# Run front-desk check-in

> PositiveForm guide · Attendance and check-in · ATT-002
> Canonical page: https://positiveform.com/guides/attendance/front-desk-check-in/
> This Markdown: https://positiveform.com/guides/attendance/front-desk-check-in.md

**Summary:** Find a member and record a general or scheduled check-in. A staff-method attendance record appears for the selected member and class context.  
**Who can do this:** Organization owners, Managers, Staff  
**Required access:** `members.change`  
**Where in PositiveForm:** `/attendance`  
**Status:** Verified on 2026-07-29 against PositiveForm build `fe1de72`.

## Who this is for

This guide is for **desk staff, managers, and owners** checking people in as they
arrive for class.

You need the `members.change` permission. The page lives under **Check-in** in
the left navigation (route `/attendance`).

## Before you begin

- Select the location at the top of the console. Check-ins are recorded for the
  selected location only.
- Prefer searching by name, student number, Member ID, household, phone, or
  email when you are not using a member card. A USB barcode scanner can type a
  card code into the Check-in field and finish with Enter. On any other
  authenticated console page, the same scanner is recognized as a rapid burst
  of keys ending in Enter, then asks you to confirm check-in. It does not
  record attendance by itself.

## Steps

1. Click **Check-in** in the left navigation. The page title is **Check-in**,
   with the subtitle **Find a member, then check them in.**
2. Type into **Find a member or scan a barcode**. After two characters,
   PositiveForm searches members at this location by name, household, phone,
   email, student number, or Member ID.
3. Read each match: the member name, Member ID, student number when one is on
   file, age when known, household, and program context (or **No program
   context**). Inactive members are labelled **Inactive**.
4. Click **Check in** on the correct person. The method recorded is **Staff**
   for a manual desk check-in.
5. Confirm the success banner: **{name} checked in**, with the class context
   (or **General check-in**) and the time. You can **Dismiss** the banner.
6. Confirm the person appears under **Today’s check-ins**, with columns
   **Member**, **Class**, **Method**, and **Time**.
7. Optional: open **Bulk attendance** when you need to mark a whole class at
   once; see [Record bulk attendance](https://positiveform.com/guides/attendance/bulk-attendance/).

## Expected outcome

A staff-method attendance record is saved for that member at the selected
location. They appear in **Today’s check-ins**, and the same visit is available
later under **Check-in history** on this page ([Review attendance history](https://positiveform.com/guides/attendance/review-attendance-history/)).

If they already checked in moments ago, PositiveForm may report that they were
just checked in rather than creating a duplicate visit.

## Screenshots

![Check-in desk with search field, today’s check-ins, and history](https://positiveform.com/guides/media/ATT-002/20260729T193000Z/000-start.webp)

![Search results for a member with the Check in action](https://positiveform.com/guides/media/ATT-002/20260729T193000Z/001-member-found.webp)

![Member listed under today’s check-ins after a successful staff check-in](https://positiveform.com/guides/media/ATT-002/20260729T193000Z/002-checked-in.webp)

## Recovery

If the search box is disabled, check the location picker and your network. When
you are offline, the page says check-ins are not being saved until the
connection returns.

If no members match, try another name, student number, Member ID, household,
phone, or email, or open **Members** to add the person first.

From any authenticated console page, a USB scanner that types a rapid card
code and Enter opens **Check in this member?** when the card is on file. Confirm
**Check in**, or **Dismiss** to leave attendance unchanged. If the card is not
recognised, PositiveForm opens the Check-in recovery path and shows the scanned
card number. Search for the
correct person by name, student number, Member ID, household, phone, or email,
then **Assign card**. Each match shows Member ID and student number when those
exist so you can confirm the card.
PositiveForm tells you whether this replaces an unused PositiveForm code or a
physical card already in use. Confirm before replacing a physical card. You
can **Assign card and check in**, or **Assign card only** if you only need the
card on file. A card that already belongs to someone else in this studio cannot
be reassigned.

If **Check in** fails for another reason, PositiveForm shows **Check-in failed.
Please try again.** and leaves you on the desk so you can retry.

If **Check-in** is missing from the navigation, your role does not carry the
attendance surface for this studio.

## Related guides

- [Check in from a member workspace](https://positiveform.com/guides/attendance/member-check-in/) — check someone in from their member workspace.
- [Review attendance history](https://positiveform.com/guides/attendance/review-attendance-history/) — filter and review past check-ins.
- [Record bulk attendance](https://positiveform.com/guides/attendance/bulk-attendance/) — record attendance for a whole class.

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Source: PositiveForm customer guides, https://positiveform.com/guides/. 
Every guide as one file for AI assistants: https://positiveform.com/llms-full.txt. 
Guide index: https://positiveform.com/llms.txt.