--- title: 'Conference program builder for academic events - Fourwaves' description: 'Rated 4.9/5 by 86 organizers. Conference scheduling software: build sessions from accepted abstracts, catch double-booked speakers, publish everywhere.' url: https://fourwaves.com/conference-program/ lang: 'en-US' --- # A smarter way to build your conference program Publish a detailed program that attendees will love, no more messy spreadsheets or last-minute chaos. [Create your event](https://dashboard.fourwaves.com/get-started) [Book a demo](https://fourwaves.com/book-a-demo/) ![](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/conference-program.CrVcZ63X_2mdDAQ.webp) **Trusted by top organizations** ![AAS](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/aas.2NPcg0EW_ZFNmYv.webp) ![CSM SCM](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/csm-scm.T8Cz-YvR_ZYA2ik.webp) ![Nasa](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/nasa.B7q7eAvH_1wNGoa.webp) ![U Florida](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-florida.DheILRJJ_Z1esJ1e.webp) ![U Texas](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-texas.Mv3pd0jM_Z204bzs.webp) ![U Toronto](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-toronto.jolqeAQo_Ze8vbn.webp) ![NIH](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/nih.BIyTqvYV_j0XoT.webp) ![IAGLR](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/iaglr.DsgDLocB_2dystp.webp) ![Boston Medical](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/boston-medical.Ds_thDx6_STbiH.webp) ![Chu Sainte Justine](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/chu-sainte-justine.l7eyExiJ_Z18raNi.webp) ![Mcgill](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/mcgill.D8ZCD-9I_Z1UIGW9.webp) ![SCAS SCSA](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/scas-scsa.BXicOU2L_ZMqTMM.webp) ![U Montreal](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-montreal.BWMWht_V_Z2q6Cee.webp) ![Yale](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/yale.DPyQKNyW_PRh0z.webp) ![U Sherbrooke](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-sherbrooke.lU5khcDA_28yCud.webp) ![Stanford](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/stanford.CUgH2YTU_ZW8iwK.webp) ![MSC SMC](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/msc-smc.U-W6fpl0_ZxjCIY.webp) ![Chum](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/chum.DxnhMbrC_2vKvVu.webp) ![AAS](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/aas.2NPcg0EW_ZFNmYv.webp) ![CSM SCM](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/csm-scm.T8Cz-YvR_ZYA2ik.webp) ![Nasa](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/nasa.B7q7eAvH_1wNGoa.webp) ![U Florida](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-florida.DheILRJJ_Z1esJ1e.webp) ![U Texas](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-texas.Mv3pd0jM_Z204bzs.webp) ![U Toronto](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-toronto.jolqeAQo_Ze8vbn.webp) ![NIH](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/nih.BIyTqvYV_j0XoT.webp) ![IAGLR](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/iaglr.DsgDLocB_2dystp.webp) ![Boston Medical](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/boston-medical.Ds_thDx6_STbiH.webp) ![Chu Sainte Justine](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/chu-sainte-justine.l7eyExiJ_Z18raNi.webp) ![Mcgill](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/mcgill.D8ZCD-9I_Z1UIGW9.webp) ![SCAS SCSA](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/scas-scsa.BXicOU2L_ZMqTMM.webp) ![U Montreal](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-montreal.BWMWht_V_Z2q6Cee.webp) ![Yale](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/yale.DPyQKNyW_PRh0z.webp) ![U Sherbrooke](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-sherbrooke.lU5khcDA_28yCud.webp) ![Stanford](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/stanford.CUgH2YTU_ZW8iwK.webp) ![MSC SMC](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/msc-smc.U-W6fpl0_ZxjCIY.webp) ![Chum](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/chum.DxnhMbrC_2vKvVu.webp) ![AAS](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/aas.2NPcg0EW_ZFNmYv.webp) ![CSM SCM](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/csm-scm.T8Cz-YvR_ZYA2ik.webp) ![Nasa](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/nasa.B7q7eAvH_1wNGoa.webp) ![U Florida](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-florida.DheILRJJ_Z1esJ1e.webp) ![U Texas](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-texas.Mv3pd0jM_Z204bzs.webp) ![U Toronto](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-toronto.jolqeAQo_Ze8vbn.webp) ![NIH](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/nih.BIyTqvYV_j0XoT.webp) ![IAGLR](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/iaglr.DsgDLocB_2dystp.webp) ![Boston Medical](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/boston-medical.Ds_thDx6_STbiH.webp) ![Chu Sainte Justine](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/chu-sainte-justine.l7eyExiJ_Z18raNi.webp) ![Mcgill](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/mcgill.D8ZCD-9I_Z1UIGW9.webp) ![SCAS SCSA](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/scas-scsa.BXicOU2L_ZMqTMM.webp) ![U Montreal](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-montreal.BWMWht_V_Z2q6Cee.webp) ![Yale](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/yale.DPyQKNyW_PRh0z.webp) ![U Sherbrooke](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-sherbrooke.lU5khcDA_28yCud.webp) ![Stanford](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/stanford.CUgH2YTU_ZW8iwK.webp) ![MSC SMC](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/msc-smc.U-W6fpl0_ZxjCIY.webp) ![Chum](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/chum.DxnhMbrC_2vKvVu.webp) ## Ditch the spreadsheets and build your conference program with ease. ### Build from submitted content Avoid copy-paste errors: drag and drop submitted presentations directly and order them into your sessions with ease. ### Last-minute changes? No worries Updates sync everywhere in real time, on your website, program, and conference app. ### Attendees will love it Speaker bios, materials, clear sessions, and personal agendas help attendees plan their itineraries with ease. ## Build sessions effortlessly Build an eye-catching conference program in minutes, complete with sessions, nested presentations, tracks, rooms, livestream links, and more. [See it in action](https://dashboard.fourwaves.com/get-started) ![Drag and drop conference schedule builder in Fourwaves](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/schedule-builder.CtvKTa11_Z1s5kVF.png) ## Solve conflicts & contact presenters Detect scheduling conflicts and stay and send notifications to presenters, saving time and reducing errors. [See it in action](https://dashboard.fourwaves.com/get-started) ![Presenter email tools in the Fourwaves schedule builder](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/schedule-emails.CW4-ZsRe_Z1y4kiP.png) ## Update and share instantly Make last-minute changes and ensure participants always have the most up-to-date version at hand. [See it in action](https://dashboard.fourwaves.com/get-started) ![Conference program displayed on desktop and mobile in Fourwaves](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/schedule-responsive.CSh0AVo8_Z24uFUT.png) ## Delightful experience for everyone involved I’m an organizer I’m a speaker I’m a participant ### Effortless conference program management Turn accepted abstracts into a complete program, update it anytime, and share it instantly. - Drag and drop presentations within sessions - Auto-detect conflicts with built-in filters - Publish on your event website and mobile app - Export a professional, ready-to-print program booklet ![conference-program-organizer](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/conference-program-organizer.CfGKbDSv_1gcER1.png) ### My presentation, all in one place Submit once and keep everything updated for a stress-free experience. - Update your bio and presentation details anytime - Upload slides, posters, videos, and supporting material - Receive alerts when your session changes or conflicts arise ![conference-program-speaker](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/conference-program-speaker.4tnO_GI2_1w9Afs.png) ### Plan and personalize my experience Find the sessions that matter most and access all the materials in one place. - Search by topic, track, or speaker name - Bookmark sessions to build your personal agenda - View speaker bios and presentation files - Download the full program for offline access ![conference-program-participant](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/conference-program-participant.DdQ_rHjV_1GK09x.png) ## From abstracts to attendees: all-in-one program management Unlike generic scheduling tools, Fourwaves was built for research conferences with the organizer and attendee experience in mind. ### Drag & drop editor Quickly create and modify sessions without spreadsheets. ### Multi-day & parallel sessions From multi-day to parallel sessions, your program remains clearly presented. ### Conflict checker Filter for double-booked speakers or overlapping sessions. ### Communication tools Contact presenters of specific sessions effortlessly to keep them up to date. ### Conference booklet Export a professional conference booklet in seconds. ### Personalized agenda Attendees can create their personal schedule for an optimal event experience. ### Color-coded tracks Assign color-coded tracks to help attendees browse the program. ### Search and filters Attendees can easily search and filter through a multi-day program. ### Livestream integration Connect your preferred livestreaming platform for increased reach. ### Session recordings Upload video recordings, so that participants can watch them directly through your program anytime. ## Your program, the hub of your conference The conference schedule connects every part of your event: submissions, speakers, and attendees. Fourwaves brings it all together to facilitate event planning. [Create your event](https://dashboard.fourwaves.com/get-started) [Book a demo](https://fourwaves.com/book-a-demo/) ![Conference program overview in Fourwaves](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/conference-program.CNnJkWay_ZYvYdO.png) ### Flexible for any event From focused workshops to large, multi-track conferences, Fourwaves adapts to your format and scale. ### Integrated with the entire platform Linked with submissions, reviews, ticketing, and your website to save time and cut workload. ### Confidence from start to finish Know your program is reliable, accurate, and ready, so you can focus on the big picture. ## Why choose Fourwaves ? ### Without Fourwaves - Manual copy-pasting of data from external sources - Confusion with Excel file versions - Double-booking errors that cause headaches - Tedious to communicate with presenters - Incomplete session information - Last minute updates aren't synced in real time - A program that's difficult to navigate ### With Fourwaves - User-friendly session builder using submitted data - One source of truth for your team - Conflict checker prevents scheduling issues - Easy to send emails to presenters - Interactive session data with nested presentations and precise timeline - Real time access to the latest program version - A detailed or compact grid view that's easy to browse ## Adopted by leading organizations The world’s top institutions trust Fourwaves to deliver exceptional events. ![Office of Research, University of Florida College of Medicine logo](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/u-florida.DheILRJJ_Z1esJ1e.webp) The Fourwaves platform has centralized everything into one convenient location, both for organizers and attendees. Our team is able to efficiently review posters submitted by investigators and make them public to view on the day of the event. ![Todd Barnash - Office of Research, University of Florida College of Medicine](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/todd-barnash.sCGwMYXD_ZznBQj.webp) **Todd Barnash** Office of Research, University of Florida College of Medicine ![Harvard Medical School logo](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/harvard.CvHocG0U_Z1mABLk.svg) The platform is easy to use, reasonably priced and the support team is very helpful. We faced no technical challenges at all. Fourwaves is a pleasure to work with! ![Randy Gollub, MD, PhD - Harvard Medical School](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/randy.DwR8zMoO_PurYn.webp) **Randy Gollub, MD, PhD** Harvard Medical School ![Outreach and Strategic Partnerships in Asia, AAAS logo](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/p-aaas.DREGcSbO_1z1Prl.webp) The conference concluded with great success, leaving sponsors, collaborators, and attendees highly satisfied. Based on my experience, Fourwaves is an excellent platform. Your work is exceptional! **Shoupeng Liu** Outreach and Strategic Partnerships in Asia, AAAS ![Tulane University](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/tulane_university.CREepX9w_A3Wp9.webp) The team at Fourwaves has been incredibly responsive to all of our technical support needs. They always approached every situation with a solutions-oriented mindset, which made a big difference. It’s been a real pleasure working with them. ![Jillian L. Delos Reyes - Tulane University](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/jullian-l-delos-reyes.DOTWYjWz_Z2iQP16.webp) **Jillian L. Delos Reyes** Tulane University ![McGill logo](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/mcgill.B_LWz6Wk_ZXJjgA.svg) The virtual event with the poster sessions went very well. Really well done, the platform is very useful and very well organized. The customer service is excellent. **Intissar Abbaoui** McGill ![University of Queensland logo](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/uqueensland.BeSOm1Xx_1GmziW.svg) Fourwaves is a great interactive easy to use platform for small or large conferences. The team is prompt, friendly and very helpful. **Lani Hearn** University of Queensland ![Mount Saint Vincent University logo](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/msvu.B8eVCZIV_N1HuY.svg) Our undergraduate student research conference was tremendously successful. Fourwaves played a key role in our success. A terrific product. **Donna Thompson** Mount Saint Vincent University ![University of Toronto logo](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/utoronto.DEVTsfN7_lP7b3.webp) Fourwaves was the perfect platform for our event. It was exactly what we needed and within budget as well. Participants felt registration and submission of their abstracts was very easy without any complicated steps. **Julie Amato** University of Toronto ![University of Maine logo](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/umaine.1Zxj5s4B_2qlxtm.svg) Our experience has been fantastic. Everyone reported a smooth experience from registrations, to submissions, and the event itself. We especially appreciated asynchronous engagements (upvoting, comments, etc). We are looking forward to next year’s event! ![Lorien Lake-Corral - University of Maine](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/lorien-lake-corral.CWQSSBtX_Z1SCMiU.webp) **Lorien Lake-Corral** University of Maine [See all testimonials](https://fourwaves.com/wall-of-love/) ## Frequently asked questions (FAQ) ### How do I avoid double-booking speakers in the program? The Fourwaves program builder has a conflict checker that flags any presenter scheduled in two parallel sessions at the same time, so you move one presentation before the program is published. It works across tracks and rooms, and a separate filter shows presenters who have not registered yet. ### Can attendees build their own event schedule? Attendees build their own schedule in Fourwaves. In the conference program, attendees search and filter sessions by topic, track, or speaker, bookmark the ones they want, and get a personal agenda on their phone through the conference app, with speaker bios and presentation files attached to each entry. ### Can I generate a printable program or abstract booklet? Fourwaves exports a formatted program booklet in Word or PDF: the program only, the abstracts only, or both together, ordered by session and presentation type, with an author index. The Word version can be edited before printing or publishing it as conference proceedings. ### What if a presenter withdraws at the last minute? In Fourwaves you mark the presentation as withdrawn and it is tagged that way in the online program, the [conference app](https://fourwaves.com/conference-app/), and the next booklet export within seconds. If time allows, drag another accepted presentation into the freed slot and email the presenters of that session about the change. ### How does Fourwaves compare to event platforms like Cvent and Whova? Fourwaves compares to Cvent and Whova as the platform built for academic conferences: abstract submissions, peer review, virtual poster sessions and the conference app are included on every plan, where general-purpose event platforms treat them as add-ons. Read the detailed comparisons: [Fourwaves vs Cvent](https://fourwaves.com/blog/fourwaves-vs-cvent/) and [Fourwaves vs Whova](https://fourwaves.com/blog/fourwaves-vs-whova/). ![Jonathan Langlois](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/jonathan-langlois.Crxv7zNo_107Vdk.jpeg) ![Gabrielle Laforest](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/gabrielle-laforest.rOLtngh9_Z1woiq.jpeg) ![Matthieu Chartier, PhD.](https://fourwaves.com/_astro/matthieu-chartier.DdroaXK5_1gM0FJ.jpeg) **Want to talk to a human to ask your questions?** [Book a demo](https://fourwaves.com/book-a-demo/) ## More about conference program builders ### What is a conference program builder? A conference program builder is the tool an organizing committee uses to turn accepted abstracts into a schedule: creating sessions with a date, time, and room, placing presentations inside those sessions, ordering them, and publishing the result as an online program, a mobile agenda, and a printable program booklet. A conference program builder is also called a conference schedule builder, conference scheduling software, a scientific program builder, or a session management tool. Spreadsheets remain the most common alternative, which is why double-booked speakers and outdated PDF programs are the most common conference-day failures. The Fourwaves conference program builder is connected to the [abstract submission](https://fourwaves.com/abstract-management-software/) and [peer review](https://fourwaves.com/peer-review-software/) data on the same platform, so presentation titles, authors, and files are never copy-pasted. It handles a one-day research day with a single room and a multi-day, multi-track annual meeting with parallel sessions; the [EPIP 2025](https://fourwaves.com/customer-stories/epip-academic-conference-management/) organizer built the sessions for more than 200 submissions alone. ### How to build a conference program in Fourwaves Building a conference program in Fourwaves takes six steps: create the sessions, drag accepted presentations into them, check for conflicts, notify the presenters, publish everywhere at once, then update in real time. The program builder reads the accepted abstracts directly, so no title or author is retyped. 1. **Create sessions.** Add sessions for each day, with start and end times, room, track, and a livestream link for hybrid events. Color-code sessions by track so attendees can scan the program. 2. **Drag accepted presentations into sessions.** Filter accepted abstracts by presentation type, track, or score, then drag them into a session and order them. Each presentation carries its title, authors, abstract, and uploaded files (slides, poster, video) from the submission. 3. **Check for conflicts.** The conflict checker flags presenters who are double-booked across parallel sessions, and a registration filter shows presenters who have not registered yet, so you fix both before the program is public. 4. **Notify presenters.** Email the presenters of a specific session with their time, room, and instructions, and email them again if the session moves. 5. **Publish everywhere at once.** The program appears on the event website, in the [Fourwaves conference app](https://fourwaves.com/conference-app/) on attendees’ phones, and as a downloadable program booklet in Word or PDF, with or without the abstracts. Attendees search by topic, track, or speaker, bookmark sessions to build a personal agenda, and open speaker bios and presentation files from each entry. 6. **Update in real time.** A withdrawn presenter is marked as withdrawn in seconds, a replacement is dropped into the slot, and every view of the program refreshes with no re-export. ### Does Fourwaves include a conference app? Fourwaves includes a conference app with every event. Every Fourwaves event website is designed for phones, and the program, personal agenda, presentation files, and posters are available in the [Fourwaves conference app](https://fourwaves.com/conference-app/) (free on iOS and Android, included with every event), so attendees follow the schedule on their device the day of the event. When the organizer changes a session, the app shows the new version within 5 minutes. Because the app reads from the same data as the website and the booklet, there is no separate app content to maintain. For attendee-facing alternatives, see [Fourwaves vs Whova](https://fourwaves.com/blog/fourwaves-vs-whova/) and the [Sched alternatives](https://fourwaves.com/blog/sched-alternatives/) roundup.