Check-In & Scanning

Overview

1. A customer arrives with a ticket (phone or printout)
2. Staff scan the QR code in the mobile app
3. cowtic validates the ticket
4. The app shows valid or invalid with a reason

What you need

• A smartphone or tablet with a camera
• The cowtic mobile app (iOS or Android)
• Internet for the first login and sync; offline check-in is supported after sync

Create a scanner

1. Open Check-in — In the sidebar, go to Check-in.
2. Add a scanner — Click Add new scanner, enter a name, optionally restrict to one event, then click Create scanner. cowtic generates a 6-digit access code.
3. Share the code with staff — Give the code only to trusted staff for mobile app login.

Scan with the mobile app

1. Install the app — Search for cowtic in the App Store or Google Play.
2. Log in — Open the app, enter the 6-digit access code, and tap login.
3. Scan tickets — Point the camera at the QR code. Valid shows green confirmation; Invalid shows a red error with a reason.

Offline mode

When online, the app downloads ticket data for the assigned event(s). After that, it can validate scans offline and syncs check-ins when connectivity returns.

Before your event:

1. Connect to the internet
2. Log in to the app
3. Wait for data to download
4. Test a scan while offline if possible

Ticket validation rules

When a ticket is scanned, cowtic checks:

• The QR code exists and belongs to your organization
• The ticket matches the scanner's event (if restricted)
• The ticket is not cancelled
• The ticket is not already checked in (unless the ticket type allows re-entry)
• Date and time rules apply (valid from/until, event dates)
• Duration-based passes are within their active window after first scan

Manage scanners

On Check-in you can:

• Activate or deactivate a scanner
• Regenerate the access code (invalidates the old code)
• Delete a scanner
• View live activity and a scanner leaderboard

Check-in analytics

Per-event check-in stats are on the event Analytics tab. Organization-wide activity appears on the Check-in dashboard page.

See Analytics and Attendees.

Multiple entrances

Create one scanner per entrance with a clear name. Each scanner gets its own access code. All scanners share the same ticket database.

Troubleshooting

QR code will not scan

• Increase screen brightness or flatten a printed ticket
• Clean the camera lens
• Hold the code steady in the frame

Invalid code at login

• Confirm the 6-digit code from the dashboard
• Check the scanner is active
• Regenerate the code if it may have been shared too widely

Session expired

Log in again with the same access code. The code itself does not expire after 24 hours — only the app session does.

Ticket shows invalid at the door

Read the error message. Common causes: already checked in, cancelled order, wrong day, or expired timed pass. Look up the customer in Attendees or Tickets if you need to verify manually.

Related pages

• Tickets — ticket types and validity rules
• Attendees — who has checked in
• Analytics — attendance metrics