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What is GoodEvent Planner?

GoodEvent Planner is event tender software for sourcing suppliers and managing quotes. It lets you create detailed quote requests, send them to multiple suppliers simultaneously, track responses in one dashboard, and compare quotes side-by-side. Event professionals use it to source equipment, services, and infrastructure without endless email chains or spreadsheet chaos.

Unlike generic procurement platforms adapted from construction or manufacturing, GoodEvent Planner was built specifically for event industry workflows from day one. You create packages for marquees, staging, power, catering, or any event requirement. Send to your trusted suppliers or discover new ones through GoodEvent Network. Track who's responded, compare pricing, and award contracts—all in one organized platform.

This tool solves the fundamental problem of event procurement: how do you efficiently source quotes from multiple suppliers without losing your mind? GoodEvent Planner gives you organized supplier management in minutes, not days.

Why Email Chains Fail for Event Procurement

Traditional supplier sourcing methods create problems that cost you time and money:

• Endless copying and pasting: You send the same requirements to 15 suppliers individually. Each email takes 10 minutes. That's 2.5 hours just copying and pasting. Then you realize you forgot a detail and start over.

• Lost in the inbox: Quote arrives on Tuesday. You file it mentally. By Friday, you can't remember which supplier quoted what. You search "generator hire festival" and find 47 email threads. None have the quote you need.

• Spreadsheet hell: You build a comparison spreadsheet. Supplier A changes their quote. You update cell D7. Supplier B asks a question. You add a note. By Wednesday, your spreadsheet has 8 tabs and nobody understands it including you.

• Mystery waiting game: Who hasn't responded? You scroll through sent emails trying to remember. Did you send to ABC Staging? When? Did they reply? Better send a follow-up. Wait, they already replied. Embarrassing.

• Version confusion: Client changes the date. Now you need new quotes from everyone. Which suppliers got the update? Did you tell ABC Staging about the tent size change? Better send another email to be safe. Now suppliers are confused about which version is current.

• Budget tracking disconnect: Your quotes are in email. Your budget is in Excel. Your actual costs end up in Xero. Nothing talks to each other. You discover you're 20% over budget when invoices arrive, not when quotes came in.

Joel, TL Marquee Hire:

"10x more time to grow the business. The biggest benefit of Good Event for me has been the ability to delegate tasks and focus on other aspects of the business. The team can access everything they need online from their phone or iPad."

Why GoodEvent Planner is Different

Built for event procurement from day one—not adapted from construction or manufacturing.

Most procurement software wasn't built for events. Cvent and Eventbrite focus on ticketing and attendee management, not supplier coordination. Enterprise event management platforms price out small wedding planners and party hire companies. Generic RFP software from construction doesn't understand event zones, setup sequences, or equipment packages. Spreadsheets break when you're managing 50 suppliers across a festival site.

GoodEvent Planner was built specifically for event professionals who need to:

• Write once, send to many: Create your tender packages with all specifications, dates, zones, and requirements. Send to 5 suppliers or 50 with one click. No copying and pasting into individual emails.

• Track responses automatically: Live status dashboard shows who's quoted, who's pending, and who you need to chase. Color-coded tags make it obvious. No more scrolling through email wondering who you're waiting on.

• Compare quotes side-by-side: All quotes appear in the same format for instant comparison. Filter by package, total price, or supplier. See budget impact in real-time. No manual spreadsheet building.

• Use event terminology: The interface speaks your language—stages, marquees, power distribution, catering zones, not generic "items" and "services." Built for marquee hire, equipment rental, and event production workflows.

• Access supplier network: Don't have a lighting specialist in your contacts? Search GoodEvent Network for qualified suppliers by location, trade, and expertise. View profiles, ratings, and past work.

• Handle complexity easily: Festival with 200 packages across 6 zones over 4 days? No problem. Corporate event with different suppliers per location? Simple. Wedding with 8 different trades? Done in minutes.

• Maintain documentation trail: Full audit history for compliance. See every quote version, message, and change. Perfect for licensing requirements or stakeholder reporting.

Becki, South Coast Marquees:

"Good Event has revolutionised the way we work here at South Coast Marquees. It's saved us time, enabled us to respond quickly to prospective clients with a far more professional looking quotation system and therefore won us more business."

Built-in features other platforms charge extra for: unlimited tenders, unlimited suppliers, real-time collaboration, mobile access, quote comparison dashboard, Bill of Quantities import, budget tracking, and award management. Everything you need included, not locked behind enterprise pricing tiers.

How GoodEvent Planner Works

Source suppliers for any event in eight straightforward steps:

1. Create your event: Set up event basics—name, dates, location, type. Add description and any documents suppliers need to see. Takes 2 minutes.

2. Build packages: Break your event into packages. "Main Stage," "Generator Compound," "VIP Bar," "Portable Toilets." For each package, specify quantities, specifications, setup requirements, and any special instructions.

3. Import or create requirements: Upload a Bill of Quantities spreadsheet if you have one, or build requirements within the platform. Add technical specs, safety requirements, access constraints, or delivery instructions.

4. Select suppliers: Choose from your existing supplier list or search GoodEvent Network for new suppliers by trade, location, or specialty. Add as many as needed—there's no limit.

5. Send tender: One click sends your complete tender to all selected suppliers. They receive clear requirements, can ask questions, and submit quotes through the platform. No separate emails or documents.

6. Track responses: Dashboard shows live status for each supplier and package. Green for quoted, amber for pending, red for overdue. See exactly who you're waiting on. Send automated follow-ups to non-responders.

7. Compare quotes: View all quotes side-by-side in organized tables. Sort by price, supplier rating, or package. See budget impact immediately. Filter by trade or zone. Export comparison reports for stakeholders.

8. Award and manage: Mark winning suppliers, award contracts with one click, and system notifies everyone. Track awarded vs. pending packages. Manage amendments as the event evolves. Link directly to GoodEvent Business to convert awards into bookings.

Complete a basic wedding tender in 10 minutes. Create a complex festival tender with 100+ packages in under an hour.

Paul, Monaco Events:

"Now 8 times out of 10 I build quotes with clients whilst on a site visit. Which my clients absolutely love because they are not waiting around for me to email them a price, they receive it instantly."

Event Tendering Capabilities That Save Time

• Bill of Quantities (BOQ) import: Upload Excel or CSV files with complete package lists. System creates line items automatically with quantities, specifications, and pricing fields. Edit after import. Export BOQ for suppliers who request it.

• Package organization: Group requirements by trade (lighting, sound, staging), by zone (VIP area, main field, backstage), by setup phase (day 1, day 2, breakdown), or custom categories. Toggle visibility for different supplier groups.

• Multi-location support: Running events across multiple venues? Create location-specific packages and invite suppliers by region. Track quotes separately per site while managing the overall event in one platform.

• Specification attachments: Upload site maps from GoodEvent Maps, floor plans from GoodEvent Layout, safety documentation from GoodEvent Docs, or any PDF. Suppliers access everything in one place.

• Question and answer system: Suppliers ask questions directly on specific packages. You answer once, and all suppliers invited to that package see the response. Full transparency without 20 individual email replies.

• Quote revision tracking: Supplier changes their quote? System tracks original and revised versions. See what changed and when. Compare original vs. revised pricing instantly.

• Real-time budget tracking: Set target budgets per package or overall event. Dashboard shows actual quotes vs. budget in real-time. Know immediately if you're on track or need to negotiate.

• Analytics dashboard: Response rate by package. Average quote value. Suppliers who consistently respond fast. Identify coverage gaps before deadline. Data-driven decisions instead of guesswork.

• Automated reminders: Set deadline dates and system automatically reminds suppliers who haven't responded. No manual follow-up emails. You control timing and messaging.

• Award notifications: Mark winning suppliers and everyone gets notified automatically—winners receive confirmation, others receive courteous rejection. Professional communication without manual emails.

• Permission controls: Give clients view-only access to track progress. Let team members collaborate on reviews. Grant suppliers access only to packages relevant to them. Full control over visibility.

• Export and reporting: Generate comparison reports for stakeholders. Export quotes to Excel. Create award summaries for budgets. Professional documentation for licensing or client presentations.

Integrates directly with GoodEvent Business for converting awarded tenders into bookings, GoodEvent Network for discovering suppliers, and GoodEvent Maps and GoodEvent Layout for attaching visual requirements.

How Festival Organizers Use GoodEvent Planner

Festival and large event organizers need to coordinate dozens of suppliers across complex sites with tight deadlines.

Typical workflow for a music festival:

Three months before the festival, the production manager creates a tender in GoodEvent Planner. They start by setting up the event basics: "Riverside Festival 2026," June 20-22, outdoor site in Somerset, expected capacity 15,000.

They break the event into packages organized by zone and trade. Zone 1 (Main Arena): main stage build, PA system, lighting rig, front-of-house tent, barrier systems. Zone 2 (Food Court): power distribution, water connections, waste management. Zone 3 (Camping): portable toilets, showers, lighting towers. Zone 4 (Backstage): artist catering, green room furniture, production office.

For each package, they add specifications. Main stage package includes load-in date, weight limits, power requirements, access route constraints, and weather contingency plans. They upload the site map from GoodEvent Maps showing exact stage position and layout drawings from GoodEvent Layout for backstage areas.

They invite suppliers from their existing database for core infrastructure—the stage company they've used for 5 years, the power supplier who knows the site, the toilet company from last year. For specialized lighting, they search GoodEvent Network and find three new companies with festival experience and strong ratings. For catering, they invite five companies to compare pricing.

One click sends the complete tender to 35 suppliers across 8 trades. Each supplier receives packages relevant to them—the lighting company sees only lighting packages, toilet suppliers see only sanitation zones.

Quotes start arriving within hours. The dashboard shows green status tags for packages with full coverage, amber for those with partial quotes, red for gaps. The PA supplier asks a question about load-in timing for the second stage. The production manager answers once, and all sound suppliers see the response.

After a week, 28 of 35 suppliers have quoted. The system automatically sends polite reminders to the seven pending responses. Two more quotes arrive. The remaining five are contacted manually—three weren't interested, two confirm quotes arriving tomorrow.

The production manager reviews quotes in the comparison dashboard. Sound Package 1: three quotes ranging from £18,000 to £24,000. They filter by supplier rating, check past festival experience in supplier profiles, and note response time. The mid-priced quote comes from their returning supplier with proven reliability—marked for award.

They export a comparison report for the festival director showing quotes by zone with budget variance. Main Arena is 8% under budget. Food Court is 12% over—they'll negotiate with power supplier or adjust scope. The report goes to stakeholders for approval.

Approvals return. The production manager awards contracts package-by-package. System sends professional award confirmations to winners with contract terms and next steps. Suppliers not selected receive courteous notifications.

Two weeks later, the council revises noise restrictions affecting the main stage position. The production manager updates the tender requirements and marks the main stage package as "revised." All awarded suppliers for affected packages receive immediate notifications. The stage company and PA supplier both confirm they can accommodate the change without price impact.

During the event, suppliers deliver as contracted. Post-event, the production manager rates supplier performance—this data helps next year's sourcing decisions. They export final costs for budget reconciliation in GoodEvent Business.

Total time spent on procurement: 8 hours across 3 months, mostly reviewing quotes and making decisions. Previous year using email and spreadsheets: 40+ hours.

Anne, Carpe Diem Events:

"Amazing software, we couldn't do our job without Good Event, especially during the busy season! It's been essential to our operations and is constantly evolving. The customer service is second to none."

Corporate event managers use this same workflow for conferences, wedding planners for coordinating multiple vendors, and equipment rental companies for managing sub-hire networks.

How Wedding Planners Use GoodEvent Planner

Wedding planners and coordinators need to source multiple suppliers quickly while keeping couples updated and budgets on track.

Typical workflow for a country house wedding:

The wedding planner meets with a couple planning a 120-guest wedding at a country estate in the Cotswolds for next September. The couple wants a marquee reception, outdoor ceremony, live band, formal dinner, and elegant styling.

The planner creates a tender in GoodEvent Planner during the client meeting. Event name: "Smith-Jones Wedding," September 14, 2026, Meadowbrook Estate. They add packages while discussing with the couple: ceremony chairs and arch, marquee (15m x 20m clearspan with clear roof), flooring and matting, table and chair rental, lighting package, generator and power distribution, catering equipment, bar setup, entertainment stage, restroom trailers.

For each package, they add the couple's preferences. Marquee package notes: "Prefer Cotswold-style with clear roof for stargazing, wooden flooring, ivory linings, minimum 6m leg height." Furniture package: "Round tables for 10, Chiavari chairs in natural wood, no white or gold."

They search GoodEvent Network for Cotswold-area suppliers. They add three marquee companies they've worked with before, plus two new ones with excellent ratings. For furniture, they invite their regular supplier and three alternates for price comparison. Lighting—one specialist they trust plus two options for the couple to compare styles.

They share screen with the couple, explaining: "I'll send these requirements to all suppliers today. Quotes arrive in this dashboard. We'll review together via this shared link, and you'll see every option with photos and pricing. Should have most quotes by Friday."

Quotes start arriving that evening. By Friday, the couple logs into their view-only portal and sees 14 quotes across 8 packages. They love that each quote includes photos of equipment, setup examples, and reviews from other weddings.

The marquee quotes range from £4,200 to £6,800. The planner filters by supplier rating and notes. The £5,400 quote includes setup photos from similar estates and offers the clear roof at no extra charge. The couple marks it as preferred.

Furniture quotes cluster around £950-£1,200. The planner recommends their regular supplier at £1,050—"Always on time, spotless equipment, knows the estate manager." The couple agrees.

Lighting package comparison reveals different styles. Quote 1: subtle uplighting and festoon canopy, £1,800. Quote 2: statement chandeliers and feature lighting, £2,600. Quote 3: romantic bistro lights and pin spots, £1,950. The couple requests layout drawings from GoodEvent Layout showing each lighting style. The planner creates three layouts, attaches them to quotes. The couple chooses romantic bistro style.

Total quotes: £14,600. Couple's budget: £15,000. The planner awards contracts to winning suppliers with one click. Confirmations go out professionally. The couple receives a summary showing everything they've selected.

Six weeks later, the estate manager calls—access route changed due to construction. The planner updates the tender, marking "revised" on marquee and generator packages. Both suppliers receive notifications, check new access route on the site map in GoodEvent Maps, and confirm no impact on delivery.

Wedding day goes perfectly. Every supplier arrived knowing exactly what was needed, where things went, and what the couple expected. Post-event, the planner rates supplier performance for future weddings.

Ryan, UK Marquee Hire:

"Logistically it has saved us so much time and money. Super easy to use, full support from the team, very good value for money and endless features to help with the running of our company."

Links directly to GoodEvent Business for managing client relationships and invoicing, and GoodEvent Docs for collecting supplier insurance certificates and safety documentation.

Common Event Procurement Mistakes

Event professionals make predictable errors when sourcing suppliers without proper tools:

1. Sending incomplete requirements: You send a quick email requesting a "generator for outdoor event." Supplier responds with questions: How much power? What equipment needs power? Distance from main stage? Access route? Now you're in a 6-email chain clarifying basics. GoodEvent Planner forces you to specify requirements upfront, reducing back-and-forth by 80%.

2. Mixing up supplier responses: You ask for marquee quotes from 5 companies. Quote 1 arrives Tuesday morning. Quote 3 arrives Tuesday afternoon. Wait, where's Quote 2? Did they respond? You search email. Found it—but wait, that's Quote 4. Now you're lost. One dashboard shows all responses in order with timestamps.

3. Comparing different specifications: Supplier A quotes for setup on Friday, Supplier B for Saturday. Supplier C includes breakdown, Supplier D doesn't. Your "comparison" spreadsheet has 8 footnotes explaining why numbers don't match. GoodEvent Planner ensures everyone quotes the same requirements, making comparison actually meaningful.

4. Losing track of awarded contracts: You think you've awarded the lighting contract to ABC Lighting. Or was it XYZ Productions? Better check email. Three searches later you find it—except that was last year's festival. This year's lighting contract is... where? Award tracking shows exactly what's confirmed and what's still pending.

5. Forgetting to chase non-responders: Deadline passed three days ago. Who hasn't responded? You check your sent folder trying to remember who you invited. Found the email—you sent to 12 suppliers. Count the replies. 8. Which 4 haven't responded? Better cross-reference with the spreadsheet. Visual status dashboard shows exactly who's pending in 2 seconds.

6. Version control chaos: Client changes the event date. You email all suppliers with the update. Three respond immediately, two don't see it, one thinks you're talking about a different event. Now you have quotes for the wrong date, partial updates, and confusion. One update in GoodEvent Planner notifies everyone and tracks acknowledgment.

7. Budget surprises: Quotes come in, you pick the best options, and present to client. They love it. You total everything up. It's 30% over budget. Nobody caught it because quotes were scattered across email and spreadsheets. Real-time budget tracking shows total impact as each quote arrives—catch problems early, not at presentation.

Choosing Event Tender Software

Built for Events vs Adapted from Other Industries

Generic procurement software fails for event sourcing because it wasn't built for this work. When evaluating tender management tools, understand what you actually need:

Event-specific requirements:

• Multi-package management (not single-item procurement)
• Supplier collaboration tools (not just bid submission)
• Real-time comparison (not review after close)
• Visual documentation (site maps, layouts, photos)
• Event terminology and workflows
• Integration with event planning tools
• Budget tracking with package-level detail
• Mobile access for on-site coordination

Questions to ask software vendors:

• Was this built for events or adapted from construction/manufacturing?
• Can we invite suppliers who aren't in your database?
• Do suppliers pay to respond or receive tenders?
• How do you handle complex multi-package events?
• What happens when requirements change mid-tender?
• Can we export data if we leave?
• Is there a limit on suppliers or tenders?

Red flags indicating wrong tool:

• "Enterprise procurement solution" = priced for corporations, complex for small teams
• "Supplier must be registered" = limits your supplier choice
• "Designed for construction/manufacturing" = wrong workflows for events
• "Minimum 100 users" = enterprise pricing model, not for event businesses
• "Annual contract required" = locked in before you know if it works
• Generic RFP software = doesn't understand event packages, zones, or timing

Event-specific software matters because events have unique needs: temporary installations, tight timelines, complex logistics, diverse trades, visual requirements, and changing specifications. Software built for buying office supplies or sourcing manufacturing components doesn't understand marquee setup sequences or festival zone coordination.

Amy, The Marquee Hire Company:

"Made my life so much easier & it looks great for the customers, very professional! The online CAD has literally saved me hours per day... Very user friendly, absolutely love this system."

Tender Management Access & Compatibility

Access from Any Device:

• Works on desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile phone
• No downloads or installations required
• Always up-to-date automatically
• Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge compatible

Easy Supplier Access (No Login Required):

• Share tenders via direct links—suppliers click and access instantly
• Optional registration for suppliers who want to receive notifications
• Perfect for working with new suppliers or one-time contractors
• View-only access for clients and stakeholders
• Edit access for your internal procurement team

Works with other GoodEvent tools:

• GoodEvent Business—Convert awarded tenders into bookings, track tender costs against actual job costs, link suppliers to your CRM database, and generate client quotes based on tender specifications
• GoodEvent Network—Discover qualified suppliers through the B2B marketplace, view detailed supplier profiles and ratings, connect with event professionals for tender opportunities
• GoodEvent Maps—Attach site maps to tender documentation, share location and delivery requirements with suppliers, link specific zones to tender packages
• GoodEvent Layout—Include floor plans in tender packages, show suppliers exactly what spaces look like, attach layout requirements to furniture and equipment packages
• GoodEvent Docs—Require specific safety documentation from suppliers, collect insurance certificates and licenses, standardize supplier information collection

Getting Started with GoodEvent Planner

Start sourcing suppliers in minutes:

1. Create free account: Sign up at goodevent.com/planner—no credit card required
2. Set up first tender: Add event details, create packages with requirements
3. Invite suppliers: Choose from your list or search GoodEvent Network
4. Track responses: Watch quotes arrive in your organized dashboard

Time to value: Create your first tender and send to suppliers in 10 minutes.

Related Resources

Other GoodEvent Planner Features

• Tender creation—Build detailed quote requests in minutes
• Package management—Organize requirements by zone or trade
• Supplier invitations—Send to your suppliers or find new ones
• Quote comparison—Compare pricing and suppliers side-by-side
• Team collaboration—Work with colleagues on tender reviews

For Suppliers

• Tenders for every event—Find tender opportunities
• Use your suppliers or find new ones—How to respond to tenders

Industry Resources

• Wedding Planning—Coordinate multiple wedding vendors
• Festival Events—Source suppliers for large-scale festivals
• Corporate Event Planning—Professional procurement for business events
• Marquee Hire—Source equipment and services for outdoor events
• Equipment Rental—Manage sub-hire networks and supplier relationships
• Party Hire—Coordinate vendors for private celebrations

Complementary Business Tools

• GoodEvent Network—Find suppliers and win tender opportunities
• GoodEvent Business—Convert tenders to bookings and manage client relationships
• GoodEvent Maps—Create site plans to share with suppliers
• GoodEvent Layout—Design floor plans for tender packages