Check-In Sessions

Digital ID includes a comprehensive check-in system for tracking attendance during fire drills, safety meetings, emergencies, and other events. This feature integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 for automatic data synchronisation.

Overview

Check-in sessions allow organisations to:

  • Create timed sessions for fire drills, safety meetings, and emergencies
  • Track staff attendance in real-time
  • Allow staff to check in using QR codes or manual entry
  • Export attendance records for compliance reporting
  • Automatically sync data to Microsoft 365 (SharePoint, Power Automate, Teams)

Creating a Check-In Session

Organisation administrators can create check-in sessions from the admin panel:

  1. Navigate to Organisation → Check-In Sessions
  2. Click "Create New Session"
  3. Enter a session name (e.g., "Fire Drill - Main Building")
  4. Select the session type:
    • Fire Drill: Planned fire evacuation practice
    • Fire Alarm: Actual fire alarm activation
    • Safety Meeting: Health and safety meeting attendance
    • Emergency: Other emergency situations
  5. Optionally add a location name
  6. Click "Create Session"

Session Types

Session types help categorise different events and can be used for reporting and filtering. All session types support the same check-in functionality.

Staff Check-In Process

Once a session is active, staff can check in using two methods:

Method 1: QR Code Check-In

  1. Navigate to Check In in the main menu
  2. Select the active session
  3. Click "Check In with QR Code"
  4. Display your QR code on your device
  5. The system will automatically verify and check you in

Method 2: Manual Check-In

  1. Navigate to Check In in the main menu
  2. Select the active session
  3. Click "Check In" button
  4. You'll be immediately checked in

Check-Out

Staff can check out from a session at any time. This is useful for tracking when people leave during long sessions or emergencies.

Viewing Session Attendance

Administrators can view real-time attendance for any session:

  1. Go to Organisation → Check-In Sessions
  2. Click on a session to view details
  3. See the list of all check-ins with timestamps and methods
  4. Active sessions automatically refresh every 10 seconds

Exporting Attendance

Export attendance records for compliance and reporting:

  1. Open a session from the Check-In Sessions list
  2. Click "Export Attendance"
  3. A CSV file will be downloaded with:
    • Employee names and references
    • Check-in and check-out times
    • Check-in method (QR scan or manual)
    • Location information
    • Status (checked in or checked out)

Ending a Session

When a session is complete:

  1. Open the session details page
  2. Click "End Session"
  3. Confirm the action
  4. The session will be marked as ended and no new check-ins will be allowed

Important

Once a session is ended, staff cannot check in or out. However, you can still view and export the attendance records.

Microsoft 365 Integration

Digital ID can automatically synchronise check-in data with Microsoft 365 services:

SharePoint Lists

Check-in data can be automatically synced to SharePoint Lists for integration with existing workflows and reporting tools.

  1. Go to Organisation → Microsoft 365 Settings
  2. Enable Microsoft 365 synchronisation
  3. Enter your SharePoint site URL
  4. Enter the SharePoint List ID where check-ins should be stored
  5. Save settings

Power Automate

Trigger Power Automate workflows when check-ins occur:

  1. Create a Power Automate flow with a webhook trigger
  2. Copy the webhook URL
  3. Paste it into the Microsoft 365 Settings page
  4. Check-ins will now trigger your workflow automatically

Microsoft Teams

Send notifications to Teams channels when sessions start:

  1. Get your Teams channel ID
  2. Enter it in the Microsoft 365 Settings page
  3. Notifications will be sent when sessions are created

Prerequisites

Microsoft 365 integration requires Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) to be configured first. See the Microsoft Entra Integration guide for setup instructions.

Use Cases

Fire Drill Tracking

During fire drills, create a session and have all staff check in at the assembly point. This ensures accurate headcounts and helps identify who may still be in the building.

Safety Meeting Attendance

Track attendance at mandatory safety meetings. Export records for compliance reporting and training records.

Emergency Evacuations

In real emergencies, quickly create a session and track who has safely evacuated. This information is critical for emergency services.

Best Practices

  • Create sessions in advance: For planned events like fire drills, create the session before the event starts
  • Use clear naming: Name sessions descriptively (e.g., "Fire Drill - Main Building - 15 Jan 2024")
  • End sessions promptly: End sessions when complete to prevent accidental check-ins
  • Export regularly: Export attendance records after each session for your records
  • Test the system: Run a test session before important events to ensure staff know how to check in

Access Control

Check-in sessions are organisation-specific. Only staff from the same organisation can check in to a session. Organisation administrators can create and manage sessions for their organisation.