Pulse Ticketing Door Check In Instructions (GUIDE)

Created by Ticketing Support, Modified on Sat, 1 Feb at 3:46 PM by Ticketing Support

This document outlines the instructions for your event’s check-in process to ensure a smooth running of the door or gate.

You will need an Android device, preferably a phone or one of our scanners. However, most Android tablets and similar Android devices may work also. You should test the Android app a few days before your event for a smooth setup.

There are two methods for running the door with our scanning app: online mode & offline mode. Regardless of which method is available to you, it’s highly recommended that you ensure the photo ID matches the names on the ticket.

Online mode:

Online mode is the best way to work. If you have internet access, connect to it whilst you run the door, as it will allow new tickets to be bought and name changes to continue even while your event is running. Allowing tickets to be purchased while the event is running can speed up the check-in process, discourage cash handling at the door, and enable you to run as many scanners as you like simultaneously.

Offline mode:

Offline mode is possible for venues with weak internet/wifi signals. If you are running offline mode, you can only use one scanner. We offer the ability to run multiple scanners offline; however, extra hardware and technical support at your gate are required to manage this (we only provide this for more significant events). We know plenty of ways of getting internet into hard-to-reach venues, so talk to us a few weeks before your event, as we will have some suggestions that may solve your onsite internet problems. Starlink is by far the best way to get internet in hard-to-reach locations. Since the offline mode is for a single device only, you can’t swap the device through the event quickly; you’ll need a good plan to keep that device charged.

Preparing the app (only do this process once per event):

Download the free Pulse Ticket Scanner app from the Google Play store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pulseticketing.scanner
Tap the settings cog icon and use your admin credentials to log in.
Select your event from the dropdown and tap Download Tickets. (IMPORTANT: If you are using offline mode, turn off ticket sales & name changes for each ticket tier using your normal admin area in a web browser before downloading the tickets to the app; online mode can disregard this since the data is always synced). You’ll know it’s successful when you see the number of tickets loaded to the app. If you plan to use the app offline, you will still need to be connected to the internet to do this step; plan. Also, note that the number of tickets loaded to the device will be more than the amount you sold as we load in all tickets, including non-valid tickets, so that your gate staff can troubleshoot any issues if customers claim they purchased but have no ticket.
Type in the name of the staff who will be using that device to scan, and if your device uses a camera to scan (i.e., phones & tablets), then ensure ‘enable camera’ is checked. If you use a scanner device, you do not need to check the enable camera button.

Using the app on a mobile phone to check in (do this per ticket):

Once the app is prepared, you can start scanning in customers. Use the main screen to align the square box on the screen with the ticket barcode. A new box will appear once the barcode scans correctly (see steps 2 & 3).

If the person does not have their ticket or there are issues with their printout or mobile screen, you can tap the app's search (magnifying glass) icon, manually search for their name, and tap the correct name to bring up their details.
After you have scanned or found the ticket holder, a screen will appear with all their details. It will tell you if the ticket is valid or void as well. If it’s void, ask the ticket holder for a new valid ticket or to purchase one if they do not have a valid ticket.

If the ticket is valid, the next step is asking for a photo ID. It’s highly recommended that the purchaser of the tickets has a photo ID that matches at least one of the names on their tickets. If all checks out, then tap the ‘Check-in’ button, and that will ensure the ticket cannot be reused.

TIP #1: If the person enters the gate, ensure you have checked them incorrectly. You can always rescan their ticket after that to ensure that their ticket comes up void-scanned if you are unsure if you checked them incorrectly or not.

TIP #2: If the customer cannot provide a valid ticket but claims they have one. The scanner can’t find their name, then ask that they pay the entry fee and that if it can be proven after the event that they did have a valid ticket, then they would be refunded the second cost (this is a smooth way to deal with this hold up at the gate/door).

TIP #3: If you have trouble scanning, ask the customer to make their screen brighter and the QR code bigger on their screen or use the search function.

Using Pulse Ticketing’s scanners for more significant events to check in:

If the device is not turned on, hold the ON button on the right side until it turns on; speak to your Pulse account representative to obtain the scanner unlock code.

If this is the first time turning on the device for this event, follow the device preparation instructions on page 1; this process only needs to be done once per event per device.

To scan and check in a customer, you follow the same steps as scanning for a mobile phone at the start of this page. The only difference is that to keep the camera disabled, point the top of the device to the QR code and hold one of the colored scan buttons (usually blue or orange) on the device, pointing it at the QR code. If you aren’t aiming it correctly, move the scanner across the device, and it will quickly pick up the QR code.

To charge the device, you place it back into the charging dock or connect the USB port to power. If you don’t have time to wait for a battery charge, then there should be a spare battery in the back of the charging dock that you can replace with the battery in the device. There are instructions on how to open the case on the back of the device.