Using Basecamp to organize an event

We just had a full-company IRL meetup in Amsterdam, and used Basecamp to organize and manage the whole thing. In this video, I walk you through our actual account and actual project to show you how we set it up. Basecamp's really great for managing events like this - I hope you find it illuminating.
Have questions? Curious how we'd do something else with Basecamp? Post a comment below and we'll do our best to get you the answer.

[@AngeloGiannatos]

Of all the project management tools I have used, Basecamp is always my beloved one for its clarity, simplicity and beauty in design.

[@jf4841]

Appreciate that, thank you!

[@parkerrex]

Couldn’t be better timing …. I just switched my startup to Basecamp, and I’m starting to host events for founders, investors and entrepreneurs in palm beach! Love this thank you Jason.

[@jf4841]

Timing is everything!

[@stefanegger2339]

@@jf4841 Hi Jason, I hope I get the timing right! Thanks for this video. I love how you use your own products to foster your internal culture and belonging of the people. That's the topic a friend and I are currently working on: fostering remote company culture and values. We're trying to influence it with a new podcast about remote culture stories (already got 4) and a startup idea which we're building publicly. I'd absolutely love to have you on the podcast to hear 37signals + Basecamps + HEYs story about company culture, as you definitely care so much about it ❤ This would be so valuable for many listeners. I know this message is unconventional but hey, if you don't try you can't win. Best, Stefan

[@AzzenAB]

I love this! Really enjoying the fact that you started creating videos here :)

[@robertoluzicrivellini1084]

cool use case, thanks Jason!

[@kevinrutter652]

I'm a professional fundraising Auctioneer and the fundraising world is a billion dollar industry. I could see black tie fundraising galas using this for schools and charities. If they could add the mobile bidding link they have to the silent auction in one of the spaces that would connect the entire nightly event with everyone. A private Basecamp social space kinda 🙂

[@FrancoisMuscat]

Great video - we have been using basecamp for over 10 years. Is there a way to add a checklist to a task - may be, in the Notes section, add a checkbox function. Thanks for doing these videos

[@ws6952]

One of the things that I find trickiest to do with Basecamp is to create and/or update documents while also inserting those document links into messages. For example, on a project I may create a FAQ type document which I think may want to paste (link) into a message so that I can readily point people over to that FAQ. As it stands now the back and forth to do this is somewhat awkward. The main way I'm doing this is by opening multiple versions of the same Basecamp so that I can switch between tabs when I need to get a link to an existing document so that I can paste it into a message. Is there anything I'm missing here or maybe it's just me that finds this a little cumbersome?

[@JBIsrael]

I agree. We currently post drafts of copy in the comments of a todo and then move to docs & files when it’s “approved”. I wish there was a better way to link the files from docs & files to messages, todos, or comments anywhere.

[@patrec7638]

Another great walk through with a real world example. Cheers. I've been asking the company I work for, why we use Micro$oft products and apparently it's because it's "easier" for IT to support/implement/etc. Would you be opposed to show us in a video how your support works and why it's world class? I cannot promise I would be able to get my company to approve switching to your product, but I figure the more of the moving parts you can present in these videos, the easier the sell will be. Keep on posting and pushing forward.

[@37signals]

Thanks Pat. Not sure I follow re: "how our support works"... Can you clarify what you're looking for? If you mean customer service, it's world class because you'll get a response via email very quickly (usually under an hour) from one of our top support folks. No bots, nothing farmed out - just highly informed, friendly folks empowered to help you with anything you need. Try it - drop them an email and compare their responses and willingness to help vs. what you're used to in the tech industry. Night and day. -JF

[@patrec7638]

@@37signals - appreciate you responding so quickly. To elaborate, I guess I was suggesting an idea for future video content. Your personalised walk throughs of the software is helpful, but maybe pushing some other team members in front of the camera, so they can explain their roles, how the work and examples of difficult customer support tickets they have handled and the end result, might help provide more insight into the complete Basecamp package. Maybe this is a bridge too far, but compared to the support offered by other platforms, proving you are people and not bots is just another great selling point. Anyway, shove the idea in your back log, or just forget it if it was a bad idea.

[@jonbloor8661]

Another great video, showing how Basecamp could really help with my Scout Group (Charity). For a work use case please could you show how I might work with both freelancers and also clients? Thanks

[@37signals]

What are you curious about specifically re: working with freelancers and clients? You can invite anyone you'd like to a Basecamp project - they don't need to work in your company. And for those who don't want to log in, they can reply to Basecamp conversations via email. -JF

[@jonbloor8661]

@@37signals I did look at the freelancers side of Basecamp and that made sense, especially the project level permissions. Not too sure about how a client interacts, is that similar but with a restricted view of information within a project (those items we have chosen to share?) Thanks again

[@kp-vz6lj]

Can a single event be created and shared with all the teams that have subscribed to it? Has anyone done this?

[@gmurinas]

Quick question. How did you manage to display the flag of the Netherlands in the project description?

[@37signals]

Hi Giedrius. That flag is just an emoji. 🇳🇱 You can add any emojis in a project title that you'd like! - Kimberly

[@JonathanNation]

I'm interested in just general keeping institutional knowledge (org stuff like SOP's, ideas, etc) ... this is for a volunteer based not-for-profit I support & am looking for the right tool, tools, or system.

[@37signals]

Hi Jonathan! Basecamp can work great for that. You can sign up for a free trial at basecamp.com to play around with it to see if it will work for what you need, but the file storage and file versioning features sound like it would be right up your alley. We also have a discount for nonprofits. -Kimberly

[@darrylstewart6931]

When I make a window to a google sheet it does not put the name of the google sheet like I see in your demo. Instead of "Restaurant Sign Up Sheet" I get "Googe Sheet" ? Hard for team members to know what the window is for without a description?

[@37signals]

Hi Darryl! When you open a Door to your Google Sheet (using the ••• menu from the project page), you'll see a small "Rename" area just below where it says "Google Sheets." If you click on that, you can call your sheet whatever you'd like! You can also Add a description just below that with the "Add description" link. Hope that helps! -Kimberly

[@darrylstewart6931]

@@37signals Thanks!]

[@skip1978]

Do you believe the vaccination was safe and effective?