Kiosk

What it does

The Kiosk module turns a tablet into a self-service check-in station at the school entrance. Students scan their QR code (from the Parent Portal on a phone) or enter their student ID to mark themselves present for the day. Check-ins sync to the attendance system automatically.

Who uses it

• Registrar / School Admin — set up and operate the kiosk.
• Student — self-check-in each morning.
• Front desk staff — assist students who forget their card.

Hardware & setup

Device requirements:

• A tablet or small computer with a modern browser (Safari iOS, Chrome Android, Chrome/Edge on Windows/Mac).
• For QR scanning: a rear-facing camera.
• Internet connection.

Display setup:

• Place at the school entrance or lobby.
• Use the browser's full-screen mode.
• Disable auto-lock / sleep on the device while in use.

Before first day:

1. Ensure the Kiosk module is enabled in Utilities → App Modules.
2. Verify students have admission numbers assigned.
3. Test check-in with a few students before opening to all.

Common tasks

Start the kiosk for the day

1. Open Kiosk from the sidebar.
2. The system creates or opens today's attendance session automatically.
3. The screen displays the school name, current date, and live clock.
4. Students can now check in.

QR-code check-in

1. Student taps Scan QR on the kiosk screen.
2. The camera activates with a square scanning frame.
3. Student holds their ID card (or phone with the Parent Portal QR) 4–8 inches from the camera until the code is detected.
4. A green success message appears with the student's name and time.
5. After ~3.5 seconds the screen clears and is ready for the next student.

PIN-entry check-in

1. Student taps PIN entry to bring up an on-screen keypad.
2. They enter their admission number and tap Check in.
3. The system looks them up and marks them present.

Clear a mistyped PIN

• Clear — wipe the entire field.
• Back (← icon) — delete one digit at a time.

Manage attendance sessions

One attendance session is created per day automatically; all check-ins are grouped under it. View, edit, and export sessions from the Attendance module.

Troubleshooting

• "No student matches that ID" — verify the admission number on the student record. Make sure the student is in the right tenant.
• Camera won't start — grant camera permission in browser settings. Some devices have no rear camera — use PIN entry.
• "Camera access isn't available" — the browser may not support the Barcode Detection API (try Chrome, Edge, or Safari) or the device is missing HTTPS in production.
• "Feature isn't enabled for this school" — ask a super-admin to enable Kiosk in Utilities → App Modules.
• Screen dims or sleeps — adjust device brightness and auto-lock settings before the day starts. The kiosk attempts a wake-lock but not all devices support it.

Limits & known issues

• QR scanning works best in good lighting with undamaged ID cards.
• If the internet drops, check-ins fail with an error on screen — reconnect and retry.
• Each session is tied to one tenant; cross-tenant check-in is not supported.