Check-In App – Now Native for Apple & Android

We have another new version of our Check-In App that runs as a native app on Apple and Android. This joins our long available Online Check-In App and our more recent Check-In Chrome App. For those counting, this is our 4th Generation after our initial Check-In App in July, 2013 (yes, life moves pretty fast at RunSignUp). Here are the major differences:

Online Check-In App: Good if you want instant syncing with the Cloud Database. Since it is just a web browser app, it needs fast and consistent Internet access. We see many running stores using this for smaller packet pickup for races.

Check-In Chrome App: Good for when you have inconsistent Internet, with some nice new features around label and receipt printing. See the Hardware Requirements here.

Native Mobile Check-In App: This is our latest release described in detail below.

Built-In Camera Support. Phone cameras can be used to read bar codes and QR Codes that are sent to runners. The QRCodes read in under 1 second so you can check-in people fast. And it reads your participants phones as well.

Fast Check-In. Send your participants the confirmation numbers in QR Code and barcode formats with our free email system. Then when they come to your event, check them in fast with the built in camera support. Here is a quick video example:

Waiver Signatures. Participants who have not signed their waivers can sign the phones and tablets you use for check-in. Here is an example:

You need to download the app to your phone or tablet first. Search the Apple or Android store for RunSignUp and select the Check-In App.

Once it is installed, you will see a list of races. You need to set your race to be accessed by the Check-In app by setting a password (we do this so participant data is secure). Once you set a password and appropriate dates, you will see your race appear in the Check-In App.  Enter the password and you will have access on that device.

Once you are in a race on the App, click on the menu button at the top left to configure the App. There are a number of options including the Quick Check-In reviewed in the video above. Another important top level option is Locking the App – this prohibits participants and volunteers for changing the settings. Simply enter a PIN to lock it (and unlock it).

There are a number of options for configuring the Check-In App under “Settings”. Here is what it looks like on an iPad:

• Sort Order. By Last Name, First Name or Date.
• Events. Select which events are showing. This can be useful if you have different Events (Marathon, Half, 10K) check-in at different lines.
• Bib Number. Set with Skip, Optional or Required.
• Group Bib Number.
• Require Waiver. If a waiver has not been signed during registration, the app does “finger signature” right on the phone or tablet and saves to RSU in the cloud. One of the above videos shows this.
• Linked Registrations. Turn this on so that the app shows all the people who registered together.
• Pick Fields to show. Including Name, Event, Check-In Status, Bib#, Chip #, Payment status, Waiver Status, Team Bib, Team Name, Age, Gender, Email, Address, Registration Date, Import Status, Giveaway, Registration Notes, Addons (Pick which ones), Custom Questions (pick which ones).
• Quick Check-In Mode. This allows you to really fly thru check-in – similar to how tickets are taken at a concert or sporting event.
• Prevent Duplicate Bibs. Note this can not be assured since the apps need to sync with the cloud. But it will work within an individual phone/tablet.
• Allow Un-Check-Ins.

Once you set your phone/tablet up, you can save it as a Preset to the RSU Cloud, and then other devices can reuse the setup:

The Check-In process is pretty simple. Find the participant and press the big green Check-In button. If something is missing like Bib # or Waiver, those pages automatically appear. You can watch the video above to see those examples.

This makes the Check-In app very simple to use for volunteers.

To review the process:

1. Enable Check-In in RunSignUp and set a password.
2. Download the app to your phones and tablets.
3. Find your race, and enter the password.
4. Configure the setup you want in one phone/tablet.
5. Share that setup with the other phones/tablets.
6. Run your volunteers thru a few sample check-ins and begin receiving your runners!

And of course, you can see the reports on how the check-in is going: