Tally.so for Event Management: AI Guide

Introduction: The “Notion” of Form Builders

As a Saas and martech writer, let me tell you frankly : most form builders feel like work. You’re usually stuck dragging boxes across a grid, fighting with clunky sidebars, and hitting a “paywall” the second you get more than ten responses.Then came Tally.so for event management.

Tally has disrupted the space by adopting a “document-first” approach. If you know how to use a keyboard, you already know how to use Tally. By using a clean, minimalist interface that mirrors the Notion experience, it turns form-building into a creative process rather than a chore.

Why is everyone switching?

• The Interface: It’s a blank page. No cluttered menus.
• The Power: It handles complex logic and payments with ease.
• The Price: Their “99% of features are free” mantra isn’t just marketing—it’s the reality.

Whether you’re collecting leads, running a survey, or building a full-scale checkout flow, you’re running a campaign, gathering feedback, or signing up , Tally is the “Swiss Army Knife” for the modern web. It helps you do it faster and smarter. By the end of this blog, you’ll see why so many marketers are choosing Tally.so to streamline their lead capture process.

My Personal Experience: From “Data Janitor” to AI Architect

Before I integrated Tally.so for event management into my workflow, my ghostwriting process for management companies was chaotic. I would receive speaker bios via scattered emails, session titles via Slack, and headshots through WhatsApp. I spent 40% of my time being a “data janitor”, cleaning up typos and chasing missing info, instead of actually writing.

Switching to Tally.so changed three specific things for me:

1. The “Notion-Style” Comfort Factor

Since I already live in Notion to manage my content calendar, Tally felt like home. I could build a “Speaker Intake Form” in minutes because it uses the same slash commands (/) I use for writing. This meant I stopped procrastinating on form creation and started building them as soon as a project kicked off.

2. Cleaning Data Before It Hits My Desk

By using Tally.so for event management, I set strict character limits on “Session Descriptions” and “Speaker Bios.”

• The Result: I no longer had to manually trim a 500-word bio down to 100 words for an event brochure. The form did the “editing” for me, ensuring the data I received was already in a “writer-ready” format.

3. Powering my AI Workflows

As a Martech enthusiast, I started connecting my Tally forms to Make.com and ChatGPT.

• The Workflow: A speaker submits their rough session title through Tally → Make.com sends that title to ChatGPT → ChatGPT suggests 3 punchy, SEO-optimized alternatives → The options are emailed back to me for review.
• This turned a simple form into a high-level AI content assistant that made me look like a magician to the management companies I ghostwrote for.

Getting Started: The Anatomy of a Tally Form

Building in Tally is fast, really fast. Here is how the workflow actually feels:

The “Slash” Command Workflow

Instead of searching for a “Short Answer” button in a menu, you simply click on the page and type /.

• Type /text for a short answer.
• Type /email for email validation.
• Type /image to drop in a visual.

This “Type-to-Build” flow keeps you in the “zone” and allows you to build a functional 10-field form in under sixty seconds.

Blocks vs. Fields

Tally treats everything as a Block. This means you can mix and match:

1. Input Blocks: Where users type their info (Question, Multiple Choice, Linear Scale).
2. Layout Blocks: Where you add structure (Headings, Dividers, Columns).
3. Media Blocks: Where you add personality (Images, Videos, or even Custom HTML).

Customization: Making it Yours

Don’t let the “minimalism” fool you. You can easily:

• Upload a Cover Image: Just like a Notion page.
• Add your Logo: To keep it professional.
• Custom CSS: (For Pro users) to make the form look exactly like your own website.

Key Features of Tally.so for event management That Feel Like Superpowers

Tally might look like a simple document, but under the hood, it’s a powerhouse. Here are the three features that turn a basic survey into a sophisticated application.

Conditional Logic: The “If/Then” Magic

Conditional logic allows you to create a dynamic path for your users. Instead of showing everyone the same 20 questions, you only show what’s relevant.

• The Workflow: Type /logic to insert a logic block.
• The Use Case: Imagine a “Project Inquiry” form. If a user selects “Design” as their service, Tally can automatically show questions about branding. If they select “Web Development,” it hides the design questions and shows tech-stack options instead.
• Result: Shorter forms, higher completion rates.

Calculations: Turn Forms into Apps

Calculations are Tally’s secret weapon. You can perform math based on user input in real-time.

• The Workflow: Type /calc to create a “Calculated Field.”
• Creative Example: Build a Quote Generator.
  • Set a base price of $500.
  • If the user checks “Expedited Delivery,” use logic to Add +$200 to the total.
  • Display the final price at the bottom using an @mention of your calculation field.

Answer Piping: Personalization at Scale

Nobody likes feeling like a number. Answer piping lets you take a response from one question and “pipe” it into the text of another.

• How it works: Ask for the user’s name in Question 1. In Question 2, you can type: “Thanks, @First Name! What is your budget for this project?”
• The “Wow” Factor: It makes the form feel like a 1-on-1 conversation rather than a cold data-collection tool.

Pro-Tip: The “Hidden Field” Strategy

If you’re a marketer, mention Hidden Fields. You can append data to your form URL (like ?source=twitter) to track exactly where your leads are coming from without the user ever seeing it.

The “Free Forever” Model vs. Tally Pro

Tally is famous for its 99% free philosophy. Unlike other builders that cap you at 10 responses or 3 forms, Tally lets you grow without hitting a paywall. However, for businesses and power users, the Pro version offers “branding insurance” and advanced data tools.

Comparison: What’s the catch?

Feature	Tally Free ($0)	Tally Pro ($29/mo)
Forms & Responses	Unlimited	Unlimited
File Uploads	Up to 10MB per file	Unlimited file size
Branding	“Made with Tally” badge	No branding (100% yours)
Domain	tally.so/r/yourform	Custom domains (https://www.google.com/search?q=forms.yourbrand.com)
Collaboration	Just you	Unlimited team members
Analytics	Basic form visits	Drop-off analytics (see where people quit)
Integrations	Notion, Airtable, etc.	Pro integrations (Meta Pixel, Google Analytics)
Partial Submissions	❌	✅ (Capture data even if they don’t finish)

The Verdict: If you are a freelancer or student, the Free plan is more than enough. If you are a business that needs to look high-end (no Tally logo) or needs to see exactly where users are dropping off in a long form, Tally Pro is worth every penny.

Seamless Connections: Integrations & Workflows

A form is only as good as where the data goes. Tally doesn’t just store your data in a boring spreadsheet; it talks to your entire tech stack.

The “Big Three” Native Integrations

You don’t need Zapier for these. Tally connects directly:

1. Notion: Map your form fields directly to a Notion Database. Every time someone hits submit, a new page is created automatically.
2. Airtable: Perfect for those who need a more powerful backend for data sorting and automation.
3. Google Sheets: The classic choice for quick data analysis and sharing with team members.

For the Automators (Zapier & Make)

If you need to trigger an email in Mailchimp, a message in Slack, or an invoice in QuickBooks, Tally’s Zapier and Make.com integrations are rock solid.

Advanced: Webhooks

For the developers out there, Tally supports Webhooks. This means you can send your form data to a custom URL (your own server or app) the millisecond a user submits.

Step-by-Step: Building Your First “AI-Ready” Form in Tally

Ready to build? Follow these steps to create a professional speaker intake form in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Start with a Clean Slate

Log in to Tally.so and click “Create form.” You’ll be met with a blank page. Don’t look for a sidebar—just click on the page and start typing.

Step 2: The “Slash” Magic (Adding Fields)

To add your first question, type / on your keyboard.

• For the Name: Type /text and label it “Full Name.”
• For the Bio: Type /long (Long Answer) so speakers have room to write.
• For the Headshot: Type /file to add a file upload block.

Step 3: Adding Logic (The “Smart” Part)

Let’s say you have two tracks: Technical AI and Event Strategy. You only want to ask for “Github Links” if they are technical.

1. Type /choice to ask “Which track are you applying for?”
2. Type /logic below it.
3. Set the rule: “IF Track IS Technical AI, THEN SHOW Github Link field.”

Step 4: Design & Branding

Click the “Design” tab at the top.

• Cover Image: Upload a high-res banner of your event space or an AI-generated abstract image.
• Logo: Drop your event logo in the center.
• Typography: Choose a clean sans-serif font like Inter or Plus Jakarta Sans to keep that “Notion” vibe.

Step 5: Connecting to the “Brain” (Integrations)

Go to the “Integrations” tab.

• Select Notion.
• Connect your “Speaker Database.”
• Map the Tally fields (Name, Bio, Photo) to your Notion columns.
• Now, every time a speaker submits, your database populates automatically—ready for your AI tools to summarize the content.

Step 6: Publish & Share

Hit the “Publish” button in the top right. You’ll get a clean URL (e.g., tally.so/r/AI-Event-Speaker). You can now embed this on your website or send it directly to your VIPs.

Now that you know why Tally.so for event management is my secret weapon for ghostwriting, let’s get you set up. Here is the exact blueprint I use for every management company I work with.

Design & User Experience (UX): Forms That Don’t Look Like Forms

Tally’s design philosophy is “Invisible UI.” The goal is to make the form feel like a natural part of your website or document rather than a jarring third-party pop-up.

Layout Options: One Page vs. Multi-Page

You aren’t forced into a single format.

• The Document View: Keep all questions on one scrolling page. This is great for short contact forms or quick sign-ups.
• The Multi-Step Flow: Type /page to add a page break. This turns your form into a guided experience, which is scientifically proven to reduce “form fatigue” for longer surveys.

Three Ways to Share & Embed

Tally gives you three professional ways to get your form in front of people:

1. Standard Embed: Seamlessly inject the form into your website code (works perfectly with WordPress, Webflow, or Framer).
2. Popup: Trigger a form to appear based on user behavior—like Exit Intent (when they try to leave the page) or Time Delay.
3. Full Page: Use Tally as a standalone landing page. With a Pro account, you can even point your own custom domain (e.g., survey.yourbrand.com) to it.

Visual Tip: Use the “Transparent Background” setting when embedding. It allows your website’s actual background color to bleed through the form, making it look 100% custom-built.

Comparison: Tally vs. Typeform vs. Google Forms

Choosing a form builder usually comes down to three factors: Cost, Complexity, and Style. Here is how Tally stacks up against the “Big Two” in 2026.

Feature	Google Forms	Typeform	Tally.so
Aesthetic	Basic/Academic	High-end/Conversational	Minimalist/Notion-style
Price (Free Tier)	Completely Free	Very Limited (10 responses/mo)	Unlimited (Best Value)
UX Style	Scrolling list	One-question-at-a-time	Hybrid (Your choice)
Logic/Math	Very Basic	Advanced (But expensive)	Advanced (Free)
Best For…	Internal office polls	High-budget brand lead-gen	Startups & Indie Creators

Why choose Tally over the others?

• Over Google Forms: Because you want your brand to look professional. Google Forms are recognizable and “cheap” looking; Tally looks like a premium custom-coded site.
• Over Typeform: Because you don’t want to pay $30+ a month just to collect more than 10 responses. Tally gives you Typeform-level power without the “per-response” tax.
• If you want more tips on tech, check out this guide on modern event marketing trends.

Avoid These Common Newbie Mistakes

Even though Tally is intuitive, a few small tweaks can make the difference between a “good” form and a “pro” form:

• The “Unpublished” Trap: Tally saves your work automatically as a draft, but changes won’t go live until you hit the “Publish” button again. If you update your speaker questions, remember to re-publish!
• Check Your “Required” Toggles: By default, fields are optional. For an event intake form, make sure you toggle the “Required” switch for critical info like Email and Speaker Bio so your AI doesn’t receive empty data.
• Test Your Logic Paths: If you use /logic, always open your form in an Incognito/Private window and test every “branch.” You don’t want your Technical Speakers getting stuck on a page meant for Sponsors!
• Mobile Image Cropping: If you upload a cover image with text on it, check it on your phone. Tally crops images from the center on mobile, so keep your important visuals or logos in the middle of the graphic.
• Connecting the Wrong Notion Property: When setting up the integration, ensure your Notion “Column Type” matches Tally’s “Field Type.” For example, a Tally File Upload must be mapped to a Notion Files & Media property, or the sync will fail.

Watch this video for complete tutorial on how to create forms easily in tally.so for event management

Conclusion & Final Verdict: Is Tally Right for You?

After exploring the features, the pricing, and the design, the conclusion is simple: Tally.so is currently the most disruptive tool in the no-code space. It has successfully bridged the gap between the “too simple” Google Forms and the “too expensive” Typeform.

Who should use Tally?

• Indie Hackers & Startups: If you need to validate ideas quickly without worrying about hit limits or subscription costs.
• Notion Power Users: If you want your forms to feel like an extension of your existing workspace.
• E-commerce Beginners: If you want to sell a handful of products or services via Stripe without setting up a full Shopify store.

3 “Pro-Tips” for Your First Tally Form

Before you hit “Publish” on your first form, keep these three tips in mind:

1. Test the Mobile View: Tally forms are responsive by default, but always use the “Preview” toggle to make sure your cover images look good on a smartphone screen.
2. Use “Redirect on Completion”: Instead of a boring “Thank You” page, send your users to your website, a calendar link, or a free download once they submit.
3. Keyboard Shortcuts are King: Once you get comfortable, stop clicking and start typing. Cmd + K (or Ctrl + K) is your best friend for searching through blocks and settings.

The Bottom Line: If you value speed, clean aesthetics, and a fair pricing model, stop searching and start building. Tally is the last form builder you’ll ever need to learn.

I am a SaaS and Martech Writer dedicated to helping management companies find their voice. With a background in ghostwriting and Social Media Management, I bridge the gap between technical software and human storytelling. Need a partner to manage your blog, whitepapers, or SMM strategy?

Let’s connect! Reach out via LinkedIn or email me at to discuss how we can elevate your brand’s Martech stack and social reach.