When checking in large numbers of attendees at an event, every second counts. This doc provides various recommendations that will help speed up your check-in process and ensure that you crush your next event.
Configure the FooEvents Check-ins Apps for faster check-ins #
By default, the FooEvents Check-ins app updates the ticket listing screen after scanning a ticket. This is to ensure that the check-in status of all attendees are updated should you have multiple entry points. If you are running an event with thousands of attendees, updating this list after each scan can take up valuable seconds and slow down the check-in process. However, you can avoid this by configuring the app to perform auto check-ins. This means that when a ticket is scanned, it will automatically check-in the attendee and return to the scan screen which significantly speeds up the check-in process. The app will not need to return to the ticket listing every time a ticket is scanned so you won’t need to re-sync each time.
To enable this setting follow these steps:
- Login to the FooEvents Check-ins App
- Go to Settings
- Enable Auto Check-in
Ensure that your website’s REST API is accessible #
The FooEvents Check-ins app connects to your WordPress website via the REST API. We recommend that you confirm that your website’s REST API is accessible by entering the following address in your web browser: ‘www.YOURWEBSITE.com/wp-json/fooevents/v1’. You should see a screen that displays code which starts with {"namespace":"fooevents\/v1","routes": as opposed to an error page such as 404 file not found which indicates that something is wrong with your server configuration or the REST API is blocked.
Ensure that your hosting provider does not block access to the XML-RPC file #
If the REST API is not accessible, the app will try to connect to your WordPress website via the less preferred WordPress XML-RPC connection each time an attendee is checked-in. FooEvents uses the XML-RPC file for it’s intended purpose, however, spammers often use this file for nefarious proposes. As such, some hosting providers may incorrectly flag the increased server requests through this file as suspicious and block the FooEvents Check-ins app from accessing the XML-RPC file. Although this does not happen very often, we recommend contacting your hosting provider and asking them to white list the IP addresses of all your devices (computer, smartphone, tablet etc.) well before the day of your event. To check that your xmlrpc.php file is accessible, enter www.YOURSITE.com/xmlrpc.php in the web browser on your phone. You should see the following message if the xmlrpc.php file is accessible: “XML-RPC server accepts POST requests only.”
Use FooEvents Express Check-ins with an external barcode scanner #
The fastest and most reliable way to scan a barcode is to scan the ticket using a handheld barcode scanner that is paired with the FooEvents Check-ins app or FooEvents Express Check-ins extension. Much like the app, the FooEvents Express Check-ins interface offers an auto check-in option. When enabled, the interface will auto check-in an attendee if a ticket ID is found in the system. This is by far the fastest, most reliable way to check-in attendees at your event.
Ensure that your website is optimized for high traffic volumes #
Your website will likely get very busy when tickets go on sale as well as closer to the day of the event. Ensure that your website is running as fast as possible by implementing an effective caching service. There are various caching plugins available, however, we have found WP Rocket to be the easiest to use and most robust in terms of its compatibility with other plugins and themes.