How to Run Visitor Sign-In at a Front Desk
Visitor sign-in works when visitors can sign in without a queue, their host hears at once, the desk always knows who is in the building, and the record holds only what the visit needs.
The essentials
- Let invited visitors bring a pass, and walk-ins sign in from a QR sign.
- Tell the host the moment their visitor arrives.
- Keep a live list of who is in the building, ready to print for a fire drill.
- Collect only what the visit needs, and delete old visits on a schedule.
Decide who signs in
Offices, campuses, residences and back-of-house areas at hotels all have visitors: interview candidates, contractors, suppliers, guest speakers and friends of residents. Decide who must sign in, and write down any house rules or confidentiality terms they should agree to first.
In vFound Visitors you can add your visitor terms in Settings, and every visitor agrees to them before signing in, with a signature if you ask.
Invite visitors ahead
A visitor who is expected should not wait in a queue. Send them a pass before they arrive, so the desk only has to scan it. vFound Visitors emails invited visitors a QR pass with the time and who they are visiting, in their own language.
Let walk-ins sign themselves in
A sign at the entrance with a QR code lets walk-ins sign in on their own phone while the desk is busy. With vFound Visitors they type their name and who they are here to see; an invited visitor who uses the same email is matched to their invitation instead of being signed in twice. No app and no account are needed.
Tell the host at once
Nobody should have to phone around to find a host. When a visitor signs in, vFound Visitors emails the person they came to see, and your team’s Slack or Microsoft Teams channel can hear too, with the host’s name only. If a self sign-in names someone the desk cannot match to exactly one person on the list, the visit is flagged so staff confirm the host before anyone is told.
Know who is in the building
In an emergency the most useful thing a desk can hold is an accurate list of visitors on site. vFound Visitors shows everyone signed in now, prints a badge for each visitor and prints the list on one page with a box to tick for each person. Visitors sign out from their pass or at the desk, and anyone left signed in is signed out automatically overnight.
Keep only what you need
A visitor log is personal data. Collect the name, who they came to see and when, and an email or company only if it helps. vFound Visitors takes no ID scans and no visitor photos, keeps each visit for 12 months after it ends and then deletes it, and exports the whole log as a spreadsheet when you need it.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to run visitor sign-in?
A phone, tablet or computer at the desk and a printed QR sign. With vFound Visitors, visitors sign in on their own phones, so no kiosk is needed. Badges print from any browser.
How is the host told?
By email when the visitor signs in, and in your Slack or Microsoft Teams channel if you connect one. The channel gets the host’s name only, never the visitor’s.
How long are visits kept?
Each visit is kept for 12 months after it ends, then deleted with any signature.