Planning Pod

I like that I can create events by name and date. I can add images to each event and assign vendors and users. It also lets me assign different permission levels to each user, so if I assign an event to a client, they only see their event and nothing else. There aren't many drawbacks, but a few I've found: the floorplan dimensions are slightly off. Twice I've mapped out a room, and when we tried to set it up, we didn't have enough space. Also, in the old version, you could label vendors by category and find them easily, but now you have to tag them, and sometimes we forget. Previously, I had to write everything out in the customer file, making it hard to communicate with all vendors. Something always slipped through the cracks. Not anymore, because with sharing, everyone is on the same page.

I've been impressed with how easy it is for our whole team and clients to use. Clients find it very straightforward to make payments online (compared to checks or clunky payment processors), and we integrated two entities under the same roof into this system. I wish they had a mobile app; it would be extremely helpful to access client info on the go. We're solving the issue of double booking between private events and student programs. It's great to have everything in one place, including color-coding by event type!

What stands out most about Planning Pod is the flexibility of actions and communication from a single dashboard. I love how it has evolved over the years, having been a subscriber for over a decade. It also lets me assign different permission levels to each user. I appreciate that. There aren't many downsides, but the few I've encountered include managing large-scale task delegation that may require several people to handle. Improvements and new features are constantly being added to make it more user-friendly. If you want to keep employee data on a single platform, this is the only software you need. I love it; it may take time to set up initially, but once done, it's easy and clients love it. The itinerary and floor plan tools are shared with other departments inside and outside my organization. There's a place for all information. We've resolved double booking issues between our private events and student programs. It truly has a place for everything.

It was user-friendly and had budget-friendly plans. However, it lacked inventory management when I used it. I needed CRM software and a way to manage events by client.

The interface was straightforward to navigate, and there were many handy features. However, there were too many features we didn't use that cluttered event booking. Basic suggestions for improvement were ignored. While it helps event staff coordinate and organize events, it wasn't useful for us, and we switched to Perfect Venue.

They are open to adapting, adding, and changing features based on user feedback. They make sure we have every tool we need to succeed. The initial setup and training were lacking, but they've been responsive whenever we needed assistance. Key features include lead management, calendar management, automated payments, and communications. Multiple and adjustable event orders. Multiple user levels from owner to setup staff for comprehensive communication.

I appreciate having a dependable, easy-to-use booking software that multiple team members can use. From invoices and proposals to floor plans and communications, we rely on Planning Pod in so many ways to organize events. Ensuring we get paid and contracts signed is crucial, and PP makes this process easy for our customers. I wish we had found it sooner! Transferring all your data to a new system is a big task. We've done it three times, taking weeks each time. But switching to Planning Pod was the best decision we've made. We used to have client info scattered across multiple places. Now Planning Pod consolidates all our documents, notes, floor plans, timelines, proposals, signed contracts, rental inventory, and invoices into one spot. We have hard files and Planning Pod files, that's it. We also use Dropbox, but aside from that, we've eliminated several other programs: a floor plan tool, timeline software, and a workflow/lead organizer. All gone since we implemented Planning Pod.

Planning Pod has saved us a ton of time. The contracting and billing features have professionalized our client interactions and cut down on manual record-keeping. It's user-friendly, but like any new system, there's a learning curve. Even after a year, we're still discovering new features. You can set up to-do list reminders that keep us organized and help manage each event from lead to post-event survey. It also gives us real-time visibility into overdue payments, so we can stay on top of finances.

As a food truck caterer specializing in Wood Fired Pizza for events across Western Washington, we grew quickly and needed a better way to manage our events. Since adopting this software in March, we've doubled our volume. One person can now handle all events on the calendar, which would have been impossible in previous years at this scale. The platform simplifies our entire catering workflow, connecting our whole team and clients in one place. Our clients appreciate how we've automated and streamlined their experiences. Our drivers and staff can access all contacts and details for each event, making day-of operations smooth. We can track our inquiry conversion rate. There's nothing we dislike about this product; it's been a game-changer. When we first started, they didn't have QuickBooks integration, but they've since added it, which is fantastic.

The BEO function works fine if you input everything as food and beverage items, which is a pain when you're dealing with internal rentals. Invoicing is okay. It has the potential to be a great tool, but so many small quirks quickly overshadow any positives. Customer support is terrible, the interface is extremely awkward, and they promise customization that turns out to be a falsehood. They constantly repeat, in a way that becomes weird, 'You'll love PP, just give it time,' which makes it clear the employees are trying hard to sell a product they don't even seem to like. Line items don't appear on the BEO because they messed up the backend design. The calendar has glitches and major limitations. They push you to integrate your email into their platform, but don't do it—it's awful. Messages from one client's portal sometimes show up in another client's portal, which is unprofessional and they don't seem to care. I got the impression this is a known issue they try to ignore by blaming the user. It's somehow the end user's fault. Invoices are viewable by only one person, which is problematic because often in our industry, parents pay for their kid's wedding. I have to remove the bride from the invoice, add the mother, then once she pays, remove her and add the bride back. That's extra work, and PP's solution was for the bride to share her login credentials. That's absurd—how is that a proper answer? They don't care. We also constantly face timeouts and random logouts while working on proposals. When we mentioned it, they blamed our WiFi. It happens at home, at the office, and another venue nearby says they have the same persistent issue. They downplay it and keep finding excuses. Actually, it's not solving anything; it's making things worse. It's like pointing at a burning house and the firefighter says it's not on fire. I'm shocked they have no clue about their own product. They just stick to the company line instead of acknowledging issues and fixing them. It's infuriating. I've thrown my laptop three or four times because of these problems. Every day I log in, I feel defeated and wonder what new issue I'll face with PP.