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Tickets Please

Check-In

Check-In

When event day arrives, you need a fast way to verify attendees and mark them as present. Tickets Please provides both individual and bulk check-in from the WordPress admin, a dedicated check-in screen with security code lookup, and a printable report for situations where you need a clipboard instead of a laptop.

How Check-In Works

Checking in an attendee does two things:

  1. Sets the attendee status to checked_in.
  2. Records a _attendee_checked_in flag set to '1' on the attendee record, along with a _attendee_checkin_time timestamp marking exactly when the check-in occurred.

The attendee’s previous status (typically completed) is preserved in the transition history, so you can always undo a check-in and revert to the prior state.

Manual Check-In from the Attendee List

The simplest way to check in attendees is from the main attendee list at Events > Attendees:

  1. Locate the attendee by name, email, or security code using the filters and search.
  2. Hover over the attendee row.
  3. Click Check In from the row actions.

The status column updates immediately. No page reload is required.

Bulk Check-In

To check in multiple attendees at once:

  1. Go to Events > Attendees.
  2. Filter by the specific event using the Event dropdown.
  3. Select the checkboxes next to each attendee you want to check in (or use the top checkbox to select all on the current page).
  4. Choose Check In from the Bulk Actions dropdown.
  5. Click Apply.

All selected attendees move to checked_in status in a single operation. This is useful for pre-registered groups or VIP lists where you can verify everyone at once.

Dedicated Check-In Screen

For a streamlined door management experience, use the dedicated check-in page at Events > Check-in (admin.php?page=tickets-please-checkin). This screen is purpose-built for event-day operations:

  • Event Filter — select the current event from the dropdown to see only its attendees.
  • Security Code Lookup — type or paste a security code into the text input to instantly find and check in an attendee by their _attendee_security_code. This is the fastest path when an attendee shows their confirmation email or printed ticket.
  • Focused Layout — the check-in screen strips away admin clutter and focuses on the attendee name, ticket type, status, and check-in action.

Use this screen on a tablet or laptop at your venue entrance for the fastest check-in workflow.

Undo Check-In

Mistakes happen. To reverse a check-in:

  1. Find the checked-in attendee in the attendee list or check-in screen.
  2. Click Undo Check-in from the row actions.

The attendee reverts to completed status, and the _attendee_checked_in flag is cleared. You can check them in again later if needed.

Bulk undo is also available: select multiple checked-in attendees, choose Undo Check-in from the bulk actions dropdown, and click Apply.

For events at venues with limited Wi-Fi or when you prefer a paper backup, use the print report feature:

  1. Go to Events > Attendees and filter to the specific event.
  2. Click Print Report (or use your browser’s print function on the check-in screen).
  3. The printable view shows a clean list of attendee names, ticket types, security codes, and check-in status with checkboxes for manual marking.

Print the report before the event and use it as a fallback if your device is unavailable during check-in.

Security Code Lookup

Every attendee receives a unique security code when their registration is created. This code appears in their confirmation email and can be used as a quick identifier at the door.

On the check-in screen, enter the security code in the Security Code text input. The system searches the _attendee_security_code meta field and displays the matching attendee. From there, you can verify the attendee’s name and ticket type before clicking Check In.

Security codes are also searchable from the main attendee list using the Security Code filter field.

Common Questions

Can I check in an attendee who has not completed payment? No. Only attendees in completed status can be checked in. Attendees in pending, failed, or expired status must complete their payment first. See Attendee Lifecycle for the full state diagram.

What happens if I check in the wrong person? Use the Undo Check-in action to revert the attendee to completed status. You can then check in the correct person.

Can multiple staff members check in attendees simultaneously? Yes. The attendee list is a standard WordPress admin page, so multiple logged-in administrators can access it at the same time. Each check-in action is processed independently.

Is there a way to see how many people have checked in so far? Filter the attendee list by the event and set the Status filter to checked_in. The total count at the top of the table shows how many attendees have been checked in.

Can I check in attendees from my phone? The check-in screen works in any browser, including mobile browsers. Navigate to the check-in page on your phone and use the security code lookup for the fastest experience on a small screen.

Does check-in send any notification to the attendee? Yes. When an attendee is checked in, the attendee_checkin email notification is sent to the attendee if that email type is enabled. See Email Notifications for configuration.

Next Steps