Check-in Setup Guide
15 minutes to "never manually upload badge scans again." Let's get your event check-in configured so you can focus on running a great event instead of wrestling with spreadsheets.
What You're Setting Up
By the end of this guide, you'll have:
- A unique pass link for your confirmation emails
- QR codes for your event staff to scan
- Everything wired up so check-ins flow directly to Salesforce
No IT ticket required. No vendor phone calls. Just you, your browser, and about 15 minutes.
Before You Start
You'll need three things:
| Requirement | Why | How to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Event linked to Salesforce Campaign | This is where attendance lands | Event shows Campaign ID in settings |
| Active Salesforce integration | Enables the two-way sync | Settings > Integrations shows "Connected" |
| Campaign members synced | Your registered attendees | Campaign has members in Salesforce |
Create one first in Events > New Event. Link it to your Salesforce Campaign during creation—you can use an existing Campaign or create a new one.
Step 1: Open Check-in Settings
- Go to Events in the main navigation
- Click your event
- Select the Check-in tab
You should see a setup panel with your Campaign information and configuration options.
Step 2: Initialize the Campaign Status
If you see "Setup Required", click the Setup Campaign button.
What this does: Creates a "Checked-In" status in your Salesforce Campaign Member Statuses. This is the status attendees get when they're scanned.
You only do this once per Campaign. The status persists in Salesforce forever. If you've used this Campaign with Event Karma before, you'll skip this step.
Step 3: Get Your Pass Link (The Important Part)
The Universal Pass Link (UPL) is a personalized URL that shows each attendee their unique QR code pass. You'll add this to your confirmation emails.
Find Your Event's Pass Link
In the Check-in settings, you'll see something like:
https://pass.eventkarma.ai/pass/701XXXXXXXXXXXX?e={EMAIL}
The 701XX... part is your Salesforce Campaign ID. The {EMAIL} gets replaced with each attendee's email address.
Platform-Specific Tokens
Each email platform uses different merge field syntax. Copy the right one:
| Platform | Your Pass Link |
|---|---|
| Marketo | https://pass.eventkarma.ai/pass/701XX...?e={{Email Address}} |
| HubSpot | https://pass.eventkarma.ai/pass/701XX...?e={{contact.email}} |
| Pardot | https://pass.eventkarma.ai/pass/701XX...?e={{Recipient.Email}} |
| SFMC | https://pass.eventkarma.ai/pass/701XX...?e=%%emailaddr%% |
| Mailchimp | `https://pass.eventkarma.ai/pass/701XX...?e=* |
See the full list in our Email Integration Guide.
Add the pass link to both your confirmation email AND a day-before reminder. Attendees lose emails. Make it easy to find their pass. The ones who can't find it? They'll hold up your check-in line while staff does manual lookup.
Step 4: Set Up Staff Devices
Time to get your event team ready. You have three ways to equip them:
Option A: iOS App (Best Performance)
For iPhone and iPad users who want the fastest, most reliable experience:
- Download EventKarma Check-In from the App Store (or TestFlight for beta)
- Open the app and select your event
- Authenticate with your access code or email
- Choose Scanner, Kiosk, or Lookup mode
iOS App Benefits:
- Faster QR scanning (native camera)
- Reliable offline mode
- Voice notes for capturing conversation details
- VIP alerts for high-priority attendees
- Live Activity on Lock Screen (iPhone only)
Option B: Share a QR Code (Fastest PWA Setup)
In the Device Setup section, you'll find QR codes for each mode:
| Mode | When to Use | What Staff Does |
|---|---|---|
| Scanner | Roving staff with phones | Scan QR, point at attendee badges |
| Kiosk | Self-service stations | Scan QR, mount tablet, walk away |
Print these QR codes or display them on a screen. Staff scan with their phone camera, and they're ready to go.
Option C: Share a Link (PWA)
If staff aren't in the room with you:
- Click Copy Link for the mode you want
- Send via Slack, email, or text
- Staff opens the link on their phone
- They tap Add to Home Screen for an app-like experience
The PWA works great in a browser, but Add to Home Screen makes it feel like a native app—no URL bar, full screen, faster access. Brief your staff to do this during setup.
iOS App vs PWA: Which to Use?
| Scenario | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| All staff have iPhones | iOS App |
| Mixed iPhone/Android | PWA (or both) |
| Quick setup, no downloads | PWA |
| Need VIP alerts or voice notes | iOS App |
| Tablet kiosk station | Either works great |
Step 5: Test Everything (Don't Skip This)
Before event day, verify the full flow works:
Test the Pass Link
- Copy your UPL and replace
{EMAIL}with a real attendee email - Open in your browser
- Confirm the pass loads with a QR code and the attendee's name
Test the Scanner
- Open the Scanner on your phone
- Point at the test pass QR code
- Verify you see a green success screen with the attendee's name
- Check the scan appears in your check-in stats
Test Offline Mode
- Turn off WiFi on your phone
- Scan the same QR code
- Verify the yellow "Offline" banner appears
- Turn WiFi back on
- Confirm the queued scan syncs
If all three work, you're ready. If something fails, see Troubleshooting below.
Day-Of Checklist
Print this for your event lead:
30 Minutes Before
- Staff devices set up and tested
- Scanner and Kiosk QR codes available
- Backup phone charged (for manual lookup)
- WiFi password shared with staff (if venue WiFi)
Doors Open
- First few scans working correctly
- Stats updating in real-time
- Staff briefed on "Add Note" for good conversations
During Event
- Periodic check that scans are syncing (not queued)
- Capture notes on key attendee conversations
- Handle walk-ins via Lookup > Register Walk-in
After Event
- Review Publish dashboard
- Apply guardrails (filter personal emails, etc.)
- Publish to Salesforce within 24 hours
Troubleshooting
"Session expired or invalid"
Cause: Your Salesforce token expired. Fix: Go to Settings > Integrations > Salesforce and click Reconnect.
"Campaign Member not found"
Cause: The email address isn't registered for this Campaign in Salesforce. Fix: Either add them to the Campaign in Salesforce, or use Register Walk-in to create a new Lead.
"Event not found for this campaign"
Cause: The Salesforce Campaign ID isn't linked to any Event Karma event. Fix: Check your event settings and verify the Campaign ID matches.
Pass shows wrong event/person
Cause: The email parameter in the URL is wrong. Fix: Verify your merge field syntax matches your email platform exactly.
Scanner camera won't start
Cause: Browser permissions blocked. Fix: Check browser settings. Safari and Chrome work best. Try "Allow" when prompted for camera access.
What's Next?
You're set up. Now get your team ready:
| Guide | What You'll Learn |
|---|---|
| App Guide | Deep dive on Scanner, Kiosk, and Lookup modes |
| Staff Training | Print-ready guide for your event day team |
| Email Integration | Full templates for all major platforms |
| Publish Guide | Post-event review and Salesforce sync |
Still Stuck?
- In the app: Tap the help icon for contextual guidance
- Email: support@datakarma.ai
- We respond fast—especially before your events
Good luck with your event! When your sales team asks how you got attendance data into Salesforce before they landed, just smile.