This article explains the role and usability of "Exhibitor ID" in a Smart Scheduling platform (MustMeet)
What is an Exhibitor ID
An "exhibitor Id" is an unstructured metadata which is UNIQUE to each exhibitor at the event and application level. Some may call it a "Company ID" because an exhibitor Id is always at company level. When an exhibitor has an exhibitor Id, all the representative and products will have a relationship with the exhibitor and will inherit this Id on the Grip platform. The exhibiting company could be called a (an) Supplier, Buyer, Distributor or an Exhibitor etc.
Although organisers may call a type/category anything on the Grip platform, for the purpose of this article you will often see that we refer to them as an exhibitor or a supplier and buyer type which are more commonly used.
Example:
Exhibitor name: Microsoft
Exhibitor Representative : Howard Jackson and Jodie Simson
Products: Ms project management software and Office 2021.
| Exhibitor ID | |
| Microsoft (ExhibitorCompany) | Mc007 |
| Howard Jackson | Mc007 |
| Jodie Simson | Mc007 |
| Ms Project | Mc007 |
| Office 2021 | Mc007 |
Where an "exhibitor ID" is used
The "exhibitor ID" is used for the following features:
- To create a relationship
- To define "Exclusive and non-exclusive meetings"
- To define the "Met before flag"
To Create a relationship
An "Exhibitor Id' is used to create a relationship between an exhibitor with it's representatives, products and any other relationship that the exhibiting company requires to have on the Grip platform.
To define "Exclusive and non-exclusive meetings"
An Exhibitor ID (company Id) is used in combination with the “wwe_meetings_unique” metadata to control whether a supplier Or buyer has a unique meeting at the event.
To Connect Sharers
On the Grip dashboard, to connect 2 "Supplier Representatives" as a sharer through API; the supplier representative must have the same "exhibitor IDs".
To define the "Met before flag"
Where this feature is used for an event, the "supplier" type past meetings are defined by an "Exhibitor ID". This means that if you decide to use the "met before flag" feature in an event, the supplier type must have an Exhibitor ID which is unique to the representative in the event or application. Please note that when we say within "an event", it means one event; but when it is said "an app"; it refers to all the events in an application.
If you would like to get more information about this feature , please read our article on this here.
Who the " Exhibitor ID" is assigned to
| exhibitor_id | Supplier (Person) | Buyer (Person) |
| Relationship | Y | Y |
| Exclusive Meeting | Y | Y |
| Met before Flag | Y | No |
Exhibitor ID for a relationship
An exhibitor can have a relationship with any "thing" on the Grip platform as long as it is assigned an exhibitor Id. An exhibitor can be connected to a representative, a product, workshop of it's own on the Grip platform.
Exhibitor ID for "Exclusive and non-exclusive meetings"
To control whether 2 representatives from 1 company have a unique meeting at the event, the 2 representatives must have the same exhibitor Id. This means that anyone within any type/category if are required to have a unique meeting; should have an exhibitor Id. This could be a representative of a buyer, supplier or a distributor.
Exhibitor ID for "Met before flag"
On the Smart Scheduling (MustMeet) platform, the Supplier type past meetings are defined by "exhibitor ID".
Here is an overal table of what and who requires an exhibitor Id. For the purpose of MustMeet we keep it simple as 2 types. The Supplier and Buyer Type.
Do I need Exhibitor Id as a mandatory Field in HB
Where we do not have "Met before flag", No exhibitor company to have connection with the rep" , we do not need an exhibitor Id field. in another world where we do no have any of the HB functions that require an "exhibitor_id" in an event, we do not need to add this unstructured metadata.