Some programs can’t be fulfilled every way a ticket can be delivered. A behind-the-scenes tour with a waiver and a check-in list shouldn’t go out by mail. A gala seat that comes with a printed packet shouldn’t be a print-at-home ticket. A school program that a teacher books in advance probably needs a street address, while a general admission ticket just needs an email. The trouble is that delivery methods in Altru are usually set up once for the whole organization, and every program inherits the same list.
This article covers what that means in practice, how to check what your own Altru setup allows, and the workarounds administrators use to keep the wrong delivery method off the wrong program.
The short version
As far as we know, Altru does not offer a simple per-program setting that says “this program may only use will call” or “mail delivery for this program requires a phone number.” Delivery methods and their requirements are generally configured at the organization level and then offered by the sales channel (the daily sales counter, advance sales, or your online ticket forms). If you need different rules for different programs, you end up controlling it through how each sales channel is set up, through staff procedure, and through a check after the fact.
Altru’s configuration options change over time and depend on your version and the permissions on your account, so treat that as a starting assumption, not a final answer. Confirm it before you design around it.
How to confirm what your setup can do
- Look at your delivery method configuration in the sales setup area and note which fields each method requires (address, email, phone) and which sales channels it is offered in.
- Check your program setup for anything delivery-related. If you see a delivery or fulfillment option at the program level, test it before relying on it.
- Test in a sandbox or on a training program, not on a live event. Create an order for the program in advance sales and online, and see which delivery choices appear.
- Ask Blackbaud support with a specific example: “Program X should only allow will call. Is there a native way to restrict that?” A concrete case gets a clearer answer than a general question.
Workarounds that hold up
Use the sales channel as the gate
Most program-specific delivery problems happen in one channel, usually online. If a program can only be fulfilled one way, sell it through a web form or sales path that offers only that delivery method, separate from your general admission form. More forms mean more maintenance, so save this for programs where a wrong delivery method actually costs you something: missed mailings, lost packets, guests turned away at the door.
Turn the rule into a desk procedure
For advance and group sales taken by phone, staff choose the delivery method. Keep a short reference sheet listing each program that has a restriction, the allowed method, and the information to collect. Put the restriction in the program’s description or public-facing notes too, so the person on the phone sees it while building the order. Seasonal staff won’t remember a rule they only hear about in training.
Collect the required information another way
When the real need is extra data (an address for a mailed packet, a phone number for a weather cancellation), you may not need to restrict the delivery method at all. Make sure the constituent record has what you need before the order is finished, either by making it part of your desk script or by following up with anyone whose record is missing it. A constituent query that finds program registrants with no address or email is easy to build and run weekly.
Audit orders after they’re placed
Prevention is never perfect, so add a check. Build a query on orders or tickets that returns program, event date, delivery method, and whether the constituent has an address and email. Filter for the combinations you don’t allow, such as mail delivery on a program with no mailing, or any delivery method other than will call on a restricted program. Run it on a set schedule, early enough that you can still fix the order and contact the guest before the event.
Set mail cutoffs by date, not just by program
A common reason to restrict mail delivery is timing. If mailed tickets need a week to arrive, the real rule is “no mail delivery for events less than seven days out.” If Altru won’t enforce that for you, the audit query above can flag mail-delivery orders placed inside the cutoff, and desk staff can switch them to will call and let the guest know.
Decide which rules actually matter
Before building any of this, list your programs and write down, for each one, which delivery methods are acceptable and what information you truly need. Often only a handful of programs need special handling. Put your effort there and leave everything else on the default list. The fewer exceptions you have, the easier it is for staff and the online forms to follow them.
Quick answers
Can I hide a delivery method for one program online?
Not reliably with a single setting, as far as we know. The practical approach is a separate web form for that program that offers only the delivery methods you allow. Test it before you launch.
Can mail delivery require an address for some programs but not others?
Delivery method requirements are usually set per method, not per program. If you need extra data for certain programs, collect it through your desk script and catch gaps with a query.
