> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.9pic.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Run Your First Event

> Create, sync, process, and test an event end-to-end on the trial

## Why This Matters

The single best way to evaluate 9Pic is to run a real event through it. Even a tiny test event with 20 photos shows you the full flow: upload, AI processing, search, and a working event link you can test yourself. This page is the trial-tuned version of that flow.

<Warning>
  Trial events live on the shared `trial.9pic.ai` domain, which is **rate-limited for anti-abuse**. The event link you'll generate at the end of this guide is for **you and your internal team only** — do **not** share it with real participants or customers. See [What's Included](/trial-guide/whats-included) for the full domain rule.
</Warning>

## Before You Begin

* You're signed up at [admin.9pic.ai/login](https://admin.9pic.ai/login) and you can see the dashboard home.
* You're on the **Trial** plan (the dashboard shows a "Start with a 2-minute walkthrough" banner if you are).
* You have at least one event idea — a real upcoming event, or a small test set of photos.
* You have **at least one source** ready: photos uploaded via 9Pic Uplink, a Google Drive folder, or a Dropbox folder.

<Info>
  Plan for **20-30 minutes** end-to-end the first time. Once you've done it, repeating the flow takes a few minutes.
</Info>

<Tip>
  Don't have a real event yet? Use **30-50 sample photos from your phone** as a test gallery. The trial works the same way with sample data.
</Tip>

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Trial Setup or Create New Event">
    From the dashboard sidebar, open **Trial Setup** and click **Create event** on the first step.

    Or, from dashboard home, click the **Create New Event** card in **Quick Access**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in the event details">
    Enter:

    * **Event Name** — for example, *Test Event - 9Pic Trial*.
    * **Event Date** — today or your real event date.
    * **Event Type** — choose the closest match. **Running events** unlock BIB-related options.

    <Frame caption="Create New Event form">
      <img src="https://assets.9pic.ai/docs/trial-guide/first-event-create-event-form.webp" alt="Create New Event form on a Trial account filled with sample event name, date, location, and Endurance Sports event type" />
    </Frame>

    <Note>
      On the trial, **Platform Visibility** is locked to **Private**. Your event will work end-to-end, but it lives on the shared `trial.9pic.ai` domain and won't appear on any public listing. After you upgrade, your domain moves to `app.9pic.ai` — but your existing trial events still stay private until you explicitly flip them.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Photo Memories options">
    Pick the photo features you want to test:

    * **Selfie Search** — turn on if you want to try **9Pic FaceFind**.
    * **Show All Images** — turn on if participants should see the full gallery.
    * **Bulk Download** — turn on if participants should download multiple photos at once.
    * **Store Original Memories** — leave **off** while you're on the trial. Originals consume more credits.

    Click **Create Event** when done.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Details for your event">
    In the **Events list**, find your new event and click **Details**. This opens the event workspace where you'll add sources and run processing.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add or confirm image sources">
    On the event's overview, scroll to **Image Sources** and click **Manage Sources**.

    * Keep **9Pic Storage** if you want to upload via [9Pic Uplink](https://docs.9pic.ai/photos/overview).
    * Add a **Google Drive** or **Dropbox** folder link if your photos already live there.

    <Tip>
      For a fast trial test, use 9Pic Uplink and drop **20-50 photos** straight from your computer or phone.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the pipeline in order">
    From the event's overview, run the **Processing Pipeline** in this order:

    1. **Generate Previews** — *(optional)* fast, low-resolution previews to check rotation and framing.
    2. **Sync Images** — pulls photos from all your sources into 9Pic.
    3. **Start Processing** — runs AI search indexing (FaceFind, BibTrack) and any watermark you configured.
    4. **Go Live** — publishes the event so the share link works.

    <Frame caption="Processing Pipeline">
      <img src="https://assets.9pic.ai/docs/trial-guide/first-event-processing-pipeline.webp" alt="Event Photo Overview showing the status strip and processing pipeline cards for watermark setup, sync images, process photos, and publish event" />
    </Frame>

    <Note>
      Each photo processed consumes **1 credit**. Watch the credits counter in the sidebar so you know when you're getting close to the trial's 200-credit limit.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test the participant experience yourself">
    Once the event is **Live**, use **Open Link** in the event header to load the participant view in your browser. Try:

    * Searching with a **selfie** (FaceFind).
    * Searching by **BIB number** if it's a running event (BibTrack).
    * Downloading a single photo or using **Bulk Download**.

    If you need a second pair of eyes, use **Copy Link** and send it to a **teammate inside your organisation only** — never to real participants or customers.

    <Warning>
      The trial domain (`trial.9pic.ai`) is rate-limited for anti-abuse. Sharing the link with real participants will get them blocked. Keep this link inside your team until you upgrade.
    </Warning>

    <Frame caption="Trial participant page">
      <img src="https://assets.9pic.ai/docs/trial-guide/first-event-participant-page.webp" alt="Trial participant event page on trial.9pic.ai showing the search controls and published photo grid" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What to Watch For

* **Photos missing after sync?** Check that your source folder is shared correctly. See [No photos after sync](/dashboard-guide/troubleshooting/no-photos-after-sync).
* **Search not finding faces or BIBs?** Confirm Selfie Search was on when you created the event and re-run **Start Processing**. See [Search not working](/dashboard-guide/troubleshooting/search-not-working).
* **Go Live failed?** Usually a credits or source issue. See [Go Live failed](/dashboard-guide/troubleshooting/go-live-failed).
* **Credits blocking processing?** You'll see a notice on the event overview. See [Credits blocking processing](/dashboard-guide/troubleshooting/credits-blocking-processing).

## Common Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I run a real, live event for participants on the trial?">
    No. The trial event link works for testing, but it lives on the shared, rate-limited `trial.9pic.ai` domain — real-participant traffic will be blocked by anti-abuse. For an event that real participants will use, upgrade to Pay As You Go or Pro first so your organisation moves to `app.9pic.ai`. See [What's Included](/trial-guide/whats-included) for the full rule.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens to my event if I don't upgrade?">
    Your event data stays on the trial. You can come back later, add credits with Pay As You Go, and the event picks up where it left off — your domain moves to `app.9pic.ai` at that point.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="If I upgrade later, will my existing trial event become public automatically?">
    No. Your domain moves from `trial.9pic.ai` to `app.9pic.ai`, but the existing event stays **Private** until you explicitly change its visibility yourself.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long does processing take?">
    For a 100-photo test event, end-to-end (sync + process + go live) usually finishes in under 10 minutes. Larger events scale roughly linearly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I delete my test event after the trial?">
    Yes. Open the event's **Details** page and use the delete option in event settings. This frees up the event slot but does not refund spent credits.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Test Photo Search" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/trial-guide/test-photo-search">
    Verify FaceFind and BibTrack are working on your gallery.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Share with Your Team" icon="user-plus" href="/trial-guide/share-with-team">
    Invite a teammate to review the event with you.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Trial Checklist" icon="circle-check" href="/trial-guide/feature-checklist">
    Eight more things to try before you decide.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Compare Plans" icon="scale-balanced" href="/trial-guide/compare-plans">
    Decide which paid plan fits your event volume.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>