When I first tried event planning, I didn’t have amazing event management software like what is available today. There are many benefits to using event management software. Because this post is meant to help everyone, even a beginner event planner, we’ll talk about several different types of systems that you can use to streamline your workflow, but also address what makes the right tool for you and how to find that right tool.
What Makes The Right Tool?
This is where you can get really detailed and talk about what works best with your personality type and your organisation type. It’s pretty simple, though, and doesn’t require a lot of psychoanalysis: use what works for you. Now that seems like a hard place to start, and believe me, it is. Why? Because it takes practice and time to find out what works best for you, and you may not always have that time at your disposal. Here are some suggestions as to where you can start.
Digital
If you are a tech-savvy person with a passion for workflow management on web-based applications, then this is where you want to start. There are several suggestions later that will help you find what is best for you to use and try out with your next event. From Slack to keep messages together without needing massive group chats, to notifications that are streamlined via email or even phone notifications, there are several ways that this can be a benefit. However, keep in mind that the more tech-savvy options are going to be more intrusive in the lives of your team.
Physical Copy
Back to the ways that events used to be run! Sticky notes, notebooks, text messages, and phone calls. Instead of using new apps, you feel like you rely more on handwritten notes and instructions sent via email so that you always have a paper trail. This is a great way to keep things organised, but it doesn’t allow a lot of connectivity or collaboration.
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How Do I Find The Right Tools?
There are so many event planning tools that it’s hard to keep track of them all. If you go between the two basic areas of event planning tools, the physical vs. the digital world, there are plenty of tools to look at.
One of the best ways to start looking to see what tool is right for you is going to look at how you already operate. Are you an application fanatic or do you prefer hand-written things? Or, even more confusing, are you a combination of both? No matter which way you lean, there are always tools, and finding the right one is usually based on how you already work and operate.
One of the biggest pieces of advice that you can use here is don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Research the tools that people use and find a combination that works for you. It’s all trial and error and time to find exactly what is going to work best for your specific process.
Some Free Tools To Use
Just to help you get started, here are some free online applications that you can use to start organising your team and your event:
- com
- Google Suite
- Slack
- Telegram
- Trello
Some of these options have a feel that relates closely to pen and paper, and automate some of the email processes that you may have in your workflow already. Don’t be afraid to try new things! At the same time, if notebooks, sticky notes, and whiteboards are your go-to, don’t mess around with your flow and keep up the hard work!
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All Together Now
If we bring all of this together, the simplest answer is that the right event planning tool to streamline your event planning workflow is the tool that works best for you. Trying to reinvent the wheel or trying something that doesn’t work with your skill set can set you back if you don’t have the time to learn and work with a new application.
While applications can be very handy and eliminate dozens of steps from your process, if you need those steps to keep track of everything going on in your mind, then you need those steps. That’s okay! When you are in the off-season for your events, take the time to learn a new system and then apply that during the next event season and see how it works. Remember, it’s all about what works for you and your team!
References & Sources:
Whova Team. (2026, April 13). 20 best event management software & tools in 2026.
Guideflow Editorial Team. (2026, March 13). 25 best event management software tools for 2026.
Eventbrite. (2025). Eventbrite features and benefits for ticketing and registration.
Slack Technologies. (2025). Slack for event planning: Collaboration and communication features.
Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice or a promotional endorsement of any tools mentioned. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before making decisions. The author and publisher are not responsible for any outcomes resulting from the use of this information.
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