QR code event check-in with registration built in
Event check-in is a feature that gives each registrant a personal QR code and lets your staff scan it at the door to confirm arrival. Staff use their own phone browser, so there is no app to download, and there is no fee per attendee. Registration and entry live in the same invitation link.
Create a free event invitationAt a glance
- Who scans?
- Your staff scan attendee QR codes with their own phones. They open a link, with no app or login.
- Where do I turn it on?
- In the editor, RSVP section → Sample forms → Personal QR, then save. It cannot be changed from the dashboard.
- What do attendees get?
- After registering, an 8-character check-in code and QR appear on screen. They save it as an image and show it at the door.
- What about walk-ins?
- The scanner cannot add new people. Have walk-ins fill in the invitation form at the desk and they join the list right away.
Shared QR at the door vs personal QR: what is the difference?
There are two check-in methods and an invitation uses one of them. The shared QR at the door is the default, so personal QR only turns on when you choose it.
| Shared QR at the door | Personal QR + staff scanner | |
|---|---|---|
| Who scans | Attendees scan a QR placed at the desk | Staff scan each attendee's QR |
| What attendees do | Type their name and phone number | Just show their QR |
| Identity check | Name and phone are matched to registrations | A unique 8-character code per attendee |
| Walk-ins | Saved as on-site registrations when they type in | Cannot be added by the scanner; fill in the form at the desk |
| How to turn on | Default | Personal QR or Session booking in Sample forms |
| Best for | Small gatherings, events with many walk-ins | Conferences, seminars and exhibitions with pre-registration |
The "Personal event" sample form sounds similar but uses the shared QR at the door. Weddings and parties that run on a single desk QR are covered on the QR check-in page.
See QR check-in (weddings and parties)What can you do with it?
A personal QR for every attendee
Each registrant gets an 8-character code and a QR. Scanning the same QR twice shows "Already checked in", so one code cannot let two people in.
Any staff phone is the scanner
Staff open a link and the scanner runs in the browser. No dedicated device, no app download, no login.
Separate links per staff member
Issue a link for each door or person and see who checked in how many guests. Turn off just that link when the event ends.
Guest list and Excel export
See attendance on the dashboard and download the list as Excel. With personal QR, the 8-character codes come out as a column.
Where is it used?
One list from registration to the door
- Collect company, job title and session choice in the registration form
- Attendees save their personal QR from the confirmation screen
- Several entrances? Issue a staff link for each and run them at once
- Export the list to Excel and reconcile by session
Timed entry with a check at the door
- Use Session booking to set a capacity per time slot that closes automatically
- Turn on registration answers and staff can tap a name to see the booked time slot
- Scanning personal QR codes separates no-shows from real arrivals
- Re-entering visitors show as "Already checked in", so nobody is counted twice
Contact details and real attendance
- Turn on Also collect email to get an address for links and materials
- Set a capacity and registration closes the moment it is full
- Day-of check-in shows how many registrants actually came
- Reuse the Excel list as the invite list for your next event
How does the whole flow work?
Pick the method
In the editor, open the RSVP section, choose the Personal QR sample form and save.
Publish and share the link
Publish the invitation and send the link. Everyone who completes the form gets a personal QR.
Hand out staff links
Issue staff links under Dashboard → Check-in and send them only to your staff.
Scan on the day, export afterwards
Staff scan QR codes at the door. After the event, use Export Excel under Dashboard → Check-in. The numbers do not refresh on their own, so press Refresh next to it.
What does the organizer prepare?
Decide once before the event and keep it. If you switch methods midway, people who registered before the switch will not have a personal QR.
1Choose Personal QR in Sample forms
Editor → RSVP section → Sample forms → Personal QR, then save. Session booking also turns on personal QR. Your current fields are replaced by the sample, so note them down first if you built a custom form.
2Name and phone are fixed by the system
Staff need to know who they scanned, so the label, type and required setting of name and phone are locked; only the help text can be edited. Email is switched with Also collect email. Add any other fields such as company, job title or session freely.
3Publish and issue staff links
After publishing, go to Dashboard → Check-in → Staff Scanner, type a name such as Door A and press Add. Each staff member gets their own link, and the QR button shows a code staff can scan with their phone to open the scanner. Anyone with the link can open the scanner without logging in, so send it only to staff and turn it off after the event.
Where are the dashboard check-in settings and what do they do?
The check-in method is set in the editor, while staff links and what staff see are set on the dashboard. The settings below appear only with personal QR.
How to get there
- 1On a computer use Check-in in the left menu of the dashboard; on a phone use Check-in in the bottom menu.
- 2At the top of Check-in Management, pick your event invitation under Switch Template.
- 3The Check-in settings card sits right below the Staff Scanner card.
Check-in settings card
| Setting | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Show contact details to staff | On: scan and name search results show the phone number next to the name. Off: only the name, marked Contact hidden. | Turn on when you need to tell people with the same name apart. Turn off to show less personal data to outside staff. |
| Show registration answers to staff | On: staff tap a name to see form answers such as company, job title or session, including the booked time slot. Name, phone and email are not affected. | Use it when staff guide guests based on their answers, such as VIP seating or session entry. |
| Lock the scan mode for staff | On: the scanner shows that the organizer has locked the scan mode instead of the mode buttons, and staff cannot switch. | Use it when every entrance must process guests the same way. |
| Default scan mode | Confirm first shows the name and waits for the Check in button. Express checks in the moment the QR is read and returns to scanning shortly after. | Confirm first for normal flow, Express when the line gets long right before the start. |
- Changes save instantly and "Saved." appears under the card. There is no separate save button.
- Screen settings such as scan mode and lock load when staff open the scanner. Ask staff who already have it open to refresh. Setting everything before the event is safest.
- The check-in method itself (shared QR or personal QR) cannot be changed on this card. Change it in the editor under Sample forms.
What do attendees receive?
The check-in QR on the confirmation screen
After submitting the form, attendees see a check-in QR and an 8-character check-in code under "Your request has been submitted". They tap Save as image and show it at the door. If they delete the image, they can open the invitation again on the same phone and tap Show my check-in QR. Editing the registration keeps the original code.
Scanning it with the phone camera opens nothing
That is intended. A personal QR holds only a code, not a web address, so only the staff scanner recognizes it. If it held a link, attendees could check themselves in and the QR would no longer stop one person entering for another.
Adding "Staff will scan your QR at the desk. Save the image and show it there" to your attendee notes saves you questions.
How do staff use the scanner on the day?
1Get a staff link from the organizer
A staff link only exists after the organizer types a name under Dashboard → Check-in → Staff Scanner and presses Add. Send it with Copy link, or press the QR button and let staff scan the code with their phone camera to open the scanner. A link that was turned off shows "This link is not valid", so ask the organizer for a new one.
2Open the link and start the camera
The Scan tab opens first. Press Start camera and allow camera access when the browser asks. The camera view is only used to read QR codes and is never saved. When the line gets long, switch to Express and guests are checked in as soon as the QR is read.
3Read the result by color
Blue means Registered guest; press Check in and it turns green with Checked in. Scanning the same QR again shows yellow with three short vibrations and the time of the first check-in. Cancelled registrations and unknown codes show red.
4No QR? Search by name
In the Search by name tab, find the person by name or phone number and press Check in. Only registered people appear, so use it for attendees who lost their QR or left their phone. If the camera will not start, type the 8-character code under Enter code manually.
What should I do when...?
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| They forgot their QR | If they have the phone they registered with, have them reopen the invitation and tap Show my check-in QR. Otherwise find them in the Search by name tab and check them in. |
| They did not register | The scanner cannot add people. Open the invitation on a tablet or spare phone and let them register on the spot; they join the list immediately and can be checked in by name search. |
| A group arrived together | One registration means one QR. If the lead person entered the party size, that single QR checks the whole group in and the count comes from the form. The scanner does not ask again, so collect separate registrations if you need to count who actually came. |
| Someone cancelled | For forms with time slots or option capacity, press Cancel booking in the registration list under Dashboard → Stats → RSVP. Their QR then shows "This booking was cancelled" and the spot reopens. |
| Staff checked in the wrong person | In Confirm first mode, press Undo check-in on the result screen. For earlier ones, find the person in name search or on the dashboard list and undo it there. |
| We switched methods midway | Switching from shared QR to personal QR leaves earlier registrants without a QR; check them in by name search. Switching back makes issued personal QR codes stop working, and staff links will not open. |
| The internet went down | Check-ins are not recorded while offline. Mark names on the list you exported with Export Excel (it includes the 8-character codes) and check them in manually on the dashboard once the connection is back. |
Frequently asked questions
How do I give each attendee their own QR code?
In the editor, go to the RSVP section → Sample forms, choose Personal QR (or Session booking), save, and publish the invitation. From then on, everyone who submits the form gets an 8-character code and QR automatically. You do not create or send QR codes yourself.
How is this different from a Google Form?
A Google Form collects registrations, but day-of check-in needs a separate setup. Here the form, the personal QR codes and the staff scanner come together: each registrant receives a QR on the confirmation screen, and a second scan of the same QR is flagged as "Already checked in".
Do staff need to download an app or log in?
No. Staff open the link in their phone browser and the scanner appears. The camera only works over a secure connection, so use the link exactly as issued.
We already use the shared QR at the door. Will that change?
No. The shared QR at the door is the default, and it keeps working unless you change the sample form. Personal QR only turns on when you pick Personal QR or Session booking in the editor and save.
Can I test it before the event?
Yes. Submit the form from your own phone to get a QR, then open a staff link on another device and scan it. You will catch camera permission, lighting and distance problems early, and testing at the actual check-in spot also checks the connection. Delete the test registration from the dashboard afterwards.
What if an attendee deleted their QR image?
If they open the invitation again on the phone they registered with, a Show my check-in QR button brings the same QR back. On a different phone, or with no phone at all, staff can find them in the Search by name tab of the scanner.
Can I put staff on several entrances?
Yes. Issue as many links as you need. Each one records its own check-in count and last use, every checked-in guest records which staff member handled them, and you can turn off a single link.
The venue Wi-Fi is unreliable. Will it still work?
Check-in looks attendees up on the server, so it needs an internet connection. While offline, a notice appears and scans are not recorded.
For basements or large halls, prepare a dedicated Wi-Fi line separate from the guest network, and give staff at least two devices, one on Wi-Fi and one on mobile data. Export the list to Excel beforehand; with personal QR the 8-character codes come as a column, so you can tick names on paper while the connection is down. Try the scanner at the actual check-in spot before doors open.
Is there compensation if check-in fails because of a network outage?
No. Preparing and running the venue network is the organizer's responsibility, and Snap Post is not liable for delays, missed check-ins or resulting losses caused by network failures (Terms of Service, Article 11, Section 5).
Can I use it for free?
Once the invitation is published, the check-in feature itself can be used for free. Free invitations have limits on how long they stay public, views and registrations, so running a full-size event usually needs a paid plan. The price does not grow with the number of attendees.
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