Arrival and check-in operations
Reconciling check-in data after the event
The doors are closed, and the scanner export, the manual log and the registration list all show slightly different numbers.
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The short answer
Reconcile in one pass: start from registrations, add walk-ins, apply scans and the manual log, and account for each difference with a reason and a source. The result is one attendance figure and a short list of unexplained items.
Do the work within a day or two, while desk staff still remember the exceptions. Share the figure with finance, catering and sponsors only in the form the purpose requires.
The sources to bring together
| Source | What it tells you | Typical gap |
|---|---|---|
| Registration list | Who was expected, by category. | Cancellations and transfers not updated. |
| Scanner export | Who scanned and when. | Duplicate scans, scanner failures. |
| Manual log | Who was admitted without a scan. | Illegible or missing times. |
| Walk-in and exception logs | Approved extras and decisions. | Not matched to a badge. |
| Session scans | Who entered each room, if scanned. | Different counting rules from the main check-in. |
How to reconcile
- Freeze copies of every source with the time of export.
- List each registered person and mark scanned, manual, no-show or cancelled.
- Add walk-ins from the log, one row each, with the approver.
- Remove duplicate scans, keeping the first and noting the second.
- Write a reason next to every difference between sources, or mark it unexplained.
Definitions to fix first
- Attended means checked in at least once on the first day, unless your purpose needs otherwise.
- No-show means registered, not cancelled, and not checked in anywhere.
- Substitute counts as attended, under the substitute's name, with the original registrant noted.
- State the definition on the report so it is read the same way later.
Uses of the figure
Catering will want the count compared with what it served; see dietary count reconciliation. Sponsors and committees should receive aggregates unless a named list is justified and agreed with your privacy contact.
Keep the reconciliation file with the manual log, and decide with the privacy contact when each will be deleted.
Worked example · Fictional example
Four numbers that became one
Fictional organisation and figures, illustrative only.
A fictional association has 320 registered, 14 walk-ins, 292 scans and 11 manual check-ins. After removing 5 duplicate scans and 6 registrations cancelled by email, attendance is 292 scans minus 5 plus 11 manual plus 14 walk-ins, which is 312.
Two names remain unexplained: they scanned but the registration list shows them cancelled. The secretariat contacts both, learns they transferred places, and updates the record. The final report lists the figure, the definition used and the two corrections.
Use this yourself
Check-in reconciliation sheet
Use one row per person, and a summary at the top. Fill in the summary last.
| Line | Count | Source and note |
|---|---|---|
| Registered at close | Registration export time: | |
| Cancelled before the event | Source: | |
| Scanned (unique) | Duplicates removed: | |
| Manual check-ins | Log sheet numbers: | |
| Walk-ins admitted | Approval log: | |
| Substitutes | Substitution log: | |
| No-shows | Definition used: | |
| Attendance figure | Calculated by (name, date): | |
| Unexplained items | Action and owner: |
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- One registration source and a clean scanner export.
- A few exceptions, all logged at the desk.
- You only need the headline figure.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several registration sources or multiple events to merge.
- Sponsors, a professional body and finance each need different figures.
- Desk logs were kept in different formats or not kept.
Want the reconciliation done and the figures signed off?
A conference project lead can collect the exports and logs, reconcile them to one figure with a clear definition, and agree with finance and the committee who receives which version. Share your sources and report needs to discuss the scope.
Questions organisers ask
When should we reconcile?
Within a day or two while the desk staff remember the exceptions. Freeze copies of every source first.
What if numbers cannot be matched?
List them as unexplained with an owner and a date, rather than adjusting the figure to fit.
Do we share the raw scan list?
Share aggregates unless a named list is justified. Ask your privacy contact; see also session scanning.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.