{"slug":"creating-applications","title":"Creating Applications","description":"This article explains how to create applications for your events. Whether you want to use one application for all events or create separate applications for each event, Marketspread supports both options.","section":"market","sections":["market"],"tags":["application,applications"],"aliases":[],"author":"Support","updated":"2026-09-10","published_datetime":"2020-03-19T00:00:00.000Z","promoted":true,"related":[],"links":["how-to-create-custom-vendor-types","linking-applications-between-events"],"images":{},"video":null,"source_commit":null,"body_format":"markdown","nav":{"section":"market","group":"Build your application","next":{"slug":"update-market-application","title":"Update a market application"}},"related_articles":[],"body":"Applications in Marketspread support a wide variety of use cases and can be configured to fit almost any market or event.\n\nTo get started, go to **Event Configuration** → **Applications** from the left-hand navigation menu.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/01-image.png)\n\nFrom there, you can create any number of **application templates**. An application template is an application that is not directly linked to an event or event season.\n\nTo create a new template, click the **+ Add template** button in the top-right corner.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/02-image.jpg)\n\n## Creating your Application template\n\n### **Application Name**\n\nThe **Application Name** is for internal reference only. It is visible to your market or event team, but not to the public or vendors (example below).\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/03-image.jpg)\n\n### Insurance Settings\n\nWhen enabled, vendors will see information about Insurance Canopy (Marketspread's trusted insurance partner) during the application process and can request a quote.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/04-image.png)\n\n### **Vendor Types and Categories**\n\nApplication **Vendor Types** and **Categories** control which types of vendors can apply and which requirements, such as documents and questions, each type will see in the application.\n\n#### Vendor Types\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/05-image.png)\n\nYour global list of available vendor types and categories is managed under: **Settings → Customizations**\n\nThis is the pool of vendor types and categories you can use in your application. Marketspread provides a default set, but you can add, remove, or replace them as needed.\n\nPlease refer to our article on [How to create custom Vendor Types](https://articles.marketspread.com/v1/articles/how-to-create-custom-vendor-types) if you would like to make changes.\n\n#### **Vendor Categories**\n\nBy default, applications do not include any categories from the global pool.\n\nTo add categories, click the blue **+ Add Categories** button.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/06-image.jpg)\n\nThen select the categories you want to include and click the blue **Add** button. Selected categories will appear with a green highlight and checkmark.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/07-image.jpg)\n\nAfter adding categories, they will appear in the main **Vendor Categories** panel.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/08-image.jpg)\n\nTo remove a category, click the red **Remove** button, select the categories you want to remove, then click **Remove** again to confirm.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/09-image.jpg)\n\n### **Application Help - Point of Contact**\n\nUse the **Application Help** section to define who vendors should contact with questions about the application (only employees that have been given access to the account can be chosen).\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/10-image.jpg)\n\n### **Application Message**\n\nThe **Application Message** gives you space to share information that is not covered elsewhere in the application.\n\nYou can create:\n\n- a message for **all vendor types**\n- a message for a **specific vendor type**\n\nUse the **Applies To** selector to choose whether the message should apply to all vendors or only a selected vendor type.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/11-image.jpg)\n\nThis section is commonly used for:\n\n- welcome messages\n- application instructions\n- fee information\n- general housekeeping details\n\n### Application Photos\n\nIf you want to allow or require vendors to upload photos of their booth setup, product displays, or signage as part of the application, enable this feature and provide any necessary instructions.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/12-image.png)\n\n### **Application and Approval Fees**\n\nApplications can include two types of automatic invoicing:\n\n#### Application Fees\n\nAn **Application Fee** automatically creates an invoice when a vendor submits an application.\n\nYou can create as many application fees as needed. If credit card payments are enabled, vendors will be charged when they submit the application. If they pay by cash or check, the invoice will still be created so you can reconcile payment later.\n\n#### Approval Fees\n\nAn **Approval Fee** automatically creates an invoice when an application is approved.\n\nYou can create as many approval fees as needed. If approval fees are configured, you will be shown a list of available fees when approving an application and can choose which one to apply.\n\nTo add an application fee or approval fee, click the gray **+ Add Fee** button.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/13-image.jpg)\n\nFor each fee, you can choose which vendor types should see that fee. Vendor types not selected will not see it in the application.\n\n!!! note\n    You can configure as many application fees and approval fees as needed, or none at all.\n   \n\n\nBelow is an example of an **Application Fee**.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/14-image.jpg)\n\nBelow is an example of a **Membership Fee**.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/15-image.jpg)\n\n### **Presented Documents**\n\n**Presented Documents** are documents you want vendors or exhibitors to read as part of the application.\n\nYou can require agreement by selecting **Yes** under **Required Agreement**. Applications can include multiple presented documents.\n\nTo add a document, click the gray **+ Add Document** button.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/16-image.png)\n\nThere are four types of presented documents:\n\n- **No Agreement** – informational only\n- **Requires Agreement** – must be opened and agreed to\n- **Optional Signature** – digital signature is available, but not required\n- **Requires Signature** – digital signature and other entered text are required\n\nFor each presented document, you can choose which vendor types should see it. Vendor types not selected will not see that document.\n\nBelow is an example of a required presented document.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/17-presented-doc.png)\n\n### **Requested Documents**\n\n**Requested Documents** are files the applicant must upload with their submission.\n\nYou can make a requested document required by selecting **Yes** under **Required?** You can also control which vendor or exhibitor types the requirement applies to.\n\nTo add a requested document, click the gray **+ Add Document Request** button.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/18-image.png)\n\nFor each requested document, select which vendor types should see it. Vendor types not selected will not see that requirement.\n\nBelow is an example of a requested document.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/19-requesteddocs.png)\n\n### **Vendor Questions**\n\nThe **Vendor Questions** section allows you to create as many section headers and application questions as needed.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/20-image.png)\n\n#### Add a Section Header\n\nTo help organize your questions, click **+ Add Section Header**.\n\nFor each section header, select which vendor types should see it. Vendor types not selected will not see that section.\n\n#### Add a Question\n\nTo add an application question, click the blue **+ Add Question** button.\n\nSupported question types include:\n\n- **Text** – large text answer box\n- **Short Text** – short text answer box\n- **Yes/No (Toggle)** – yes/no toggle\n- **Multiple Choice** – one answer can be selected\n- **Multiple Choice (Auto-Tag)** – answer is converted to a tag that is automatically added to the vendor inside of the event they are applying to.\n- **Multiple Choice (Dropdown)** – one answer selected from a dropdown\n- **Multiple Choice (Dropdown and Auto-Tag)** – answer is converted to a tag that is automatically added to the vendor inside of the event they are applying to.\n- **Multiple Select** – multiple answers can be selected\n- **Multiple Select (Auto-Tag)** – multiple answers can be selected and answer(s) are converted to tags that are automatically added to the vendor inside of the event they are applying to.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/21-image.jpg)\n\nThen:\n\n- enter your question in the **Question** field\n- select the **Question Type**\n- choose whether the question is **Required**\n- select which vendor types should see the question under **Applies To**\n\n!!! note\n    - **Auto-Tag Questions**  Some multiple choice questions can automatically assign a vendor tag based on the selected answer. This can help with search, categorization, and workflow management.\n    \n    - **Pin to Scheduler**  If a question relates to scheduling or booth booking, such as number of booths, booth location, or amenities, enabling **Pin to Scheduler** will display the question and answer in **Scheduler**.\n    \n    - **Map to Extended Vendor Data**  If a question collects important information you want available outside the application, you can map it to an **Extended Vendor Data** key. This makes the data available in the vendor record and searchable across the platform.To learn more, see the related support video on **Extended Vendor Data**.\n   \n\n\n \n\n### Save Your Application\n\nWhen you are finished creating your application, click the blue **Save Application** button at the bottom of the page.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-applications/22-image.jpg)\n\nFrom here please refer to our support document on [Linking Applications Between Events](https://articles.marketspread.com/v1/articles/linking-applications-between-events)."}