How to Import Events into WooCommerce Event Manager (Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup and iCal)
WooCommerce Event Manager is a popular way to sell event tickets through your own WooCommerce store. But before you can sell anything, you need events on the site, and creating each one by hand is slow. Dates, venues, organizers, images and descriptions add up fast.
The WPEA WooCommerce Events Manager Addon connects WP Event Aggregator with the plugin, so you can bring in events from Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup and iCal with a few clicks. This guide shows the setup, and it is also upfront about what the addon does and does not do, so you can plan your site properly. The addon documentation is there if you want a second reference.
What the Addon Does (and What It Does Not)
It does:
- Create events in WooCommerce Event Manager with title, description, featured image, dates and times.
- Assign the event category you choose, and create the organizer.
- Fill in the venue: name, address, city, state, postcode, country and map coordinates.
- Mark events without a physical venue as online events.
- Run once, or on a schedule.
It does not:
- Create WooCommerce ticket types or set ticket prices for you. That part stays in your hands, because it is your store and your pricing.
- Copy the source’s ticket checkout onto your page (except for Eventbrite, covered below).
Keeping those two points in mind makes it easy to pick the right workflow.
Pick Your Workflow
| Your goal | How to use the addon |
|---|---|
| Show events and send visitors to the original ticket page | Import the events, and for Eventbrite events show the Eventbrite checkout on the event page. |
| Sell tickets through your own WooCommerce store | Import the events to save the typing, then add your own ticket types to each event in WooCommerce Event Manager. |
Both workflows start with the same setup below.
What You Need
- WP Event Aggregator
- WP Event Aggregator Pro
- WooCommerce Event Manager
- The WPEA WooCommerce Events Manager Addon
If something is missing, the addon shows a notice in your dashboard telling you what to install or activate.
Setup in Four Steps
Step 1: Activate your license
Go to WP Event Aggregator → Woocommerce Events Manager Addon License and enter your license key so the addon can receive updates.
Step 2: Connect your source
Open WP Event Aggregator → Settings and connect your source. Eventbrite, Facebook and Meetup each need a quick connection, such as a token or app credentials. iCal needs none. The WP Event Aggregator documentation explains each one.
Step 3: Choose WooCommerce Event Manager as the destination
Open the import tab for your source and find Import Into. Select WooCommerce Events Manager, pick an event category and a status, then run the import. Imported events arrive as pending unless you choose another status, so you can review them before they go live.
Step 4: Check the result
Open Events in your dashboard and look at one of the imported events. Check the dates, the venue and the image, then publish.
Where Can the Events Come From?
- Eventbrite by Event ID, Organizer ID or Collection ID
- Facebook by Event ID or Facebook Page
- Meetup by Event ID or Group URL
- iCal from an .ics file, an iCal URL or an Outlook Calendar
- CSV, XML and JSON files using the file import in WP Event Aggregator Pro
For any source you want to follow over time, choose a scheduled import and set it to run hourly, twice daily, daily, weekly or monthly.
Bonus: Eventbrite Tickets on Your Event Page
If you import from Eventbrite and want visitors to buy tickets there, you can show the Eventbrite checkout under the event. Turn on Display ticket option after event in the Eventbrite settings of WP Event Aggregator. The addon then adds the ticket section to the bottom of the single event page.
Tips Before You Import
- Import one event first and look at it on your site.
- Keep the status on pending until you have checked the result.
- Turn on Update existing events for a source if you want changes at the source to come through. Without it, events already on your site are skipped.
- Add your tickets after importing if you plan to sell through WooCommerce.
Good to Know
- Each import creates single events. Repeating events from a source are not set up as recurring events.
- The original event link is saved with the event for reference. It is not added to the page automatically, apart from the Eventbrite ticket section described above.
- Event tags are not imported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need WP Event Aggregator Pro?
Yes. The addon asks for WP Event Aggregator Pro as well as the free plugin.
Will the addon create tickets in WooCommerce?
No. It imports the event itself. You add ticket types and prices in WooCommerce Event Manager.
Which sources can I use?
Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup, iCal, and CSV, XML and JSON files.
Are organizers and venues created for me?
The organizer is created and assigned automatically, and the venue details are saved on each event.
Can I import events automatically?
Yes. Use a scheduled import and choose how often it should run.
Will events be published straight away?
Only if you choose that status. They default to pending.
Wrapping Up
With the addon active, filling WooCommerce Event Manager is quick: choose a source, select WooCommerce Events Manager under Import Into, pick a category and import. Check one event, decide whether you will send visitors to the original ticket page or sell through your own store, and then scale up with organizer, page, group or feed imports.
For more detail, see the WooCommerce Events Manager addon docs and the WP Event Aggregator docs, or visit the WPEA WooCommerce Events Manager Addon page and the WP Event Aggregator page.
