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Check-in Event Attendees Using QR Codes
Check-in Event Attendees Using QR Codes

Learn how to use Novi-generated QR codes so staff can check attendees in at events.

Mike Pennington avatar
Written by Mike Pennington
Updated over 2 months ago

Novi's QR Code feature provides a convenient way to check attendees in for your events by scanning the code with your phone or tablet camera. As a bonus, this immediately marks the attendee as attended for that ticket and event. Read below to learn more!

Note - This is available for Novi admins to check in attendees. This is not a lead retrieval service for sponsors/exhibitors.

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Turning On QR Codes for Specific Events

By default, the QR code feature will be off until turned on by an admin. Once turned on, a QR code is created for each unique attendee. New registrations will receive QR codes in event confirmation emails.

How to turn on the QR code option in your event:

  • Within an event, navigate to the Settings tab

  • Under the "Event Emails" section, check the box for “Include QR codes for event check-in in confirmation emails”

  • After this feature is turned on, new registrations will receive a QR code in their confirmation email

If the QR code feature is turned on after registrations have already started, previously registered attendees will have a generated QR code available — however, an admin will need to manually re-send individual confirmation emails for registrants to be able to access their QR codes.

Another option is to batch action re-send the confirmation emails to all attendees.

  • Please note when batching emails, admins can change the view from 25 attendees to up to 300 attendees using the gear icon on the upper-right side of the attendee list and can then select all attendees when re-sending confirmation emails.

  • If attendees flow into a 2nd, 3rd, etc. page(s), the batch actions will have to be performed per page.


QR Code Confirmation Emails

Attendees will see their QR code(s) in their confirmation emails:

For confirmation emails that include information for multiple attendees, the QR codes for all attendees will be included in the confirmation email. If multiple tickets per attendee were selected for an event, QR codes for each ticket per attendee will also be included.


How to Check-In Attendees Using QR Codes

Attendees can either display their QR code directly from their smartphone or print out a physical copy of the confirmation email containing the QR code.

Admins will need to be connected to the internet and logged in to their Novi site on their smartphones or tablets to scan QR codes. Once logged in, admins can open their smartphones' camera app and scan the code.

A link will display for the admin to click (similar to viewing a restaurant menu with a QR code!), which will then redirect admins to their Novi site and display the attendee's QR code status for the event.


Information Displayed on Attendee's QR Code Status

After the QR code is scanned, the status and additional information will be displayed for admins to review:

  1. Event Name

  2. Event Date

  3. Attendee name and email connected to the QR code

  4. The attendee's specific tickets that are being checked in for the event

  5. The status of the check-in

  6. Undo Check In - This will only show when an attendee has been marked as checked in - if an attendee is accidentally checked in, admins can click the Undo Check-In link to undo the check-in status


QR Code Status

When scanned, each QR code will prompt a display to alert the admin of the check-in status for the attendee. Admins will see 1 of 4 status displays and admin will also be able to see which particular ticket/tickets are being checked in at that time.

A quick reference to status display colors is listed below:

Purple

Admin is not logged in

Green

Attendee is successfully

checked in

Yellow

Attendee has already checked in

Red

Attendee cancelled registration

Visual examples of status displays are listed below:

  • Purple: Admin is not logged in to their Novi site. Note that the tickets associated with this attendee are not displayed on this status because the admin is not logged in.

  • Green: Attendee is now successfully checked in for this event.

  • Yellow: Attendee has already checked in for this event.

  • Red: Attendee previously cancelled their registration for this event.


Check-In Multiple Ticket QR Codes

For events that have multiple tickets, admins will have the option to scan each ticket QR code individually or check in all of an attendee's tickets at once after scanning one of the ticket QR codes. A breakdown of reading a multi-ticket QR code status is below:

  1. This is the ticket ("Member Attendee") that was scanned by an admin and the attendee was successfully checked in for this ticket.

  2. This is an additional ticket for this event that is connected to the attendee ("Lunch Ticket").

  3. The Check-in All Tickets button gives admins the option to check in both of the attendee's tickets ("Member Ticket" and "Lunch Ticket") for this event at the same time.


Frequently Asked Questions

How will QR codes work if there are registrations already in the event before the QR code feature is turned on?

  • If the QR code feature is turned on after registrations have already started, previously registered attendees will have a generated QR available — however, an admin will need to manually resend individual confirmation emails for them to be able to access their QR codes.

  • Another option is to batch action re-send the confirmation emails to all attendees.

    • Please note when batching emails, admins can change the view from 25 attendees to up to 300 attendees using the gear icon on the right and can then select all to re-send confirmation emails.

    • If attendees flow into a 2nd, 3rd, etc. page(s), the batch actions will have to be performed per page.

My attendee received the confirmation email, but can't see the QR code in the email. Why isn't it showing?

  • The QR code image may be blocked by an email provider as a precaution. Typically in these instances, the email provider will include a message and/or link for the recipient to confirm that they know the email sender and to add the sender to the Safe sender email list. Once the email recipient approves the sender's email address as safe, the QR code image should appear.

What devices can be used to scan the QR codes?

  • This feature is supported on both iOS and Android, and best practices would encourage users to keep their phones up to date for the best results. Admins can log in to their Novi site and then open their smartphones' camera app to scan attendee QR codes.

If there is no/bad internet or WiFi connection, will the scans "store" and populate registration attendance at a later time?

  • Whether using WiFi or cellphone data plans, users will need stable internet access to check-in attendees, as the data will not save without an internet connection.

Will we still be able to manually check-in people who can't find (or deleted) their QR code confirmation email?

Can we edit the attendee if someone comes as a replacement?

  • The ticket will need to be manually changed by an admin on the backend of the site if someone comes as a replacement for the original attendee.

Will printouts of the QR code work?

  • Yes! Attendees can print their QR code and bring it in to be scanned.

Will my exhibitors be able to scan the QR code for lead retrieval?

  • This feature is meant for you all, Novi admins! There are lots of great event app and lead retrieval systems should you event have that need.

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