Allow clients and visitors to check in for in-person and virtual meetings through your web portal. Portal check-ins streamline the visitor experience and automate lobby management with customizable forms, QR codes, and geolocation controls.

### Overview

Portal check-ins let your agency collect attendance and visitor information when clients arrive for appointments, court dates, classes, or other scheduled events. You configure a check-in form on your web portal, and clients access it via a direct link, a QR code, or a sidebar navigation item. When a visitor submits a check-in, your team can be notified instantly and an auto message can be triggered to confirm the check-in.

Check-ins support geolocation enforcement, customizable form fields, multilingual titles and descriptions, and integration with scheduled events. This feature is especially useful for agencies that manage in-person visits at courthouses, probation offices, or community service locations.

### Prerequisites

Before setting up portal check-ins, ensure you have the following:

- Administrator access to the eCourtDate platform with portal management permissions
- An existing web portal created under **Admin** > **Portals** (see [How to Create Web Portals](/how-to-create-web-portals))
- At least one **Location** configured under **Admin** > **Settings** > **Locations** (for geolocation-based check-ins)
- (Optional) An **Auto Message** configured if you want to send automatic confirmations on check-in

### How-To Steps

#### Configure Check-In Settings on a Portal

1. Click **Admin** in the top navigation bar, then select **Portals**.
2. Click **Edit** next to an existing portal, or create a new portal.
3. In the **Portal Preview** section, click the **Checkin** tab.
4. Customize the check-in settings described below.
5. Click **Save** to apply your changes.

> **Tip:** Click the **Configure Default Fields** button to start with a ready-made check-in form. You can customize it from there.

#### Check-In Settings Reference

The following settings are available on the **Checkin** tab:

- **Title** - The multilingual title displayed on the check-in page.
- **Description** - The multilingual description displayed on the check-in page.
- **Location** - Select the default location for check-ins. This is used for geolocation distance calculations.
- **Notify** - Enter a comma-separated list of phone numbers and email addresses to receive notifications when a new check-in is submitted.
- **Auto Message** - Select a specific auto message to send to the person who checks in. You can also use the "Auto Message Checkin Created" trigger to configure this separately.
- **Maximum Distance** - Set the maximum number of miles a visitor can be from the check-in location. If the visitor is too far away, the check-in will be blocked.
  - If the location is virtual, the agency address set in **Admin** > **Settings** is used to calculate the distance.
  - Ensure the portal's **Geolocation Tracking** setting is not disabled for distance enforcement to work.
- **Check-In Fields** - Click to enable the fields you want to include in your check-in form. Click any field label to customize the field name.

#### Check-In Status Lifecycle

Each check-in progresses through the following statuses:

| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| **Waiting** | The visitor has submitted the check-in form and is waiting to be seen |
| **Ready** | Staff has acknowledged the check-in and the visitor is ready to proceed |
| **In Progress** | The visitor's appointment or meeting is currently underway |
| **Checked Out** | The visitor has completed their visit and checked out |

You can view and update check-in statuses from the **Events** > **Checkins** page or from within an individual check-in record.

#### Add the Check-In Link to Portal Navigation

1. In the portal edit screen, scroll to the **Sidebar Navigation** section.
2. Click the **Add Checkin** button to add a check-in link to the portal sidebar.
3. Click the **Open Link** button to preview the check-in form.

The link displayed is the URL you can share with clients. Use the `[CheckinLink]` merge tag to include the check-in link in any message template.

#### Generate a QR Code

1. In the portal edit screen, locate the **Portal Preview** section.
2. Click the **Generate QR Code** button.
3. Download or print the QR code for use in mailed letters, lobby displays, or physical signage.

#### Enable Check-Ins for Scheduled Events

1. Click **Admin** in the top navigation bar, then select **Settings**.
2. Find the **Enable Check-ins** setting and turn it on.
3. Configure how far before and after an event the **Check In** button should appear (24 hours before the event date and time by default).
4. Click **Save** to apply your changes.

Once enabled, a **Check In** button appears on scheduled events within the configured time window. The event's assigned location (if set) is used as the check-in location instead of the portal's default location.

#### Contact Verification on Check-In

When a visitor submits a check-in form that includes a phone number or email address, the system can instantly verify the contact information against existing client records. If the contact matches an existing client, the check-in is automatically linked to that client's profile. If the contact is new, a new client record can be created based on your agency's configuration.

#### Waitlist Status Updates

When check-ins are used at a physical location with a waitlist, visitors receive real-time updates about their position. As staff processes visitors, the waitlist status updates automatically and clients are notified of their current wait time and position. See [How to Manage Waitlists](/how-to-manage-waitlists) for details on configuring waitlists.

#### Virtual Check-In Redirect

For virtual events, you can configure the portal to automatically redirect visitors to a meeting link after they complete the check-in form.

1. Open the portal's **Checkin** tab.
2. Set the check-in **Location** to a virtual location that has a meeting link configured.
3. After the visitor submits the check-in form, they are automatically redirected to the meeting URL.

#### Track Check-In Analytics

Monitor check-in activity through reports and dashboards.

1. Navigate to **Dashboards** > **Reports**.
2. Create a new report with **Checkins** as the data source.
3. Filter by date range, location, or status to analyze check-in trends.
4. Export the report in CSV or PDF format for sharing.

You can also create data dashboards with check-in datapoints. See [How to Create Data Dashboards](/how-to-create-data-dashboards) for details.

### What to Expect

After configuring portal check-ins, clients and visitors can access the check-in form through a direct link, QR code, or the portal's sidebar navigation. When a visitor submits the form, the following happens:

- The check-in record is created and visible under **Events** > **Checkins**.
- Any phone numbers or email addresses listed in the **Notify** field receive a notification.
- If an **Auto Message** is configured, the visitor receives a confirmation message.
- If **Maximum Distance** is set and the visitor is beyond the allowed range, the check-in is blocked.

For scheduled events with check-ins enabled, the **Check In** button appears automatically within the configured time window and disappears after the window closes.

### Best Practices

- Use the **Configure Default Fields** button as a starting point and then customize the form to match your agency's specific needs.
- Set a reasonable **Maximum Distance** to prevent remote check-ins when in-person attendance is required, but leave it blank for virtual meetings.
- Add the check-in link to your portal's sidebar navigation so clients can always find it easily.
- Print QR codes and display them at your front desk, lobby, or courtroom entrance for quick walk-in check-ins.
- Configure the **Notify** field with your front desk staff's phone numbers or emails so they are immediately aware of new arrivals.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can visitors check in without logging into the portal?**
A: Yes. The check-in form is accessible to anyone with the link or QR code. Client authentication is not required for check-ins unless you have configured the portal to require login.

**Q: How does geolocation enforcement work for virtual locations?**
A: When the check-in location is set to a virtual location, the system uses your agency's physical address (configured in **Admin** > **Settings**) to calculate the visitor's distance. Make sure the portal's **Geolocation Tracking** setting is enabled for distance enforcement to function.

**Q: Can I customize which fields appear on the check-in form?**
A: Yes. In the **Check-In Fields** section of the portal's Checkin tab, click to enable or disable individual fields. Click any field label to rename it to match your agency's terminology.

**Q: How do I include the check-in link in a message to clients?**
A: Use the `[CheckinLink]` merge tag in any message template. When the message is sent, the merge tag is replaced with the portal's check-in URL.

**Q: Can I use different check-in forms for different locations?**
A: Each portal has its own check-in configuration. To support different locations, create separate portals with unique check-in settings and share the appropriate link or QR code for each location.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Visitor is blocked from checking in due to distance.
**Symptoms:** The visitor sees a message that they are too far from the check-in location.
**Solution:**

1. Verify that the correct **Location** is selected in the check-in settings and that the location's address is accurate.
2. Confirm the **Maximum Distance** is set to a reasonable value for your use case.
3. Ensure the visitor has allowed location access in their browser. The portal's **Geolocation Tracking** setting must not be disabled.
4. For virtual locations, check that your agency address in **Admin** > **Settings** is correct.

**Issue:** Staff are not receiving check-in notifications.
**Symptoms:** A visitor successfully checks in but the team is not notified.
**Solution:**

1. Verify that the **Notify** field contains the correct phone numbers or email addresses, separated by commas.
2. Confirm that your **Agency Phone** and **Agency Email** are properly configured under **Admin** > **Settings**.
3. Check that your agency is in **Live Mode** (not **Simulate Mode**). In simulate mode, notifications are logged but not delivered.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Create Web Portals](/how-to-create-web-portals)
- [How to Allow Clients to Login to a Portal](/how-to-allow-clients-to-login-to-a-portal)
- [How to Manage Events](/how-to-manage-events)
- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [Glossary of Terms](/glossary-of-terms)