Arrival and check-in operations
A fallback plan for QR code check-in
Check-in depends on scanners, phones and a network that you do not fully control.
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The short answer
Write the fallback before the day: a second way to find each guest, a manual log for anyone admitted without a scan, and a clear trigger that tells the desk lead when to switch.
Fallback capacity is lower than normal capacity. Re-run the throughput estimate with the slower manual service time so you know how many extra desk staff the switch needs.
Failure types and the matching response
| What fails | First response | Record |
|---|---|---|
| One guest's code will not scan | Search by name or registration number on the desk device. | Note the guest as a manual check-in. |
| Phone is flat or screen is cracked | Offer the lookup route or the emailed confirmation on another device. | Manual check-in note. |
| One scanner fails | Swap in the spare, then log the faulty one. | Device log. |
| Network is slow or down | Switch to the offline list held on the desk device or printed. | Manual log with times. |
| Registration system is unavailable | Switch the whole desk to the printed list and manual log. | Switch time and who decided. |
What the fallback kit contains
- A second device with an offline copy of the guest list, if the registration system supports it.
- A printed list sorted for the desk layout, kept locked when not in use. Ask your privacy contact how long it may be kept and how it is destroyed afterwards.
- A manual log sheet with name, category, time and desk staff initials.
- A spare scanner, charger and power extension.
- A supplier contact for the registration system, with the person who calls them named.
Deciding when to switch
Name the desk lead as the decision maker and set a plain trigger, for example the scanning is failing for more than a stated number of guests in a row. Agree the trigger with the registration supplier beforehand so the lead does not have to argue about it in the moment.
After the switch
- Keep the manual log in one place with the time of the switch.
- When the system returns, enter the manual log into it before the next session starts.
- Compare the system and the manual log in your check-in reconciliation.
- Record what failed so the supplier can answer for it.
Worked example · Fictional example
A venue network that slowed at the peak
Fictional organisation and figures, illustrative only.
A fictional association's lobby network slows when 280 delegates arrive over a 25-minute stretch. The desk lead sees scans taking much longer and uses the switch trigger the team agreed, moving two desks to the offline list.
A volunteer logs those check-ins by hand. The two desks run slower than normal, so the lead calls in two spare volunteers from the supplier-briefed backup list. After the opening session, the manual log is entered into the system.
Use this yourself
QR check-in fallback card
Print this for each desk lead and keep a copy with the registration lead.
- Switch trigger and who decides:
- Second lookup method (name, registration number, email):
- Offline list location, access control and disposal plan confirmed by privacy contact:
- Manual log sheets printed and where kept:
- Spare scanner, charger and extension location:
- Registration supplier contact and who calls them:
- Extra desk staff needed in fallback mode and who they are:
- When the manual log is entered into the system and by whom:
- Fallback tested on (date), by whom:
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Your registration supplier gives an offline mode and a named contact.
- A small event where manual lookup is quick.
- You can rehearse the switch with the desk team.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several desks or sessions depend on one network.
- The supplier, venue and organiser each assume another will handle the failure.
- Nobody has tested the manual route.
Want the fallback tested before the day?
A conference project lead can write the fallback plan with your registration supplier and the venue, run a rehearsal with the desk team, and keep the trigger, contacts and logs in one place. Share your registration set-up to discuss the scope.
Questions organisers ask
Do we need a printed list as well as an offline copy?
A second route is sensible. A printed list contains personal data, so ask your privacy contact how it should be stored and destroyed.
How do we tell guests what to bring?
Include the confirmation and a name-based alternative in your delegate arrival instructions.
Who calls the supplier?
Name one person before the event. The desk lead should keep the desk running while that person calls.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.