Barcode scanners are a powerful tool that can greatly enhance your check-in process by automating check-ins and enabling efficient name tag printing. This article will walk you through the steps of setting up and using barcode scanners with Breeze, ensuring a smooth check-in experience for your church.
The barcode scanner, when working in conjunction with Dymo printers, will streamline the check-in process. Scanning a barcode will automatically check someone in, and when connected to Dymo, their name tag will auto-print upon check-in! The Event settings must not have "Check In By Family" because that would cause multiple people to pull up at once and would not auto-print name tags.
Managing Barcodes in Breeze
Adding Barcodes From the Events Page
- On the Events page, Click the gear icon in the top right corner.
- Select "Manage Barcodes."
- In the popup window, click "Add New Barcodes."
- Enter the person's name and scan the barcode.
- Click "Add Barcode" to save.
Deleting Barcodes From the Events Page
- On the Events page, Click the gear icon in the top right corner.
- Select "Manage Barcodes."
- Locate the barcode you want to delete.
- Click the delete icon next to the barcode entry to remove it.
If you need to search through existing barcodes, that window will allow you to search barcodes by date added or by name (Last, First).
Adding Barcodes From the Check In Page
After you have your first barcode entered from the events page, you can add barcodes directly from the Check In Page.
- From the Check In Page click on the gear icon in the top right corner
- Click "Add Barcode" from the popup window
- Enter the name of the person who the barcode should be assigned to
- Scan the barcode
- Click "Add Barcode"
You can also import Barcodes into Breeze.
Checking People in with a Barcode Scanner
To check people in using a supported barcode scanner, follow these steps:
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Open the Check-In Page.
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Choose Search or Kiosk Mode.
- Make sure you are in either the Search or Kiosk Mode for the check-in process.
- Note: The barcode scanner will not work in List mode.
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Connect the Barcode Scanner.
- Connect the supported barcode scanner to your computer or mobile device according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Begin Scanning Barcodes.
- Position the scanner over the barcode and scan it using the scanner's trigger button or any other activation method specified by the device.
- The scanned barcode will automatically populate in the appropriate field on the Check-In Page, checking the person in if the barcode is associated with a valid entry.
Note: Some mobile devices may require you to turn off Bluetooth scanners to edit text. In such cases, the devices may recognize the scanner as the sole input device, preventing text input.
Using the Barcode Reader for Check Out
Just like Check-In, you can use the barcode reader to check out as well. Essentially what the barcode reader is doing is pulling up the person's data the same way it would come up if you typed in their name. This method is just more secure and quick to use!
If you check in by individual, scanning their barcode again will check the individual out. If you use "Check In by Family," then scanning the barcode again will bring up the popup window of the family to choose who you'd like to check out.
What Can I Use For Barcodes?
Anything with a barcode containing at least 4 digits can be used! From Amazon packages (probably not something that you bring to church with you each week) to your local grocery store club card. We recommend any card that you keep in your wallet or purse and can access quickly and easily each week.
If you'd like to provide the barcodes for your church, we recommend running an Amazon search (or any other place where you could find this sort of thing) for "Barcode Labels" and finding the best option that fits your church's needs.
The barcode reader simply reads the code on the card/barcode and enters the numbers and letters associated with the barcode, and enters them into the text field.
Can more than one person have the same barcode?
At this time, the ability to add multiple people to the same barcode is not a current feature within Breeze. However, if you have family check-in selected in the event, that barcode (since it is tied to a child) will still pull up the whole family. You can even assign another barcode to other people in the same family, and that code will also pull the whole family as long as family check-in is selected!
Can I Print a List of barcodes?
Navigate to the Bulk Tasks section. Select the Account Settings on the top-right, select Bulk Tasks, show more options on the left, select Import Barcodes, and download the template. This will produce a template file with everyone in the database and include the barcode number they have been assigned (or not assigned). You can print the Excel file.