Overview
Categories enable visitors to be sorted into various groups. To streamline visitor check-in and out, you can establish categories such as 'Visitors' and 'Contractors'.
Assigning categories helps tailor questions for specific groups. For instance, you can make it mandatory for contractors to provide their company name when they check in. Categories allow you to treat different visitors differently and ask the necessary questions.
Categories Overview Screen
You will see this page on the 'Categories' screen. This is an overview of all of the visitor categories you have created. Below is a breakdown of each section and what it means:
This section on the left of the page shows you, in order, the categories you have created and allows you to add a new category.
Category statistics are in the centre of the screen. They show the total number of categories you've created, the total number of active categories, and the number of categories you have archived.
This list shows you information relating to your categories:
Category name: The name of your visitor category. For example, "Contractor".
Documents attached: Documents you have assigned appear when somebody of that category checks in, for example, a fire escape map they must sign before entering your premises.
Label enabled: Whether or not you have a visitor label printed when a visitor of an assigned category signs in. This could help staff identify visitors as they are walking around your building.
Feedback enabled: This enables feedback questions to appear when visitors check out. For example, you can have a question asking them how they found their visit today.
Fields added - The number of questions you've assigned to the visitor category.
Notifications: This enables you to notify an employee or send an email when a visitor arrives for this category. For example, you may want to send an email notification to your Facilities Manager when a contractor arrives.
Timed Category: The Category will be only visible during the selected time frame.
Automatic Checkout: When a visitor checks in to this category, they will be automatically checked out after a set time if they are still checked in.
How to Add Categories
To add a new Category to your check-in process, follow the steps below:
On the dashboard, navigate to Configuration > Categories
Click +
Enter the Category Name
Select the desired Settings and Questions
Click Save
How to Edit Categories
To edit an existing Category in your check-in process, follow the steps below:
On the dashboard, navigate to Configuration > Categories
Click the desired Category (Visitor, Contractor, etc.)
Select the desired Settings and Questions
Click Save
How to Set Up Notifications on Category Check-In
If you would like to receive real-time notifications when a visitor checks in under a category, follow the steps below:
On the dashboard, navigate to Configuration > Categories
Click the desired Category (Visitor, Contractor, etc.)
Scroll down and tick Notification on Category Check-In
Select the staff member you would like to receive the notification
Click Save
How to Archive Categories
To archive an existing Category in your check-in process, follow the steps below:
On the dashboard, navigate to Configuration > Categories
Click the desired Category (Visitor, Contractor, etc.)
Click Archive
How to Reorder Categories
To reorder the existing Categories in your check-in process, follow the steps below:
On the dashboard, navigate to Configuration > Categories
Click and Drag the desired Category (Visitor, Contractor, etc.) in desired order
If you want to learn more about Custom Questions, please refer to our Custom Questions guide here.
Time-Based Categories
Overview
e-Reception Book's time-based categories feature helps organise visitor entries by the time they arrive or leave. This makes it easier to manage and track visitors efficiently.
The e-Reception Book's time-based categories feature lets you set specific check-in and check-out times for visitor groups. For instance, a school can set the breakfast club category to appear only between 8 AM and 10:30 AM on the iPad. This means anyone checking in before or after these times cannot see the breakfast club category.
Please see the table below for examples of how this can be used for Professional, Education and Care licences:
Professional | Set a "Cleaning Staff" category between 18:00 and 20:00.
Set a "Training Sessions" category between 13:00 and 15:00 |
Care | Set an "Evening Visitor" category between 18:00 and 20:00
Set a "Lunch Entertainment" category between 12:00 and 14:00. |
Education | Set a "Breakfast Club" category between 07:00 and 09:00
Set an "After School Club" category between 16:00 and 17:00. |
Please see an example below where the category shows in between those times, e.g. between 07:00 and 09:00, using the example above.
Please see an example of what this looks like below where the category is no longer available as it has gone past the end time:
How To Enable Time-Based Category
Time-Based Categories are confined to a 24-hour period and cannot span across multiple days. For instance, an after-hours security category can be set from 7 PM to midnight (12 AM) but cannot extend past that time.