Each month, hundreds of thousands of children are checked in to groups using our Connect check-in system. Over the years this has proved to be a reliable and useful tool, but we've felt the desire to improve on these foundations.
On the back of customer feedback and our own experiences of using Connect in our churches, we've built a new check-in experience, which has been in a private beta for the last few months. Having received positive feedback, we're now satisfied that we're ready to open up a public beta for all.
Introducing Check-In
Check-In is a stand-alone application that you'll find in the iOS App Store and the Android Play Store. It also runs in a browser and appears as an option when logging in.
We've built Check-In as a new foundation for the future of all of our check-in systems. Eventually, children, adults and sign-ups will all check in using the new app. For now, we're starting with children, which will eventually replace Connect.
Check-In records children's attendance in the same way as Connect; there are no changes there. It can also be used alongside Connect so that you can test out and start to make the switch - checking a child in through Connect will check them in on Check-In and vice versa.
So what's new?
Check-In is a faster and more volunteer-friendly system than Connect. A new user interface allows for a cleaner and easier-to-understand experience for volunteers whilst still retaining a familiar layout.
A productive private beta period has helped us respond to feedback from a wide range of customers, from those using it to check in hundreds of children with dedicated 'kiosk' style printing stations to smaller churches with a handful of children. Whatever the size or setup of your groups, we believe Check-In is the perfect system for recording attendance and staying compliant with safeguarding best practices.
Predictable and easy to use for volunteers
Once set up, your check-in devices will run the same week-to-week. Check-In now remembers your settings on each device, ensuring that the volunteer experience is predictable. Starting and joining a session is easy for multiple devices, designed to minimise the chance of accidentally creating duplicated sessions. New user-level permissions can be used to limit the actions available to a team member, stopping them from accidentally starting or closing a session.
Kiosk or Register mode
Check-In can run in one of two modes: Kiosk or Register.
Kiosk mode is designed to allow parents to search for and check in their children either themselves or with the help of a team member. If you have a dedicated check-in area, Kiosk mode is for you.
Register mode provides a list of children's names where team members can record children as being present. If you run in-room check-in at your gatherings, Register mode is for you.
Both modes allow for badge printing using a compatible Brother label printer and we've made the setup of this easier than ever. The iOS and Android apps both allow speedy Wifi and Bluetooth printing and will automatically configure themselves to your setup.
Will it work for us?
Child check-in is an area where churches differ greatly in the way they like to do things. In building Check-In from the ground up we have aimed to take what we have learned about how different churches operate and build a system that is both flexible as well as feature-rich.
We'd encourage everyone to begin moving over to using Check-In, you should find the process easy and painless. For more information, check out our support pages. Download the Android or iOS app, or log in via the browser today to get going.
FAQ
Will we have to buy new tablets and printers?
- No, you won't. Check-In can run on all of the same devices that can currently run Connect.
Will our team know how to use it?
- Yes. We've done our best to keep the user experience and workflows as familiar as possible for existing Connect users to make the transition smooth.
Will this affect attendance tracking for groups?
- No, it won't. Check-In and Connect can be used side-by-side with the same sessions, templates and groups which already exist in your account. There is no change in functionality in the Children module.
How can I get started?
- You can download the iOS or Android app today and login with your existing user. In a browser, head to login.churchsuite.com and choose the Check-In option when logging in.
Does it still do everything Connect can do?
- Yes, it does. We've built Check-In as a like-for-like replacement (with added benefits!) for Connect. All features and functionality remain, and it should feel familiar.
Why have two systems which do the same thing?
- We anticipate that Check-In will replace Connect towards the end of 2025. We'll be sure to give a long period of advanced warning about this with in-platform messaging to ensure all of our customers know about the switch.
Have any further questions?
- Get in touch with us via support@churchsuite.com and let us know!
