If the event is not part of a group calendar, you will need the Full Write Events permission to perform these actions. If it is part of a group calendar, you will either need to be the group admin or have the Full Write Groups or Full Write Events permission.
Check-ins happen during an event, so check-in configuration is done on the event itself. We recommend creating a recurring event for each of your worship services.
While adding or editing an event, go to Events > Calendar, select the event, and click Go to Event. Then click Actions > Edit event, open the Check-In tab, and turn on Enable check-in? If the event already exists, edit it so this option is turned on.
At a minimum, this is all you need to perform check-ins for an event (anyone can check in and no labels will print). However, we recommend the following additional setup as well.
Define sessions
Specify check-in times
Define Sessions
This step is optional but highly recommended. A session defines restrictions on who can check into the event and sets the permissions for the station during that event.
People must be a member of the selected groups to check in (unless you allow adding to the roster). We recommend creating a session for your kids' groups and one for your volunteers, if applicable. For example, you could have a kids' session responsible for checking in children in grades 1–12.
To define a session, open the event's Check-In tab, select the Sessions sub-tab, and click + Add New.
The Add Check-In Session window opens on the General tab with the following fields:
Name - the name of the session (e.g. Kids, Volunteers). This field is required.
Theme - the theme to use when this session loads. The default, Use Station Theme, uses whatever theme is set up for the check-in station. If you define multiple sessions, we recommend a different theme for each so they're easy to tell apart from a distance. See this article for more on adding custom themes.
Active? - whether the session is available for use.
Share with all days on repeating event? - applies this session to every day of a repeating event.
The following options appear at the bottom:
Manage People - whether check-in stations can add and edit person profiles and family information.
Send Text Messages - whether the station can contact authorized check-in people by text message. A verified messaging number is required before texts can be sent.
Visitor Passes - whether the station can add visitors and print labels for them. This will not add the person to the system with a profile.
Show Ages - whether check-in stations show a person's full birthday and age. Otherwise, only the month and day show.
Restrict Family Positions - restricts check-in to people with specific family positions within their primary family. We recommend restricting your kids' sessions to avoid accidentally adding an adult to a group roster.
Show event time selection on check-in screen - shows event time selection on the check-in screen instead of in the three-dots menu for each family member. Changes apply in bulk to everyone checking in.
Tip: If the capability options above are all turned off, the station behaves like a self-check-in station, restricting access to just the search field on the check-in station.
Selecting groups
Open the Groups tab of the Add Check-In Session window to choose which group rosters can check in. You can use existing groups or click + Add New to add a new group, as needed and depending on whether you have the Full Write Groups permission. One example would be to include each children's group you have (e.g. Preschool, Grade 1, Grade 2, etc.) for a children's church service event. Simply enter the name of the groups you want to add and click the correct ones from the group listing that populates.
Check Keep open to add another if you're adding multiple sessions. When you're finished, click Save to add the session.
Specifying Check-In Times
The check-in system is only accessible during specific times when an event is happening. This section explains how to set those times. See this article if you want to add check-ins after the event occurs.
Times are set on the General tab when adding or editing an event.
All Day Events
If an event is marked as All Day, you can access it in the check-in system at any time during the day.
Showing actual event time options
To set specific times, deselect the All Day checkbox on the Date row. Then enter your times in the Time(s) row. Use the plus (+) icon at the end of the row to add another time. (See red arrow below.)
You can enter one or more event times. For example, for a worship service you can enter each service time. Each time row has the following fields:
Start Time - the time the event is scheduled to start. This field is required.
End Time - the time the event is scheduled to end.
Optional name - a name for the event time. If empty, the start time is used (e.g. 9:00 am).
To limit when check-in is open for a time, click the check-in window icon on that time row to reveal Restrict checking in to between, then set the start and end check-in times. Use this to restrict when the check-in system opens before the event start and close it afterward. (See blue arrows above.)
The system uses the following rules to determine whether an event is currently active. In the list below, it is assumed today's date is the same as the event date.
The current time is within the Restrict checking in to between start and end times
The current time is within the event Start Time and End Time
A future event time that does not have a check-in window restriction set
The first event time entry that matches the above checks is the one that is active when a station opens the event in the check-in system. If none match, the check-in system is closed for that event.
Next Steps
If labels are needed, see: How do I assign labels to print?
The next steps are to authorize your check-in stations and start checking in. See this article for an in-depth tutorial on using the check-in system.