How to Use Session Check-In For An In-Person Event

Session check-in is a feature that helps event managers tabulate who’s checked into a specific session at an event. This is used to help validate whether someone has actually attended the session for CE tracking purposes. This can also be used to help manage restricted access to sessions. There are two ways to use session check-in:

1. Having a volunteer or staff scan an attendee's PheedLoop printed badge
2. Having attendees check themselves in via the Self Check-in feature within the PheedLoop Go! App

In both cases, the PheedLoop Go! Event App Module and On-Site Check-In Power-Up is required.

Method 1: Scanning Attendee Badges for Session Check-In

To use this feature, you must use PheedLoop's badge printing systems. The badge system is required because of the unique QR code assigned to each attendee. To learn more about our on-site badge solutions visit here. Follow the steps below to learn how to scan attendee badges for session check-in.

1. Login to the PheedLoop Go! App with a team member account    
   1. Team members can be added via the settings area of your Event Dashboard. Please note that you can be logged into multiple devices with the same team member account if required.
   2. Quick tip - assigning a Scanner tag gives scanner privileges to attendees even if they are not a team member. This allows you to assign scanners without having to make them a team member.  For instructions on how to create and assign scanner tags, please read below.
2. Click into the top left corner of the event app to unveil the Event Admin Tools and select Scanner
3. At the top of the new page, select Session Check-In
4. In the Please select a session field, select your session from the dropdown menu
5. Select Launch Scanner
6. Using your camera, scan the attendee's badge to check them into the room
   1. Quick tip - if you turn on the Automatic Mode toggle, you will be able to scan individuals into the room quicker
7. If you are looking to restrict people from certain sessions - toggle on the Restrict to Pre-Registered checkbox on the Session Check-In page
8. If an attendee needs to leave a session early you can turn on the Check-Out Mode toggle and scan their badge

Assigning Scanner Tags

Before members can start scanning, they will need to be assigned a scanner tag. This tag gives them access to the Event Tools in the Mobile Event app.

To create a scanner tag:

1. From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Attendees > Tag
2. Above the Tag list, select Create
3. Scroll down to Advanced Options
4. Toggle on the Is Scanner checkbox
5. Select Save Changes

To assign a scanner tag

1. From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Attendees > Attendees
2. Scroll down to Tags
3. Under Connected Tags, select scanner tag you have created
4. Select Save Changes

The attendee will now be able to see the Scanner from the Event Mobile App when they select the hamburger icon at the top left corner of their screen.

Method 1A) Scanning Attendee Badges in PheedLoop OnSite

PheedLoop OnSite supports session check-ins among many other features. To use this feature, you must use PheedLoop's badge printing systems. The badge system is required because of the unique QR code assigned to each attendee. To learn more about our on-site badge solutions visit here. If you would like to see pricing information, please consider reading our PheedLoop's OnSight Services article.

Assigning Staff Members and Permission Sets

In order to use PheedLoop OnSite, an account that is a team member or staff member is required. For more information, please review the Setting up Permission Sets and Staff Members section in our Setting Up Your OnSite Check-in Tablets and Customizing the Attendee Check-in Experience article.

Once your staff members are created, follow the steps below to learn how to scan attendee badges for session check-in.

Please note, to use this feature, you must use PheedLoop's badge printing systems. The badge system is required because of the unique QR code assigned to each attendee. To learn more about our on-site badge solutions visit  here. 

1. From the tablet's home screen, navigate to the PheedLoop OnSite app
2. From the app, enter your event code or the custom URL extension for your event
   1. The Event Code can be found by navigating to General > Details under Event Code and Custom URL Extension respectively.
3. Select Go
4. Login with a team member or staff member’s login credentials
5. Select Login to OnSite
6. From the OnSite page, navigate to Session Check In
7. Select the session you wish to check in for
8. Select either Form or Scan
9. Session Check-In Settings can be accessed by selecting the Gear Icon on the top right corner
   1. Restrict to Pre-Registered - If enabled, only attendees who have registered for the session will be able to check in.
   2. Check-Out Mode - This setting will checkout an attendee when their badge is scanned.
   3. Automatic Mode - Enable this setting to keep the scanner on after checking in one attendee. 

Scan 

Selecting this option will use the tablet’s camera to scan attendee badges. Please note this feature requires camera permissions to be enabled with PheedLoop OnSite. If this is not permitted, you can enable this by doing the following:

1. From the Ipad’s homepage navigate to the Ipad’s Settings
2. Navigate to Privacy > Camera
3. Under PheedLoop OnSite, enable the toggle

The Ipad will now be able to scan attendee badges and check them into the event.

1. From the Check In page, select Scan
2. Hover the camera over the attendee badge 
3. Select Confirm

The attendee will now be checked into the event.

Search

Attendees can be checked in manually by searching for their name. This is ideal if your event will not be making use of attendee badges.

1. From the Check In page, select Search
2. Enter the Attendee’s name
3. If multiple results appear, select the correct attendee from the list
4. Select Confirm

The attendee will now be checked into the event.

Method 2: Using the Self Session Check-in Feature in PheedLoop Go!

The self-session check-in feature is a tool to use if you are limited by staff or volunteers who can assist with Method 1 above. Using this feature puts the responsibility of checking into a session onto the attendee themselves. The self check-in feature can be activated either through a QR code or text code. Event planners typically place these unique codes somewhere in the session room such as the final slide of the presentation. Please read below on how to set up this feature for attendees.

1. From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Sessions 
2. Select the session you wish to edit from the list
3. Scroll down to Options
4. Toggle on the Enable Self Check-In checkbox
5. Select Save Changes

In the same editor form, you are able to see the QR code and Text Code associated with the individual session for session check-in. Save the respective QR code or Text Code to distribute inside of your session room.

You are now able to self check-in! To do so, login to the Event App as an attendee and click into any session. You will then be able to see the Check-In button. Once you click into this button, you will be prompted to scan a QR code or enter a text code to complete your check-in.

Editing the Self Check In Text Code

1. From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Sessions
2. Select the session you wish to edit from the list
3. Scroll down to Options
4. Under Self Check-In Code, enter whatever code you wish
5. Select Save Changes

Please note, PheedLoop allows the same session checkin code for multiple sessions if needed.

Downloading the Self Check-In QR Code

1. From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Sessions
2. Select the session you wish to edit from the list
3. Scroll down to Self Check-In QR Code
4. Select Download

Method 4: Manually adding the attendee from the Event Dashboard

Attendees can be checked into the session through the Event Dashboard. This method is ideal for restricting session check-ins to team members, though the other methods discussed in this article can be used in conjunction.

1. From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Sessions > Sessions
2. Select a session you would like to check attendance into
3. Above the Sessions table, select Actions > Check Ins
4. Above the Attendance table, select Add
5. Under the Select Attendees field, select the Attendees to check in
6. Select Submit

The Attendees will now be checked into the session. 

Alternatively, team members can check in Attendees by their email address.

1. From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Sessions > Sessions
2. Select a session you would like to check attendance into
3. Above the Sessions table, select Actions > Check Ins
4. Above the Attendance table, select Actions > Add Via Email
5. Enter the email addresses of the attendees you wish to invite into the session
   1. Separate each address with a comma.
6. Select Save Changes

The Attendees will now be checked into the session.

Setting up a Check-In Survey

An optional part of the check-in experience is the ability to set up a form for attendees to fill out once they check in to a session. The timing for when this form appears is customizable, it can appear immediately, midway through the session, or any other time within the session's duration.

Please note, this is not to be confused with the Feedback Survey which will appear after a session concludes.

Adding a Check-In Survey

Any custom form with a survey category can be used as a check-in survey. For instructions on how to use custom forms, please visit our Using the File Upload Question Feature in Custom Form article.

Once you have your survey set up, you can now add it into your session.

1. From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Sessions > Sessions
2. Select the session(s) you wish to add the survey to
3. Scroll down to Virtual Settings
4. Under the Check-In Survey field, select the survey you created
5. Under the Check-In Survey Delay field, enter the number of minutes to delay the survey from appearing
   1. Enter 0 if you wish for the survey to appear immediately
6. Under the Check-In Cut-off Date field, enter the date you wish to end submissions
7. Select Save Changes