How do I check people in at my event?

The short version

• Under about 50 people: a printed or tablet list, sorted by last name, is usually enough.
• Ticketed events: scan QR codes with an app, and search by name when someone forgets their ticket.
• Event Tickets Plus has its own app for WordPress sites. Eventbrite offers a free organizer app.
• Export the list the night before, and print a backup whatever you use.
• Know who handles walk-ups, payments at the door and name changes.

Which check-in method should I use?

The number of people in the guide’s short version is our rule of thumb, not a vendor figure. What matters most is how many arrive in the same ten minutes.

How do I check in from a list?

1. Export the list the night before. Gravity Forms’ guide to exporting form entries says to go to Forms, then Import/Export, open the Export Entries tab, choose the form, tick the fields you need, and download the CSV file. You can limit it by date range. In a ticketing platform, use its attendee export.
2. Keep only what the door needs: name, number of guests, ticket type, paid or not, and any notes like dietary needs. Leave out addresses and phone numbers.
3. Sort by last name and print in a large font, or open it on a tablet.
4. Add a column for “arrived” and one for notes.
5. After the event, shred the paper list or delete the file once you’ve recorded attendance. See how long to keep form data.

How do I check in with Event Tickets Plus?

These steps follow the Event Tickets QR check-in guide. You need Event Tickets Plus; it creates the QR codes on tickets.

1. Install the Event Tickets Plus app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. In WordPress, go to Tickets, then Settings, then Integrations. This page shows your site address and an API key.
3. In the app, scan the QR code on that page, or tap Insert Details Manually, then tap Connect Your Site. The app syncs your events and attendees.
4. On the device, sign in to your WordPress site in the browser with an account that’s allowed to check people in.
5. Scan each attendee’s QR code and wait for the confirmation.

Limits the guide notes:

• The app connects to one website at a time.
• By default, check-in isn’t available until the event starts. You can set a buffer in minutes on the Integrations page so doors can open early.
• Offline check-in needs both The Events Calendar and Event Tickets Plus, and only works for tickets synced before you lost the connection.
• A Contributor account can check people in without being able to edit events, which suits door volunteers.
• If someone’s email app blocks images, their QR code may not show. Have the name search ready.

How do I check in with Eventbrite?

Eventbrite’s check-in app page describes its organizer app as a free check-in app. It says staff can scan QR codes on mobile tickets or printouts, look people up by name or email when they forget their ticket, and run check-in on several devices at once with the data synced between them. Sign in with your Eventbrite account and pick the event. We couldn’t load Eventbrite’s help center to confirm the exact button names or how the app behaves offline, so test it at the venue before the day.

Why does a good check-in matter?

The door is the first thing guests experience. A slow line sets the tone for the whole event. Check-in also gives you a true attendance count, which tells you how many no-shows to expect next time and whether to overbook a free event slightly.

What are the common mistakes and edge cases?

• Relying on venue Wi-Fi. Test the signal where the table will be. Print a backup list regardless.
• One person checks in for a group. Decide in advance whether they collect everyone’s tickets.
• Name changes. Someone sends a friend in their place. Decide your policy and tell door staff.
• Walk-ups and payment at the door. Agree how you’ll take money and record it, so the numbers match afterwards.
• Personal details on a clipboard left on the table. Keep the list with a person.
• Phones dying. Bring a charger or a battery pack for every scanning device.

What if check-in goes wrong on the day?

• The app won’t sync. Switch to the printed list, and mark arrivals in the app later if you need the record.
• A ticket won’t scan. Search by name or email. Check the ticket is for this event and date.
• Someone isn’t on the list. Check the form’s entries by email address; their payment may have failed. Ask them to show the confirmation email.
• More people than places. Check your cap settings for next time; see capping registrations.

How much does it cost, and how long does it take?

A printed list is free. Event Tickets Plus is a paid plugin. Eventbrite says its organizer app is free. Set aside 30 minutes the day before to export, print and test.

How does E-3 handle this?

When we build a registration form, we set up the export so the door list has only the fields you need, and we show you how to download it. If you’d rather use QR tickets, we’ll talk through whether a ticket plugin or a ticketing platform fits; see form or ticketing platform.

Related questions

• Should I use a form or a ticketing platform?
• What should the confirmation email say?
• How do I cap registrations?
• How do big competitions handle check-in and schedules?
• Back to the complete events and registration guide

Sources

1. Check In Attendees with QR Codes and the Event Tickets Plus App (Nexcess docs)
2. Event check-in app (Eventbrite)
3. How to Export Form Entries (Gravity Forms blog)