Check-In Station Tutorial

Guide for the check-in and check-out process using a station.

Updated over a week ago

This article goes over how the check-in system works. Before you can use the check-in system, you have to authorize a check-in station and set up the event to track attendance. 

Starting Check-In

When you open the check-in system, if there are multiple events going on simultaneously, the system will show a list of the events for you to click on. However, if there is only a single event, it will be auto selected for you.

Next, if there is more than one session defined for the event, the system will list them. Click on the one you want to start. If there is only one session defined, it will be auto selected for you.

If the event has multiple times, the one that is currently occurring is automatically chosen for you. See this article for more information on how the time is selected for an event.

At this point, the theme is applied based on the session you selected. If the event has no sessions defined, the theme of the station is used. The search screen also appears based on whether this is a text search or phone pad station.

Text Search Station

The main screen shows a search box where you can enter any part of a person's name (including aliases), phone (numbers only), email or barcode number. You can also enter the unique identifier found on a person's printed label (e.g. M243). After entering the search query, hit Enter on the keyboard or click on the magnifying glass in the search box to view results. 

Phone Pad Station

The main screen for a phone pad check-in station contains a keypad where someone can enter the phone number to search for. The system will search for families which have that phone number. The "Search" button appears once a 10 digit phone number is entered.

Scanning Barcodes

Regardless of which mode the station is in, you can scan a barcode to search for a person. You will need a barcode scanner to do this (must be in CR suffix mode). The barcode can either be the barcode number found on the person's profile under "Info > Check-In" or the identifier found on a person's printed label. Please note that once the person checks out, the barcode on the printed label becomes invalid.

OR

The bottom part of the screen contains some important information related to the station. Please match the numbers in the list to the screenshot below for information on each part. 

  1. This is the name of the session that the station is currently in. It is recommended if you have multiple sessions to apply a different theme to each one so as to make it more noticeable. This avoids accidently checking someone into the wrong session. Clicking on the session name will allow you to quickly switch to another one if there is more than one (pin required)

  2. This is the name of the station.

  3. This is the name of the label printer attached to the computer. If it says "No Printer" then there is either no printer attached or there is an issue recognizing it.

  4. The current date and time. This updates every second.

  5. Click here to access the settings for the station (pin required)

Search Results

If no results are found, a message will appear and if the station is allowed to add new people, an "Add Person" button will be there. Otherwise, the list of matches will appear. Select the person or family you would like to check-in. You can go back to the search screen by clicking on the "Go Back" button in the top right corner.

If the station is set to allow showing of birthday and ages, you will see them when viewing a person in the listing (as shown below).

Once you select the person, you will be taken to their family screen. In other words, it doesn't matter which family member is selected, the same family screen will be shown.

If there is no one who can check in, the following message will appear.

Family Screen

The family screen shows all members of the selected family. Individuals who cannot currently check-in will be dim. 

By default, the group that the person will check into will be the group the person checked into last time. To change this, click on the ellipsis (dots) to the right of the person's name.

Important: any changes you make on this screen are not saved until you click on the "Finish" button.

Status

This section details possible options for the square to the left of a person's name.

A plus sign within a square means that the person is not currently on any of the group rosters allowed by the session. Clicking on it will take you to the details screen where you can add them to a group roster (see next section). This will only appear if the station is allowed to add people to a group roster.

The absence of any icon in this square means this perso cannot check in and they cannot be added to a group roster.

An empty square means the person is not currently checked in. Click on the square to check them in.

A check in a box means this person will be checked in. Click on this to cancel. Button changes back to an empty square.

A green check mark means the person is currently checked in and there was no change to their check-in details. Click on this to check them out.

A red right arrow means this person will be checked out. Click on this to cancel. Button changes back to a green check mark.

A blue pencil means the person is currently checked in, but a change was made to their check-in details (i.e. times changed, group changed). Click on this to check them out (keeps changes however). Button will turn red.

Other Important Elements

This section points out other important screen elements on the family screen.

Click on the "Edit household" button to edit person profiles for any person in the family. You can also add new people to the family. This will only appear if the station is allowed to edit person profiles. See section named "Editing Person Profile."

During check in, you can toggle whether a name label should print using the switch on the right side of the person's box. This will only appear if a name label as set in the event Attendance >Settings tab applies to them and an appropriate printer is connected.

.Clicking on the ellipsis will take you to the check-in details screen. See section named
"Editing Check-in Details."

The bottom right shows you how many name labels will be printed. Click on the text to change who will receive a printed label. You can only print labels for people whose family position is set to print labels. See this article under "Assigning Labels to Print" for more information.

Use the circled numbers down in the bottom left to change the number of security labels you want to print.

Clicking on the "Finish" button will complete the check in/out process. 

Finishing

Once you are done, click on the "Finish" button to complete the check-in/check-out process. Any labels requested to be printed will also be printed at that time. You will then be automatically redirected back to the search screen.

Editing Check-in Details

On the family screen, click on the ellipses (dots) to go to the check-in details screen.

The area at the top contains the person being updated as well as summary information based on the choices below.

If the event supports multiple times, you will be able to select the times the person is checking into. In this way, a person can check in to one or more times in a single check-in. This is useful, for example, if you have volunteers who are serving at multiple service times.

You can also update which group they are checking into. The list is filtered by the groups the session allows as well as the groups the person is currently a member in. If the station is allowed to add a person to a roster, you can click on the plus button (+) next to a group to add them to that group roster. You will still need to complete the check-in process to actually enroll them in the group.

Click on the "Continue" button once you have made your changes to return to the family screen. To cancel your changes, click on the "Go Back" button.

Editing Person Profile

This is allowed only if the station is set to allow editing of person profiles.

On the family screen, click on the pencil to edit the person or on the "Edit household" button at the top. Both go to the edit family screen. The difference is if you edit the person, that person will be auto selected for you. 

  1. Shows a small list of all family members for quickly jumping to a particular record. This only appears if there are 3 or more family members. Click on a name to jump to their record.

  2. Click on "Add New" to open a pop up allowing to either add a new person or search for an existing person.

  3. This area all family member details. The first person listed is the family manager.

  4. Click on "show additional details" to open more fields. Additional fields are birthday, address, and medical notes. Clicking on "Remove from Household" will remove them from the family.

  5. Clicking on "Set as manager" will set a new family manager. That person will be moved to the top of the list as well.

When you are done, click on the "Save" button in the upper right. The changes will immediately be saved in the system.

Helpful Tips

  • You do not need to check out a person to edit their previous check-in. Simply search for them (or scan barcode) and click on the ellipsis to edit. Then click "Continue" and then "Finish."

  • For safety and security reasons, if you need to reprint a label, you will need to check the person out and then back in again specifying which labels to print during the check-in portion.

  • The "Finish" button on the family screen changes to "Finish & Print" when at least one label is requested to print.

  • You can only check into a single group at a time. If a person needs to check into another group, you will need to check them out first.

Best Practices

  • If checking in for weekend church services, create two sessions: one for kids and another for leaders. This helps keep them separate for reporting.

  • If possible, only use a station while the event is running to check in guests/volunteers. If you need to change which service times a person was previously checked into, bring them up in the station, change the service times, and then click "Finish." No need to check them out first.

  • When validating all the leaders were checked in after the event is over, filter the check-in logs table by the leaders session. If any have incorrect service times, edit the log to have the correct ones. If any are missing, add them.

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