Glossary of Meeting Planner Jargon
Compiled by
Yvon Douran
- AD Hoc Committee
Committee formed to deal with a specific issue and dissolved upon making its final report.
- Advance Registration
Registration for meeting activity made prior to opening day.
- Agenda
Subjects to be discussed at a meeting.
- Air wall
Movable wall or barrier dividing a large meeting room into two or more smaller rooms. These walls are not usually soundproof.
- All-space hold
Function and meeting space held at a hotel for the exclusive use of a group.
- Ambient light
The natural or existing light.
- Attrition, or attrition schedule
Usually applied to hotels. This means that if you’ve signed, say, a contract stating that you’ll guarantee to reserve 50 percent of the rooms you’ve requested, and they’re still unsold, they’ll release 25 percent of those rooms and try to sell them. If they sell them, you’re not liable. If they are not sold, you are liable.
- Association
Usually a non-profit organization of people with a common goal or purpose.
- Association Planner
Meeting planner who works for an association.
- Attendee
Individual, such as a guest, at the conference site but not necessarily involved with the meeting sessions.
- Authorized Signature
Signature of person(s) with authority: (1) To charge to facility master account. (2) To guarantee payment, and (3) to contract for space, services, and supplies.
- Badge
Identifying tag worn by meeting participants sometimes called a name tag.
- Banquet Order
A document that lists food for all meals for the whole meeting or event. Banquet orders usually contain other information for events, such as lists of AV equipment
- Barrier-Free
Absence of obstacles preventing handicapped persons from moving freely to all public areas within a building.
- Bill of Lading
Document or form listing goods to be shipped.
- Brainstorming
Group sessions in which all participants contribute creative ideas.
- Break-Out Sessions
Small group sessions, within the meeting, formed to discuss specific subjects.
- Bunting
Flags used collectively, or swaged strips of cloth hung as festive decorations from walls or tables.
- Cancellation Clause
(1) Provision in a contract which outlines penalties if cancellation occurs, for both parties for failure to comply with terms of the agreement. (2) (Entertainment) Provision with artist’s contract which allows artist to cancel within a specified period of time prior to play date.
- Capacity
Maximum number of people allowed in any given area.
- Clearance
Clear space between passing object and sides or roof of a passageway.
- Clinic
Workshop-type educational experience.
- CMP
(1) Certified Meeting Professional. (2) Complete Meeting Package.
- Coach
Individuals who help develop presentation skills.
- Cold Call
Sales call made without an appointment.
- Colloquium
Informal participatory discussion on group-selected topics.
- Comp
Abbreviation for complimentary.
- Complimentary (Comp)
Service, space or item given at no charge.
- Complimentary Registration
Waiver of registration fees.
- Computerized Registration
Automated registration records.
- Conclave
Gathering of a group with shared or special interests.
- Concurrent Sessions
Sessions scheduled at the same time.
- Conference
Participatory meeting designed for discussion, fact-finding, problem solving, and consultation.
- Congress
(1) Meeting of an association of delegates or representatives from constituent organizations. (2)European term for convention.
- Contract
Legal document defining responsibilities for all parties concerned.
- Convention
Assemblage of delegates, representatives, and members of an organization convened for a common purpose.
- Convention Bureau
Service organization that provides destination promotion and may offer personnel, housing control, and other services for meetings and conventions.
- Convention Center
Facility for meetings and expositions without sleeping rooms.
- Corporate Planner
Meeting planner who works for a corporation.
- Customs Broker
Person or company which provides customs-clearing services to shippers of goods to and from another country.
- Delegate
Voting representative at a meeting.
- Destination Manager
Local on-site coordinator.
- Dialogue
Discussion of ideas and opinions.
- Discussion Leader
Person who introduces topic of discussion and controls the discussion in the group.
- Docent
Tour guide at a museum or art gallery.
- Dolly
Low, flat, usually two feet square platform on four wheels used for carrying heavy loads.
- Dress Code
Suggested acceptable dress.
- Dry Run
Rehearsal or trial run-through of program.
- Easel
Three- or four-legged stand with a rack used to hold cork board, magnetic board, posters, signs, charts, etc.
- Estimate
Preliminary calculation of the cost of work to be undertaken. (1) Critiquing and rating the overall success of a meeting. (2) Developing a meeting profile from accurate meeting statistics.
- Evaluation
(1) Critiquing and rating the overall success of a meeting. (2) Developing a meeting profile from accurate meeting statistics.
- Event Order See Function Sheet.
- Facilitator
Expert who guides discussion and/or decision making in small groups.
- Fam Trip (Familiarization Trip)
Hosted trip to assess facilities, locations, or services.
- Feedback
Audiovisual term to describe the return flow of noise into a room from amplifying equipment
- Floater
Worker(s) used by foreman to help out assigned labor for short periods of time.
- Folio
Individual charge accounts, either for guests or within one master account.
- Force majeure
Standard contract clause exempting either party from liability for non-fulfillment of services owing to acts of God or conditions beyond either party’s control.
- Forum
Open discussion with audience, panel, and moderator.
- Function Board
Announcements on facility board or video screen listing the day’s events. Also known as directory or reader boards.
- Function Sheet
Detailed instructions for a particular event, also known as banquet order, event order, or resume sheet.
- Function Space
Space in facility where private functions or events can be held.
- Gratuity
Gift for service rendered.
- Hand Truck
Small hand-propelled implement with two wheels and two handles used for transporting small loads.
- Headquarters
Hotel Facility, as the center of operations where registration, general sessions, and conference staff office is located.
- Hidden Charge
Unbudgeted expense.
- Hold Harmless
Clause in contract ensuring that a group or company will not be responsible in the event of a claim.
- Honorarium
Voluntary payment made for services where no fee is legally required.
- Housekeeping Announcements
Announcements about schedule changes, locations of functions, and similar program information.
- Housing Bureau
Reservation office, within convention bureau, which coordinates housing for groups.
- IHO
In honor of.
- Incentive
Reward offered to stimulate greater effort.
- Incentive Meeting
Reward meeting, usually of high quality, in payment for achieving goals.
- Incidentals
On a hotel bill, items like laundry, mini-bars, room service and in-room movies. These are usually paid by the individual. The hotel will require a credit-card imprint to protect themselves against escalating incidentals.
- Institute
In-depth instructional meeting providing intensive education on a particular subject.
- Interpretation
See simultaneous Interpretation.
- Keynote Speaker
Main stage speaker who sets the tone or theme of a meeting.
- Lecture
Informative and instructional speech.
- Letter of Agreement
Document outlining proposed services, space, or products which becomes binding upon written approval by both parties.
- Liability
Legal responsibility to make good a loss or claim.
- Lock-up
Lockable storage area..
- Logo
Symbol identifying an organization or event.
- M.C. (Emcee)
See Master of Ceremonies.
- Master of Ceremonies
Person who presides over the program.
- Moderator
Person who presides over panel discussions and forums.
- Off-Site Event
Activity scheduled away from facility.
- On-Site Registration
Process of signing up for an event on the day of, or at the site of, the event.
- Outside Line
Telephone line from in-house to the outside obtained through the in-house operator.
- Overflow
Attendees booked into facilities after headquarters facilities are full.
- Panel
Discussion with a moderator and two or more participants.
- Participant
Person actively involved in a meeting.
- PBX Operator
Switchboard operator.
- PCO
Professional Conference Organizer.
- Perk
See Perquisite.
- Perquisite
Payment, benefit, or privilege received in addition to regular income or salary.
- Pert
Acronym for Program Evaluation and Review Techniques.
- Pert Chart
Organizational flow chart defining responsibilities, due dates and other information.
- Plenary Sessions
General assembly open to all participants.
- Post Conference Registration
Registration for an activity or function which follows a meeting.
- Registration
for an activity or function which follows a meeting.
- Post Conference Reservation
Guest room space following a conference.
- Poster Session
Display of reports and papers, usually scientific, accompanied by authors or researchers.
- Pre-assigned Seating
Predetermined seat assignments.
- Pre-Registered
Reservation which has been made in advance with the necessary paperwork.
- Pre-Registration
(1) Necessary paperwork for event completed prior to arrival. (2) (Facility) Pre-assigned guest rooms available for occupancy.
- Presenter
Person explaining a given topic in an informational session.
- Press Room
Space reserved for media representatives.
- Procession
Group of individuals moving in an orderly, often ceremonial manner.
- Program Book
Printed schedule of meeting events, location of function rooms, and other pertinent information.
- Program Design
Structure of meeting program elements to achieve specific goals and objectives.
- Promotion
Publicizing an event.
- Property
Lodging establishment such as a hotel, motel, inn, resort, conference center, or meeting facility.
- Proposal
Plan put forth for consideration or acceptance.
- Protocol
Customers and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette.
- Q & A
Question and Answer period.
- Rack rates
A hotel’s published room rates, always higher than group rates.
- Rally
Gathering to promote enthusiasm and excitement.
- Rapporteur
Monitor who evaluates conference sessions.
- Rap Sessions
Informal sessions with no specific agenda.
- Receiving Line
Dignitaries, host, sponsor, and guest of honor lined up to greet guests.
- Recession
Withdrawing procession.
- Reg Area
Registration area.
- Reg Desk
Registration desk.
- Registrant
Individual who has submitted a registration form and attends an event.
- Registrar
Individual responsible for handling registrations.
- Registration
Process by which an individual indicates his intent to attend a conference or stay at a property.
- Registration Kit
Packet of meeting materials such as program book, tickets, maps, etc.
- Rehearsal
Practicing a presentation.
- Resume Sheet
See Function Sheet.
- Rooming list
A blocked-off list of rooms held by a hotel for a meeting or event.
- Room Setup
Layout of tables, chairs, other furniture, and equipment for functions.
- Round Robin
Contest or tournament in which each participant is matched with every other participant.
- Rounds
Banquet managers often refer to tables as “rounds,” so if you hear the phrase, “three rounds of eight” it means three round tables seating eight people each.
- Sales Blitz
Intense selling effort in a particular locality.
- Sales Meeting
Meeting to introduce new products and their applications or to motivate sales staff.
- Script
Written text of program presentations.
- Security, Facility
Facility personnel responsible for maintaining safety on the premises.
- Security, Private
Security personnel hired from a privately operated company.
- Seminar
Lecture and dialogue allowing participants to share experiences in a particular field under the guidance of an expert discussion leader.
- Setup
(1) Way in which a function room is arranged. (2) Mixers, fruit, and glassware accompanying a liquor order.
- Signage
All informational and directional signs required for an event.
- Simultaneous Interpretation
Process of translating one language into another while the speaker is speaking.
- Site Inspection
Personal, careful investigation of a property, facility, or area.
- Skirting
Material or decorative covering around risers or staging, used to hide the support structure. In audiovisual terms, material hung around or at the bottom of screens to hide screen supports and to create a movie-house effect for rear-screen projection
- Sound mixing
Audiovisual phrase referring to the process of combining separately recorded material onto a master tape.
- Speaker
Types: keynote, general session and seminar leader who are topic specialists; trainers and workshop leaders who allow for group participation and interaction; and change of pace speakers such as humorists and entertainers.
- Speakers’ Lounge
Area set aside for speakers to meet, relax, or prepare prior to or between speeches.
- Speaker rehearsal room
Room furnished with video equipment, viewers, projectors and slide trays for use by speakers as they rehearse their presentations, load slide trays and prepare slides.
- Spouse tour/programs
Educational or special events developed for the spouses of meeting attendees.
- Staging
Producing an event, or, a platform.
- Special Event
Unique activity.
- Specifications
Complete description of meeting requirements.
- Spouse Programs
Educational and/or social events planned for spouses and guests of meeting participants.
- Squirrel Cage
Drum used for raffle tickets.
- Stable
Group of speakers or entertainers usually under agreement with a particular bureau or agency.
- Staging
(1) Design and placement of elements for events. (2) Implementation of an event.
- Staging Guide
Compilation of all function sheets, scripts, instructions, room set-up diagrams, directory of key personnel, forms, and other material relating to the
event.
- Standing Committee
Committee, defined by organizational bylaws, which meets for a specific purpose.
- State-of-the-Art
Newest technology available.
- Strike
In exhibit terminology, it means the dismantling of exhibits, including audiovisual equipment. (“To strike a room.”) It can also mean a labor walkout.
- Supplier
Facility, company, agency, or person offering space, goods and services for meetings.
- Surcharge
Charge over and above established rates.
- Symposium
Event at which experts discuss a particular subject and opinions are gathered.
- Teaser
Promotional piece designed to build interest in an event.
- Teleconference
Type of meeting which brings together three or more people in two or more locations through telecommunications.
- Tip
See Gratuity.
- Trade Show
Exhibit of products and services that is not open to the public.
- Traffic Flow
Movement of people through an area.
- Trainer
Instructor of techniques and skills on a specific subject.
- Training Meeting
Structured learning session in which instructor presents specific information and techniques.
- Transcription
Written copy of spoken material.
- Transfer
(1) Process of moving equipment and/or people from one point to another. (2) Transportation between terminals and hotels.
- Translation Service
Translating written material from one language to another.
- Trouble Shoot
Process of finding out why plans or equipment are not working properly.
- Utility Box
Box in floor, wall, or column which houses electric outlets and other utility sources.
- Vendor
One who sells services or is a supplier.
- Venue
(1) Meeting site or destination. (2) (Entertainment) Location of performance such as hall, ballroom, auditorium, etc.
- Walk
Hotel term referring to the displacement of guests. It means that guests with confirmed reservations are either turned away or “walked” to another hotel because of over-booking or because expected guest departures did not occur as planned.
- Walkie-Talkie
Wireless radio that transmits and receives oral communication.
- Walk-Through
(1) Review of meeting details. (2) Site inspection. (3) Inspection of function room prior to function. (4) Inspection of trade show floor prior to opening.
- Walk-Up Call
Asking the celebrity or speaker to come up on stage from the audience to make a presentation.
- Workshop
Training session in which participants, often through exercises, develop skills and knowledge in a given field.
- Wrap-Up
(1) To conclude a meeting. (2) To prepare the final report on a meeting.
Copyright Yvon Douran. All Rights Reserved.
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