With the Ovlo mobile app, you can set up special event pricing in 30 seconds and start generating revenue immediately.

What Problem This Solves

Whether you're hosting a concert, sports game, festival, or special event, you need parking pricing that:

• Activates automatically at the right time
• Charges the right price for the event
• Expires when the event ends
• Switches back to normal pricing automatically

Manual setup is time-consuming and error-prone. The Ovlo mobile app handles all of this automatically.

Before You Start

Make sure you have:

• The Ovlo mobile app installed and logged in
• Access to your parking lot in the app
• The event date and times planned
• Your event pricing decided

Step 1: Navigate to Events

1. Open the Ovlo mobile app
2. Navigate to the Lot Management screen
3. Select your parking lot from the dropdown (if you manage multiple lots)
4. Tap the "Events" tab at the top

You'll see the "Scheduled Events" panel with your existing events (if any) and a "+" button in the top right corner.

Step 2: Open the Event Form

Tap the "+" button in the top right corner of the Events panel. A modal will slide up with the event creation form.

Step 3: Fill in Event Details

The form has the following fields:

Required Fields

1. Event Name (required)

   • Enter a clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Taylor Swift Concert", "Yankees vs Red Sox")
   • Minimum 3 characters

2. Start Date & Start Time (required)

   • Start Date: Tap to select the date when event parking becomes available
   • Start Time: Tap to select the time (e.g., 6:00 PM)
   • This is when customers can start buying event parking

3. End Date & End Time (required)

   • End Date: Tap to select the date when event parking stops being sold
   • End Time: Tap to select the time (e.g., 10:00 PM)
   • This is when the system stops selling event parking and switches back to normal pricing

Optional Fields

4. Description (optional)
   • Add any additional details about the event
   • This is for your reference only

Step 4: Choose Event Type

Select one of two event types:

Free Parking

• Select "Free Parking" if you want to offer free parking during the event
• No pricing options needed
• Perfect for community events, charity events, or special promotions

Custom Pricing

• Select "Custom Pricing" to set specific prices for the event
• You'll need to add pricing options (see Step 5)

Step 5: Add Pricing Options (Custom Pricing Only)

If you selected "Custom Pricing", you'll see a "Pricing Options" section:

1. Tap "+ Add Option" to add your first pricing option
2. For each pricing option, set:
   • Hours: Duration in hours (e.g., 2, 6, 12, 24)
   • Minutes: Additional minutes (e.g., 0, 30)
   • Price ($): The price for this duration (e.g., 25.00)
3. Tap "+ Add Option" again to add more pricing tiers if needed
4. Tap the "✕" button to remove any pricing option

Example Pricing Options:

• 2 hours: $15.00
• 6 hours: $25.00
• 12 hours: $35.00
• 24 hours: $50.00

Save as Preset (Optional)

If you've added custom pricing options, you can check "Save pricing options as preset" to reuse this pricing configuration for future events.

Step 6: Schedule Your Event

1. Review all the information:

   • ✅ Event name is clear and descriptive
   • ✅ Start date/time is correct
   • ✅ End date/time is correct
   • ✅ Event type is selected
   • ✅ Pricing options are set (if Custom Pricing)

2. Tap the "Schedule Event" button at the bottom of the form

The event is created immediately and will be active during your specified time window.

Common Event Scenarios

Concert Parking

• Event Type: Custom Pricing
• Start Date/Time: 2-3 hours before show (e.g., 5:00 PM for 8:00 PM show)
• End Date/Time: When show starts or shortly after (e.g., 8:30 PM)
• Pricing Options:
  • 2 hours: $20
  • 6 hours: $35
  • 12 hours: $50

Sports Game Parking

• Event Type: Custom Pricing
• Start Date/Time: 1-2 hours before game (e.g., 12:00 PM for 2:00 PM game)
• End Date/Time: Game start time (e.g., 2:00 PM)
• Pricing Options:
  • 2 hours: $15
  • 6 hours: $25
  • 12 hours: $40

Festival/Multi-Day Event

• Event Type: Custom Pricing
• Start Date/Time: Event start time (e.g., Friday 5:00 PM)
• End Date/Time: Event end time (e.g., Sunday 11:00 PM)
• Pricing Options:
  • 24 hours: $30
  • 48 hours: $50
  • 72 hours: $70

Free Community Event

• Event Type: Free Parking
• Start Date/Time: Event start (e.g., Saturday 10:00 AM)
• End Date/Time: Event end (e.g., Saturday 4:00 PM)
• No pricing options needed

Best Practices

1. Set Clear Event Names

Use descriptive names that customers will recognize:

• ✅ "Taylor Swift Concert - June 15"
• ✅ "Yankees vs Red Sox - Saturday"
• ❌ "Special Event"
• ❌ "Event 1"

2. Plan Your Times

• Start selling 1-3 hours before the event
• Set end time to when the event starts (or shortly after)
• Give customers enough time to leave safely

3. Price Strategically

• Research competitor pricing
• Consider event demand
• Test different prices for similar events
• Use early bird discounts to encourage early arrival

4. Test Before the Event

Create a test event a day before to:

• Verify pricing displays correctly
• Check time zone handling
• Ensure automatic switching works

5. Monitor During the Event

• Watch the dashboard for payment activity
• Adjust if needed (you can edit events in real-time)
• Be ready to extend end time if event runs late

Troubleshooting

Event Not Showing on Payment Page

• Check that current time is within the event window
• Verify the event is active (not deleted or expired)
• Ensure you're viewing the correct parking lot

Pricing Not Switching Back

• Events automatically switch at the end time
• If it doesn't switch, check your time zone settings
• Verify the event end time is set correctly

Customers Can't Buy Event Parking

• Check that current time is within start/end window
• Verify the event hasn't expired
• Ensure normal pricing is configured as backup

What Happens Next

Once your event is scheduled:

1. Automatic Activation: Event pricing becomes available at the start date/time
2. Customer Experience: Customers see your event name and pricing options when they scan the QR code
3. Automatic Switch: At the end date/time, the system automatically:
   • Stops selling event parking
   • Switches back to normal pricing
4. No Manual Action Needed: The system handles everything automatically

You can edit or delete events at any time by tapping "Edit" or "Delete" on any event card in the Events panel.

Related Articles

• How to Configure Grace Periods for Different Scenarios
• How to Maximize Revenue with Dynamic Pricing
• How to Use Promo Codes for Special Events

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Ready to set up your first event? Open the Ovlo mobile app and create an event in 30 seconds. If you run into any issues, our support team is available 24/7 to help.