Every event is either public or invite-only. A public event has one join code and link that anyone can use. An invite-only event gives each registrant a personal join code and link, or a shared registration link with a usage limit.
Before you start
You need to be an event admin or an organization admin.
Decide the model before you invite anyone. Switching later hides or shows parts of People > Registrants, and a changed public join code stops the old one from working.
Ticket selling is out of scope here; it uses invite-only events.
Where to find it
Details > Visibility > Set event visibility in the admin panel. Select Save changes after a change.
People > Settings > Event access > Invite only. The switch saves at once.
Both places change the same setting.
Compare the two models
Public event | Invite only | |
Access | Anyone with the Join Code or Join URL | Only people you add under People > Registrants, by hand, by CSV, through a registration link or an integration |
Codes | One code you choose, 4 to 20 letters and numbers | A 6-character personal code per registrant, generated by Brella; plus registration link codes |
Who sends the invitation | You | Brella (Publish invites, Send emails, in-app invites) or you |
Tracking | People > Registrants lists joined people | Joined and Not joined per registrant, Email invite status |
Ticket type list | New attendees go to the default ticket type list | You choose the list per registrant or per registration link |
Custom emails and registration links | Not available | Available |
Use Invite only when you need to control who gets in, cap attendance, or send personal invitations. Use a public event when anyone with the code is welcome.
Set up a public event
Open Details and scroll to Visibility.
Under Set event visibility, select Public event.
Enter the Join code. Use letters and numbers only, 4 to 20 characters. The code must be unique across all Brella events. The help text reads "Anyone can use this code to find and join your event."
Select Save changes.
The join link is <web app address>/join/<join code>, for example https://next.brella.io/join/northstar2027. The web app address is your organization's own app address if you have one.
Warning: Changing the join code after you have shared it breaks every copy of the old code and link. The event's address in the web app (/events/<join code>) changes with it.
Share the code and link
Home shows Join Code: and Join URL: at the top of the page.
People > Registrants shows Join URL and Join Code with copy buttons.
Put the link in your emails as a clickable link. People who join a public event land on the default ticket type list.
Set up an invite-only event
Open Details and scroll to Visibility.
Under Set event visibility, select Invite only. A What's Invite only? link appears.
The code field becomes URL slug, prefixed with
<web app address>/events/. It forms the event's address for people who have joined. Same rules: letters and numbers, 4 to 20 characters, unique. The help text reads "Invited attendees can use this link to visit your event."Select Save changes.
Then add registrants. Each gets a personal join code and link. See Add registrants one at a time and send invitations, Import registrants from a CSV file and Create and manage registration links.
How personal codes work
A personal code is 6 characters, capital letters and digits, created by Brella. The personal link is
<web app address>/join/<code>. Copying the code in the Join code column copies the link.A personal code has one seat. The first person who uses it takes the seat and becomes the joined registrant. Brella doesn't check that their account email matches the registered email.
After use, the code is struck through in People > Registrants and can't be used by anyone else. The account that used it can open the link again to return to the event.
Attendees can share their unclaimed invite from the app. The share text says the invite "cannot be reused or reassigned to someone else" once claimed.
A registration link's code works until its Max uses is reached or you set it to Inactive.
Switch between the models
Invite only to public: registrants and their personal codes are kept and still work. People > Registrants hides the summary cards, the Publish invites box, the New registrant(s) menu and the Registration links sub-tab, and lists joined people only.
Public to invite only: people who joined stay joined. New people need a personal code or a registration link; the public join code stops working for joining. The event address keeps the same slug.
What attendees see
Public event: the attendee opens the link, or selects Join new event > I have a join code in the app and enters the code. Codes aren't case-sensitive.
Invite-only event: the attendee opens their personal link, enters their personal code, or claims the invite in the app when Show invites in Brella apps is on. See How attendees register and join your event.
Limits
A public join code can't be shared between events. Brella rejects a code another event uses.
You can't set the personal codes yourself; Brella generates them.
Switching the model doesn't send any email.
The admin panel field accepts fewer than 4 characters, but Brella rejects the save with an error on the field.
Troubleshooting
"The join code you entered isn't valid"
For a public event: the code was changed or mistyped. For an invite-only event: the registrant was deleted or the code was mistyped. Send the link instead of the code.
"This join link or code has already been used"
A personal code's seat is taken, or a registration link is full. Check the Joined user column, or the link's Usage.
The admin panel rejects the join code
The code has characters other than letters and numbers, is longer than 20 characters, is shorter than 4, or another event already uses it.