When setting up tickets for your event, Ticket Layers and Child Layers work together to control how tickets are displayed, priced, and sold. Understanding the difference between the two and knowing how to properly set them up will help you manage ticket sales more efficiently and avoid confusion.
Why This Matters
Properly structuring your Ticket Layers and Child Layers helps you:
🎯 Improve customer experience – Buyers can easily find and select the right ticket
🧠Reduce confusion – Avoid overwhelming customers with too many options
💲 Manage pricing strategies effectively – Seamlessly organize tiers like Early Bird, Regular, and Day Of
🎟️ Control inventory accurately – Prevent overselling or mismanaging ticket limits
⚙️ Simplify event setup – Keep your ticketing system clean and organized
A well-structured setup not only makes your event page easier to navigate but also helps maximize conversions and minimize support issues.
The Ticket Layer
A Ticket Layer is the main ticket category that customers see on your ticketing page. It acts as a container that holds one or more ticket options.
Think of a ticket layer as a folder, and the child layers as the files inside that folder.
What a Ticket Layer Controls
🗂️ Organization – How similar tickets are grouped together
🎯 Clarity – Prevents customers from seeing too many ticket choices at once
By grouping tickets this way, you guide customers toward the right ticket type without confusion.
How to Create a Ticket Layer
On the side panel of your Event Dashboard, click Tickets
Click Create Ticket Layers on the right side of your screen
Required Fields
Name
Label
Product Access Control
Defines when a ticket is allowed entry to the venue
This is directly linked to Access Control and is important to configure
Conditional Fields
Fulfillment Type
Electronic – QR Code is sufficient for entry
Shipped – RFID wristbands are mailed to the customer
Available Quantity
Setting quantity at the Ticket Layer level means all Child Layers share one total capacity.
Setting quantity at the Child Layer level means each tier has its own capacity.
Visibility Configuration - allows you to hide the ticket on the purchase page
Hide When Sale Over
Hide When Sold Out
Hide Until On Sale
Group Sale
Allows tickets to be sold in bundles
Optional Fields
Sale Start Date/Time and End Date/Time
Max Quantity per Transaction
Description
Ticket Instructions
Ticket Waiver
The Child Layer
A Child Layer is the actual ticket product that customers purchase. It lives inside a Ticket Layer and defines the specific details of a ticket, such as price, availability, and capacity.
If the Ticket Layer is the folder, the Child Layers are the files inside that folder—each file may look similar on the outside, but contains different information.
Folder (Ticket Layer): General Admission
├── File (Child Layer): GA – Early Bird ($25)
├── File (Child Layer): GA – Regular ($35)
└── File (Child Layer): GA – Day Of ($45)
Each child layer represents a different version of the same ticket, usually created to manage pricing tiers, availability, or timing.
What a Child Layer Controls
💲 Price – Different pricing tiers for the same ticket type
🎟️ Capacity – How many tickets can be sold for that tier
📅 Availability – When the ticket becomes active or inactive
🔄 Sellout behavior – What happens when the ticket reaches its limit
How to Create a Child Layer
On the Ticket Layer that you have created, click the "+" button to add a ticket
Required Fields
Name
Label
Price
Refer to the Pricing article below for more details on Price Input Mode
Conditional Fields
Available Quantity
Individual capacity (if set per Child Layer). This is common for tiered ticketing (e.g., Early Bird, Tier 1, Tier 2, Day of Show)
Shared capacity (if set at Ticket Layer level)
Optional Fields
Sale Start Date/Time and End Date/Time
Availability Control
When enabled, the ticket will be marked as sold out and unavailable for purchase
Description
Ticket Instructions
Ticket Waiver
You have successfully set up your tickets. However, they are not yet visible on your event page.
To make them available for purchase, you will need to set up Ticket Channels which will be discussed on the next article.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Creating too many Ticket Layers
Keep Ticket Layers broad (e.g., General Admission, VIP). Use Child Layers for variations
❌ Mixing shared and individual quantities incorrectly
Decide early if tiers should share one pool or have separate limits
❌ Forgetting Product Access Control
Missing access times can cause entry issues at the venue
❌ Not setting sale dates properly
Tickets may go live too early or remain available after they should be closed
❌ Forgetting to enable Ticket Channels
Tickets will not appear on your event page even if everything is set up correctly
FAQs
Can I sell tickets without creating Child Layers?
No. Customers purchase tickets through Child Layers, so at least one Child Layer must be created under each Ticket Layer.
Should I set quantity on the Ticket Layer or the Child Layer?
It depends on your setup:
Use Ticket Layer quantity if all tickets should share one total capacity
Use Child Layer quantity if each tier should have its own limit. This is commonly used for multiple-tier tickets
What happens when a Child Layer sells out?
When a Child Layer reaches its limit/cap or has reached the sale end date/time, it will:
Show as sold out and become unavailable for purchase
If you have multiple tiers, it will automatically move to the next available tier
Can I create multiple pricing tiers under one Ticket Layer?
Yes. This is one of the main uses of Child Layers. You can create tiers such as:
Early Bird
Tier 1
Tier 2
Day Of Show
What is Product Access Control and why is it important?
Product Access Control determines when a ticket is valid for entry. This is important for managing entry times and ensuring the correct tickets are used at the right time.
You may also refer to the related article below.
Can I edit my Ticket or Child Layers after creating them?
Yes, you can edit them at any time. However, changes may affect live sales, so it’s best to review everything carefully before publishing.
Can I limit how many tickets a customer can buy?
Yes. You can set a Max Quantity Per Transaction in the Ticket Layer settings to control how many tickets can be purchased in a single order.
Can I move a Child Layer to a different Ticket Layer?
No. Once created, a Child Layer is tied to its Ticket Layer and cannot be moved to another Ticket Layer. If needed, you will have to recreate the ticket under the correct Ticket Layer.
However, you can reorder Child Layers within the same Ticket Layer. This affects how tickets are presented to customers:
The top Child Layer is typically shown as the current or primary ticket available for purchase
The layers below indicate upcoming or secondary ticket options
Proper ordering helps guide customers toward the intended ticket tier during each sales phase.
What happens if I delete a Ticket Layer?
Deleting a Ticket Layer will also remove all its associated Child Layers. This action may affect reporting and existing configurations, so proceed with caution.
Can I hide a ticket without deleting it?
Yes. You can disable a Child Layer on the Status Column.
Can multiple Child Layers in the same Ticket Layer be on sale at the same time?
No, only one active Child Layer will be visible and be on sale.
How should I structure tickets for multi-day events?
Best practice is to create separate Ticket Layers per day (e.g., Day 1, Day 2) or by access type (e.g., Weekend Pass), then use Child Layers for pricing tiers.
Can I change ticket prices after sales have started?
Yes, but it is not recommended unless necessary. Price changes may confuse customers and affect sales consistency.
What happens to sold tickets if I edit a Child Layer?
Tickets that have already been sold will remain valid. However, changes may affect future purchases and reporting.
Can I create private or exclusive tickets?
Yes. EVENT Live offers a Lock Code feature that allows you to restrict ticket access.
By providing a specific code to selected guests, only those with the correct code will be able to view and purchase the ticket. This is ideal for presales, VIP access, or private events.