Events Manager is one of the oldest event plugins on WordPress, and it stores events differently from most. If you're moving off it, here's what's in your database, where migrations usually break, and a checklist to run before you switch.
Disclosure: I build Beacon Events, a WordPress events plugin with an Events Manager importer. The details below apply whatever you move to.
How Events Manager stores events
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Events live in their own table, not just in posts. Each event is a post of type
eventplus a row inwp_em_eventswith the dates, times, timezone and a link to its location. The row holds the real schedule, so read the table rather than the post meta. -
Locations are separate records in
wp_em_locations, with the address split into fields (address, town, state, postcode, country). - A repeating event is a template plus copies. Events Manager keeps one "repeating" event that holds the rule, then creates a separate event for every date it produces. Depending on the version, the rule sits on the template itself (older versions) or in its own recurrences table (newer ones), where it can also include or exclude sets of dates.
Where migrations go wrong
- Every date becomes its own event. Importing the generated copies turns a weekly class into 52 unrelated events. Take the template and its rule instead, and skip the copies.
- Excluded dates come back. When a repeating event has dates excluded, those need to arrive as skipped dates on the new rule, or the cancelled week reappears.
- "Specific dates" events don't fit a rule. Events Manager can repeat on a hand-picked list of dates. Most rule-based calendars can't express that, so check what your importer does with them. The honest answer is usually to keep the first date and tell you about the rest.
- Old links break. Events Manager leaves placeholder pages called "events" and "locations" behind, and your old event and location URLs point at them. Without redirects, search traffic and shared links go to empty pages.
- Bookings are a separate job. Events Manager has its own bookings system. Moving the events doesn't move the people who booked them, so export your booking lists first.
A checklist that holds up
- Back up the database, including the
wp_em_tables. - Count your published events, and note which ones repeat.
- Export your current bookings from Events Manager and keep the file.
- Run the import with Events Manager still active, then check one repeating event with an excluded date and one event on specific dates.
- Click a few old event and location links after you deactivate Events Manager.
If you want to try Beacon Events
Beacon Events is free on wordpress.org, and its Events Manager importer does the above. Each repeating event comes across as one event with its rule and excluded dates. Locations become venues with their full address, and categories keep their nesting. Old /events/… and /locations/… links redirect once Events Manager is switched off. "Specific dates" events keep their first date and are listed in the import report, and Events Manager bookings aren't imported. Recurring events, Google Calendar sync and month, list and day views are free. RSVPs and tickets are in a paid add-on.
https://wordpress.org/plugins/beacon-events/
If your Events Manager setup has something this misses, say so in the comments and I'll look at it.
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