How to Check-in and Manage Attendees Using the Check-In Tool

In this article, we will guide you and your volunteers through using the check-in tool!

The Check-In Tool allows you to view your attendees, reassign tickets, save payment methods, manage their carts and process checkouts on their behalf. It's your go-to system during your event and can be used by organizers and your volunteers!

Where to find the Check-In Tool

• The Check-In Tool is located in the Event and Sales Manager (ESM) which is a connected product that allows you to manage attendees and process sales via the Sales Entry System. 
• You can access the ESM by going to esm.trellis.org and logging in as an Organizer or Volunteer. For help with logging in, check out this article.
• A shortcut to the ESM can also be found on your Fundraiser card from the Dashboard:

How to use the Check-In Tool

Click this link to download a PDF copy of this guide!

Prefer to learn by a video? We've got you covered! 

Otherwise, read on for a walkthrough of how to manage attendees.

Understanding an Attendee's Status

Since the system requires attendees to be linked to a user account in order for you to manage their payment methods and process checkouts on their behalf, the attendee statuses inform you as to whether the attendee is successfully linked to a user account.

1. Verified Attendees:

• These attendees are linked to user accounts via their email and are ready to be checked in.
• They will have full functionality available on their record (managing payment methods, adding items to cart, completing checkouts).

2. "Reassign" Attendees:

• These attendees are likely guests of a ticket purchaser and the purchaser did not assign their tickets before the event, so their email address matches another attendee.
• Since their email address is not unique, they are not connected to a user account. 
• You can check these attendees in, but you will not be able to manage this attendee’s credit cards or cart until they have been reassigned with a unique email address.

3. "Verify" Attendees

• The verify tag means that that attendee needs to take an authenticated action on Trellis to confirm their identity. This is to prevent a bad actor from entering in email addresses and gaining access to credit card data without the donor's consent. 
• They can be checked in, but they will need to take an authenticated action before you can use saved payment methods or add one to their account.
  • Bidding in a silent auction (requires sign-in)
  • Making a purchase while signed in
  • Clicking on a verification link in their email (sent from check-in tool)
  • Note that signing in alone is not an authenticated action.

Checking in a Verified Attendee

1. When an attendee arrives, ask for their last name (recommended), email address, or phone number.
2. Use the search bar to search for the attendee.
3. Once found, confirm the attendee's status. 
   
   
4. If verified, confirm the information on file with the attendee:
   1. "Can I confirm your email is [email] and your phone number ends in ####?"
5. Click the blue Check-In button to check the attendee in.
   
6. The system will then email and text the attendee a sign-in link so they can sign in to their Giving Account on their own device. Ask the attendee to click on the link to sign in. 
   1. If the attendee does not have a phone number saved, the system will prompt you to enter a phone number.
      
7. If the attendee does not have a credit card saved to their account, the system will prompt you to enter a credit card.
   
   
8. Add a credit card to the attendee’s account by completing the form.
   
    
9. Hit Confirm and then you can now move on the next attendee!
   
   

Checking In Attendees that need to be “Reassigned”

If the attendee says “Reassign”, it means that their email address is already being used by another attendee. They are likely guests of a ticket purchaser and have not yet been assigned.

1. When the attendee arrives, try searching for their name.
2. If the guest cannot be found, try searching under the name of whoever purchased tickets. 
3. If the purchaser has tickets still assigned to themselves, click Check-In to start the process.
   
   
   
   
4. The system will then ask you to reassign the attendee.
   
   
5. Click Edit Attendee to add the correct information.
   1. Make sure you get the Full Name, Email Address, and Phone Number for the attendee.
   2. You should also gather Mailing Address in order to issue tax receipts using Trellis.
      
      
6. Once the attendee's information is edited, click Save and Check-In.
7. The system will then email and text the attendee a sign-in link so they can sign in to their Giving Account on their own device. Ask the attendee to click on the link to sign in.
8. If the attendee does not have a credit card saved to their account, the system will prompt you to enter a credit card.
   
   
9. Add a credit card to the attendee’s account by completing the form.
10. Hit Confirm and then you can now move on the next attendee!
    
    

Checking In Unverified Attendees

If the attendee says “Verify”, they'll need to verify their email address before you can save a payment method.

This prevents unauthorized users from accessing their account and keeps their information secure.

1. On an attendee that says "Verify", confirm that the attendee's email address and phone number are correct.
2. Click the blue Check-In button.
3. The attendee will be checked-in, and the system will automatically send a verification link to the attendee’s email and phone number on file.
   
   
4. Ask the attendee to click on the link in the email or text.
5. Once the attendee clicks the link, they will be signed into their account on their device, and the attendee status will change from unverified to verified.
6. You can now use the buttons under the attendee to add a credit card and manage the attendee’s cart.

How to Add Item(s) to an Attendee's Cart

1. From the Check-In Tool, search for the guest you want to add an item to their cart using the search bar.
2. On the attendee, click the Cart Icon to open their cart. 
   1. You can also click "View More" then "Add to Cart"
3. Click Add Purchasable to select the item you want to add to their cart.
4. Select the Purchasable Type and hit Add to Cart.
5. Ask the donor how they want to proceed. You have the option to immediately Complete the Purchase on their behalf (if your donor has their credit card saved) or Send Payment Link.
   1. If you choose to send a payment link, the attendee will receive an email and text message with a link that logs them into their account and takes them into the checkout.
6. If you choose to complete the purchase, the attendee's default payment method will be charged, and they will receive a receipt for their checkout in their email.
   

Now that you have become acquainted with how to use our Check-In Tool to add items to your guest carts, let's explore some other articles that you may find valuable!

Quick Links to Related Articles:
Getting Started with Check-In Tool