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Editing in the Classic and Block Editor

Events Manager works with both the WordPress Classic Editor and the Block Editor (Gutenberg). You can choose which one you use for editing events and locations, and when you use the Block Editor you can also choose how the event panels are arranged.

Which editor should I use?​

For most sites we still recommend the Classic Editor for events. Events are more data focused than content focused: dates, times, locations, bookings and attributes matter more than long-form page content, and the Classic Editor presents all of that on a single, familiar screen.

That said, we are committed to supporting the Block Editor and are making continuous improvements to the experience. If your workflow is built around blocks, or you want event content to sit alongside richer page content, the Block Editor is a good choice and gets better with each release.

You can switch between the two at any time without losing data, so it is worth trying both and using whichever suits you.

Choosing your editor​

Go to Events > Settings > General and set the Editor option to either Classic Editor or Block Editor (Gutenberg). The choice applies to both events and locations across your site.

If a developer has defined the EM_GUTENBERG constant in your wp-config.php, that takes precedence and the setting is locked to match it.

The Classic Editor​

The Classic Editor shows every part of an event on one screen: the When panel (dates, times and recurrences), Bookings, Where (the location and map), Attributes, and anything added by your add-ons. Everything is visible at once, which suits the data-entry nature of events. If you have used Events Manager before, this is the layout you already know.

The Block Editor (Gutenberg)​

In the Block Editor your event description is edited as blocks, the same as a normal post or page. The event's data panels (When, Bookings, and so on) are presented separately, and you can choose how they are arranged with the Block editor layout option in Events > Settings > General.

There are three layouts to choose from.

Canvas tabs​

The main event panels are shown as a set of tabs inside the editing area, near the top, so the most-used fields (When, Bookings, Attributes, and add-on panels such as automated emails) stay close to where you write.

A few panels work better in the standard WordPress layout and are shown as their own panels below the content instead. The location and map (Where) is one of these, so that the map behaves correctly.

Canvas tabs is the default for new installations.

Tabbed metaboxes​

The same panels are grouped into a single tabbed box in the standard panel area below your content. This uses WordPress's native forms throughout, so every panel, including ones added by add-ons, behaves exactly as it does in the Classic Editor, only organised into tabs rather than stacked.

Stacked metaboxes​

Each panel is shown as its own box, stacked one after another below your content. This is the arrangement closest to the Classic Editor while still using the Block Editor for your content, and it is the default for sites that have upgraded from an earlier version.

Locations​

The location editor is simpler, as its main content is the address and map. In the Block Editor the location panels are always shown in the standard panel area rather than the canvas, so the map works reliably. They follow your tabbed or stacked choice; if you have selected canvas tabs for events, locations use the stacked layout instead.

Switching at any time​

The editor and the layout can both be changed whenever you like from Events > Settings > General. The choice is site-wide and does not change your saved events or locations, so you can move between them freely and settle on whatever fits your workflow best.