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Check Volunteers In and Out

Goal: Capture who actually showed up — and for how long — so when you close the opportunity, hours are accurate.

Check-in opens automatically​

You don't have to do anything to "start" an opportunity. Volunteer self check-in opens automatically before the scheduled start time — 1 hour before by default, configurable per opportunity with the Self check-in opens setting (at the start time, or 15 minutes to 2 hours before). When the window opens, volunteers can check themselves in from the app or the posted QR code, even if no coordinator has a device on site.

Need it open sooner? On the day-of dashboard, click Open Check-In Early — useful when a group arrives well ahead of schedule.

The event's check-in QR code is available anytime before the opportunity — open Show Check-In QR from the day-of dashboard's menu to print it or copy the link the day before. Anyone who scans it before check-in opens simply sees when check-in will open.

:::tip Recording attendance after the fact Coordinators can check volunteers in (individually or in bulk) from the day-of dashboard at any time — before the check-in window opens or after the opportunity has ended — useful when entering attendance retroactively from a paper sign-in sheet. Check-ins recorded outside the open window are labeled so they're easy to spot. :::

Check-in options​

Pick the method that fits your opportunity size and setup:

  • Self check-in — volunteers tap a button on their phone when they arrive (shortest line, requires they're logged in)
  • Coordinator check-in — a coordinator marks each volunteer in from the registrations list (best for small opportunities or when you want to greet everyone)
  • Bulk check-in — select many registrants and check them all in at once (useful when a corporate group arrives together)
  • QR check-in — each registration has a QR code in the volunteer's confirmation; scan it at a check-in station to mark them in instantly (fastest for high-volume opportunities)
  • POS check-in (ReStore events only) — volunteers self-check-in at the store's POS register using their PIN. Requires the event to have a Linked store set and the affiliate setting Volunteer check-in from the POS terminal turned on. See the POS Volunteer Check-In guide for setup.

Day-of dashboard​

The dashboard surfaces:

  • Total expected vs. checked in
  • Per-slot and per-shift counts
  • Tasks status
  • Pending walk-ins or no-shows

Watch the dashboard for early signals (a slot under-staffed, a shift where no one's arrived).

Walk-ins​

For someone who shows up unregistered, you can register them on the spot and check them in.

Check-out​

Check out at the end:

  • Volunteers who self-checked-in usually self-check-out
  • Coordinators can check anyone out manually
  • The system can record actual time present if configured on the event, otherwise the hours will be logged for the scheduled length of the event for attendees that checked in (i.e. if the event was scheduled from 9AM-2PM, checked in volunteers will have 5 hours logged)

Check-out is available even when the opportunity credits scheduled hours, as long as Record check-out times is on (the default). Departures don't change the credited hours in that mode, but they give you an accurate on-site roster during the day and a record to verify against when you close. Turn the setting off if you want a check-in-only experience.

Mistakes happen​

Wrong person checked in? Use undo check-in to reverse it.

After everyone's gone​

When the opportunity is over, move on to Close an Opportunity and Record Hours.

:::caution Hours don't appear until you close the opportunity Checking volunteers in and out records attendance — it does not log hours on its own. Volunteer hours only show up under each volunteer's profile and in the Review Hours queue after you close the opportunity from the day-of dashboard. If you finished the day but hours are missing, the opportunity is almost certainly still open: close it to log everyone's hours. The Manage Opportunity page and the day-of dashboard both show a reminder with a shortcut to close the event. :::