What RainFocus Booth Selection Does
Some shows run exhibitor registration in RainFocus, a separate event registration platform, but want booths picked on a real floor plan rather than from a list. RainFocus booth selection connects the two. RainFocus sends each exhibitor to your Map D floor plan with a link that says who they are, how many booths they can pick and which booth types they can choose. The exhibitor picks on the map, submits, and goes back to RainFocus.
What happens to their picks depends on the mode RainFocus asks for. Either Map D assigns the booths and tells RainFocus, or Map D passes the picks to RainFocus as ranked choices for your team to decide later. Both run from one setting, RainFocus booth selection, on the Integrations tab of Registration & Orders.
This page covers how the RainFocus integration works on the Map D side. The floor plan exhibitors pick from is the same one described on event floor plan software.
Booth Selection vs Booth Choices
| Mode | RF_Selection_Mode | What Map D does | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booth selection | 1 | Matches or adds the exhibitor, assigns the booths, marks them sold and sends each booth to RainFocus | Self-service selection, where the first exhibitor to submit gets the booth |
| Booth choices | 0 | Sends the booths to RainFocus in the order the exhibitor picked them; nothing is assigned in Map D | Assignment by priority or committee, where preferences are collected first |
In booth selection mode, Map D looks the exhibitor up in RainFocus, then finds them in your exhibitor list: first someone who picked booths through RainFocus before, then someone with exactly the same company name. If there's no match, Map D adds them to your exhibitors. Tidy company names in both systems before selection opens, so returning exhibitors match the record you already have. See exhibitor management software for what that record holds.
Setting Up the RainFocus Integration
- 1
Open the Integrations Tab
Open Registration & Orders and select the Integrations tab. Under RainFocus booth selection, turn the switch on.
- 2
Enter Your Key and Endpoints
Enter the API profile key RainFocus gave you for the event, plus the Exhibitor profile endpoint and Booth store endpoint for booth selection, and the Booth choices endpoint for booth choices. Each must be an https address on rainfocus.com.
- 3
Save the Settings
Select Save RainFocus settings. The key and the signing secret are stored encrypted, and the form shows saved instead of the value. Leave a field blank to keep what is saved.
- 4
Give RainFocus the Link
Copy the Booth selection link for RainFocus from the panel and give it to RainFocus, along with the numbers listed under Booth type IDs and Map IDs.
- 5
Sign Your Links
Optionally enter a Link signing secret and share it with RainFocus, so links that have been edited are refused.
What the Booth Selection Link Carries
RainFocus adds these values to the booth selection link for each exhibitor. Booth type and map values use the numbers listed under Booth type IDs and Map IDs in the panel.
| Parameter | What it sets | Required |
|---|---|---|
| RF_Exhib_ID | The exhibitor's RainFocus ID | Yes |
| RF_Num_Booths | How many booths they can pick, up to 50 | Yes |
| RF_Selection_Mode | 1 to assign booths, 0 to send ranked choices only | Yes |
| RF_Redirect_URL | Where to send them back to in RainFocus | Yes |
| RF_Booth_Type_Criteria | The booth types they can pick, separated by commas | No |
| Map_ID | Which of your maps opens; without it, your first map opens | No |
| RF_Signature | The link signature | Only when a signing secret is set |
What Exhibitors See on Your Floor Plan
Exhibitors see your floor plan with only the booths they can pick highlighted: open, for sale, with no exhibitor on them, and of an allowed booth type. Booths that already have an exhibitor show that exhibitor's logo, the same as on your published floor plan, following the Exhibitor Logos on Booths setting in Map Settings.
- Pick booths on the map; each one appears under Booth Selections.
- Remove a booth, or select clear all to start again.
- Select SUBMIT.
- See a thank-you message and go back to RainFocus.
When they submit, Map D checks every rule again: how many booths, which booth types, and that each booth is still free. If two exhibitors pick the same booth at the same time, only one gets it, and the other is asked to refresh and pick another booth. In booth selection mode, an exhibitor who already has a booth can't pick again and is asked to contact you; change their booths in your exhibitor list or on the map.
Signed Links and Other Safeguards
A booth selection link carries the exhibitor's limits in the address, so someone could edit it to ask for more booths or other booth types. To stop that, enter a Link signing secret and share it with RainFocus. Links then need an RF_Signature: an HMAC-SHA256 of the values below, joined by vertical bars and written in hex. Links without a matching signature are refused.
RF_Exhib_ID|RF_Num_Booths|RF_Selection_Mode|RF_Booth_Type_Criteria|RF_Redirect_URL
- Booth selection is closed while your show is read-only.
- If the page says the show has no floor plan, publish your map first.
- Only booths that are open, for sale and unassigned can be picked.
Checklist Before You Open Booth Selection
- Publish the floor plan exhibitors will pick from, and check booth types and prices.
- Agree with RainFocus which mode each exhibitor group uses.
- Share the Booth type IDs and Map IDs RainFocus needs for the criteria and map values.
- Set a Link signing secret if links could be forwarded or edited.
- Check that company names match between RainFocus and your Map D exhibitor list.
- Run a sample exhibitor through each mode before invitations go out.
If exhibitors buy booths directly from you rather than through RainFocus, Map D's own booth sales software handles selection, checkout and payment on the same map. For the other systems Map D connects to, see event software integrations.
