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Volunteer Check-In at the POS

The POS register's time-clock pill can also check in volunteers who are registered for events at this store. The cashier doesn't have to switch tabs — the same dropdown they use to clock in opens a roster of expected volunteers.

Who uses it​

  • Volunteers — type a 4–8 digit PIN at the POS when they arrive for an event at the store, get checked in for the event automatically.
  • Cashiers / store managers — facilitate (they don't need to enter anything themselves; the volunteer enters their own PIN).
  • Affiliate administrators — turn on the feature, link events to a store location, and optionally reset volunteer PINs.

Setting it up (one-time)​

  1. Turn the feature on. Open Admin → Time Clock Settings. Scroll to POS Integration and enable Volunteer check-in from the POS terminal.
  2. Link events to a store. Open or create a volunteer opportunity. In the form, set Linked store to the ReStore the event takes place at. Only linked events appear in that store's POS roster.
  3. Ask volunteers to set a PIN. A volunteer sets their own PIN under Settings → Security → Volunteer Check-In PIN. They re-enter their account password, then choose 4–8 digits. They can change it at any time.

If a volunteer can't access the app, an affiliate admin with Manage Volunteer PINs permission can set one for them from the volunteer's profile.

How a volunteer checks in​

  1. They walk up to the POS register.
  2. The cashier opens the time-clock pill (top of the POS) and taps Check in volunteer….
  3. The roster shows volunteers registered for events at this store starting within the next couple of hours. The volunteer taps their photo or name.
  4. They enter their PIN.
  5. The screen confirms and returns to the roster. They're now checked in.

For events that record check-outs, the volunteer repeats steps 1–4 when they're done — the action button reads Check out instead of Check in.

What the roster shows​

  • Volunteers registered for events at this store whose start time is within the next 2 hours or whose event is currently active.
  • Their status: Tap to check in, Checked in, or Checked out.
  • Volunteers without a PIN show Tap to set PIN. Tapping their tile prompts them to enter their account password and choose a 4–8 digit PIN, then checks them in — no separate setup trip required.

Where PINs live​

Setting a PIN at any POS surface — volunteer check-in, cashier sign-in, or the time-clock kiosk — saves one unified PIN across all of that person's roles. So a person who is both staff and a volunteer uses the same PIN everywhere; the underlying check-in vs. payroll-punch records stay separate even though the PIN is shared.

Compliance and audit​

  • Check-ins recorded via the POS are tagged with pos so attendance reports can distinguish them from self-service, coordinator-driven, and QR-code check-ins.
  • The cashier signed into the POS is recorded as the facilitator of the check-in. Volunteer hours are still attributed to the volunteer.

Troubleshooting​

  • Roster is empty. No events at this store are scheduled within the look-ahead window. Confirm the event has a Linked store set and that the event's date/time covers "now or within the next ~2 hours."
  • Volunteer can't set a PIN in place. This only happens when there's no account password on file (e.g. an admin-enrolled volunteer who never signed in). An admin can set a PIN for them in Settings → Security.
  • "PIN not recognized." The PIN must belong to the volunteer whose tile was tapped. Try again, or have the volunteer reset their PIN if they forgot it.
  • "This event does not track check-outs." The event has hours auto-logged at close instead of tracking departures. No action needed — the volunteer's check-in is still recorded.