IEEE Conference Organizer Timeline
Learn the timeline and steps for planning your conference.
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The First Steps for Planning Your Conference
Although every conference is unique, there are a number of key ingredients and common factors to organizing a successful event. Most conferences start preparing a minimum of 12 to 18 months before the conference date. Larger conferences plan much farther out.
Some of the pre-planning is done before you officially apply to IEEE for sponsorship approval. Before completing the application, make sure to talk with your sponsors and understand if they will support your application.
You will also want to define your technical program and peer review process and have your committee on board. A high-level budget is required, but expenses should not be incurred prior to approval. To help the process go smoothly, CEE provides relationship managers who can help you long before you submit your application.
The IEEE Conference Organizer Timeline outlines the major activities and time frames for planning your next event.
- Download the timeline (XLS, 397 KB)
Many IEEE organizational units (Section, Societies, Technical Councils, etc.) have their own processes for sponsorship approval. Check with each technical or geographic unit sponsor before submitting your application to IEEE.
IEEE Conference Organizer Timeline
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|---|---|
| General Chair | |
| Task | Timeframe |
| Establish Conference Organizing Committee; contact previous year’s Committee for best practices | Start |
| Contact CEE for conference mentor, education, guidance, policies, services, & tools | Start |
| Reach out, apply, & obtain sponsorship information from all IEEE &/or non-IEEE OUs. Learn their requirements. | Start |
| Create & finalize scope, topic, or theme. Check for date/scope conflicts with other IEEE conferences. | Start |
| Engage with local IEEE Section leadership where your conference will be held. How can you partner? | Start |
| Select conference date, location, venue. Tip: avoid holidays, other conferences, and peak season. | Start |
| Create conference branding & basic website. Share URL with CEE. Host your web site for free with IEEE. | Start |
| Ensure that all vendors and volunteers are fulfilling duties. Conduct periodic quality check in. | Monthly |
| After agreeing with sponsors, submit Conference Application to apply for IEEE sponsorship support & inclusion in IEEE Conference Search. Approve MOU. | 36-24 months out |
| Complete POBC/COI Form within 30 days of assuming Chair position | 36-12 months out |
| Apply for grants for conference support | 18-15 months out |
| Notify CEE of on-site event emergencies (eert@ieee.org) & event conduct concerns (eventconduct@ieee.org) | On-site |
| Hold post‐conference wrap-up meeting. Include next year’s committee if possible. | On-site |
| Report statistics & lessons learned to OU with copy to CEE | 1 month post |
| Finance Chair/Treasurer | |
| Task | Timeframe |
| Seek input and approval on registration fees and other key aspects of the conference budget | Start |
| Draft conference budget | Start |
| Complete POBC/COI Form within 30 days of assuming Treasurer position | Start |
| Submit budget to IEEE CEE for review & approval | 36-12 months out |
| After budget approval, learn audit requirements for documentation throughout the life of the conference. Conferences that do not require an audit by Policy are open to random testing by IEEE Internal Audit. | 36-12 months out |
| After budget approval, establish means for filing indirect taxes if applicable, prior to collecting any revenue or making payments | 36-12 months out |
| After budget approval, establish Bank Account and submit required documentation to assigned analyst | 36-12 months out |
| Request loan to your conference account after establishing (if applicable) | 36-12 months out |
| Issue travel grants if applicable | 6-1 months out |
| Submit pre-conference forecast (including updates to projected attendance based on paper submission numbers, confirmed financial contributions, expenses, etc.). Multiple forecasts are helpful. | Monthly |
| Monitor additional revenue & expenses on-site, request daily bills from vendors to review for accuracy, review on-site transactions with forecast numbers daily. Make registrar aware of any additional on-site revenue. | On-site |
| Collect tax forms from individuals receiving awards or any non-reimbursable payments | On-site |
| Issue reimbursements for conference travel expenses | On-site-1 month post |
| Review 1099 1042 & make sure it is submitted to your Business Analyst by year end | 1 month post-year end |
| Ensure that support transfers from IEEE sponsors are submitted to your Business Analyst by year end | 1 month post-year end |
| Submit post-conference forecast | 1 month post |
| Follow-up for any outstanding bills/final invoices | 1 month post |
| Close bank account, distribute surplus & loan if applicable to financial sponsors (no later than 6 months) | 1-6 months post |
| Submit final financial report with Certificate of Accuracy (no later than 12 months after conference) | 1-12 months post |
| Prepare & submit all audit material to IEEE auditor or independent auditor (as necessary) | 1-12 months post |
| Technical Program Chair | |
| Task | Timeframe |
| Develop technical program (include underrepresented groups: local, young professionals, women, students) | 18-15 months out |
| Establish paper submission process/deadlines. Include Crosscheck or plagiarism detection tool. | 18-15 months out |
| Set up online paper management system | 18-15 months out |
| Draft a Call for Papers (CFP) | 18-15 months out |
| Establish review committee. Complete paper review process. Notify authors | 6-4 months out |
| Finalize technical program. Sign off on final copy or delegate to ensure quality control. | 6-4 months out |
| Create & publish advanced program | 6-4 months out |
| Publications Chair | |
| Task | Timeframe |
| Submit IEEE Conference Publication Form to request approval to submit papers to IEEE Xplore | 18-12 months out |
| Register for PDF eXpress (optional) | 15-12 months out |
| Establish Production Services for conference content | 15-12 months out |
| Register for eCF for accepted papers 90 days prior to Notification of Acceptance | 4 months out-launch |
| Submit Conference Proceedings/Content per LoA 30 days post conference start date | 2 weeks-1 month post |
| Publicity/Public Relations Chair | |
| Task | Timeframe |
| Develop communications/audience development plan. Incorporate milestones - call for papers promotion, early bird deadlines, and speaker/program announcements. | 16 months out |
| Begin outreach to educational institutions, corporations, government, & industry for support & patronage. Ask companies to do press releases for keynotes as they accept. | 15 months out |
| Promote Call for Papers (CFP) & Exhibit Prospectus at current year’s conference, if applicable | 15-12 months out |
| Update website (Call for Papers, Exhibit Prospectus, venue/hotel, key dates, author instructions, & program) | 12 months out-launch |
| Promote conference through your sponsoring OU and local IEEE sections | 12 months out-launch |
| Share Event Conduct & Safety Statement with attendees | On-site |
| Promote next year's conference with collateral, including Save the Date, Call For Papers, & Exhibit Prospectus | On-site |
| Send post-event thank you email & attendee survey | 1 day - 1 week post |
| Post photos, video content, multimedia & notices of appreciation on the website | 1 day-1 month post |
| Post next year’s date and location on the website | 1 day-1 month post |
| Local Arrangements Chair | |
| Task | Timeframe |
| Confirm venue & vendor contracts. Send contracts valuing over US $1,000 to contracts team for review. | 36-24 months out |
| Review & reconfirm hotel meeting space & room block. Monitor attrition cut off dates. | 12-9 months out |
| Plan social activities and tour program, if applicable. and add to registration site | 9-6 months out |
| Work w/vendors/venue to finalize room layout, AV, food & beverage, & signage. Finalize volunteer assignments. | 4 months out-launch |
| Create Event Emergency Plan & share with conference committee, volunteers, & vendors on-site | 4 months out-launch |
| Order on-site items: registration materials, final program, proceedings, signage, giveaways, and items to promote next year’s conference. Ship to site. | 4 months out-launch |
| Arrive at conference location at least one day prior to conference start. Confirm on-site logistics with venue. | On-site |
| Monitor on-site activities & hold meetings with key organizers, vendors, and venue as needed | On-site |
| Registration Chair | |
| Task | Timeframe |
| Determine registration process/vendor. Include IEEE Event Terms and Conditions & IEEE Privacy Policy. | 12-9 months out |
| Work with Finance Chair to develop registration scenarios (early bird, etc.) | 12-9 months out |
| Create GDPR-compliant registration form (& visa process if applicable). Ensure registration service is Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant. | 9-6 months out |
| Work with vendor on badging. Contact CEE to learn about discounts. | 4 months out-launch |
| Manage on-site registration | On-site |
| Finalize attendee list - attendee name, item purchased, amount paid, payment method, date paid & no shows. Send to IEEE CEE with closing materials. | 1 month post |
| Sponsorship/Exhibits Chair | |
| Task | Timeframe |
| Work with Finance Chair to establish sponsorship targets & development of tiers | 18-15 months out |
| Prepare Exhibit Prospectus. Send request for proposal (RFP) to exhibit decorators. | 18-15 months out |
| Establish a means of exhibitor & sponsor invoicing & payment tracking | 18-15 months out |
| Create sponsor & exhibit report w/entity name, item purchased, amount paid, method of payment, & date paid | 12-1 months out |
| Finalize exhibitors, space assignments & exhibitor bios | 4 months out-launch |
| Collect & record payments and provide on-site information | Monthly |
| Set up for event: registration area, exhibit space, information booth, office area, signage, etc. | On-site |
| Establish location, schedule, & staffing sign-up for next year’s conference. Renew exhibitors on-site. | On-site |