Soroban Portal
User guide Sign in Sign up

Go to contents

Set up a check-in kiosk

Turn a tablet or similar device at your school into a check-in kiosk where students record their check-ins and check-outs. Add the check-in kiosk on the teacher’s screen, then connect it by entering a code on the device that will be the kiosk.

  1. Select [Attendance settings]

    Open the [Attendance] tab on your school’s screen and select [Attendance settings].

    1. Select this to open the screen with the list of check-in kiosks.
    The [Attendance] tab and the [Attendance settings] button

  2. Select [Add check-in kiosk]

    On the “Attendance settings” screen, select [Add check-in kiosk].

    1. The list of check-in kiosks you have added. For each kiosk, it shows “Check-in method”, “Status”, “Added”, and “Last used”.
    2. Changes the check-in method of that check-in kiosk (step 5 below).
    3. Revokes that check-in kiosk (step 5 below).
    4. Select this to open the screen for adding a check-in kiosk.
    The “Attendance settings” screen and the list of check-in kiosks

  3. Enter a name, choose the check-in method, and add the kiosk

    Enter a name for the check-in kiosk, choose the check-in method, and select [Add check-in kiosk]. At first, “Code” is selected as the check-in method.

    1. Enter a name that tells you which device it is. The name is also shown on the check-in kiosk screen, together with the school name.
    2. Choose one check-in method.
    3. Select this to show the code for connecting the check-in kiosk.
    The screen for adding a check-in kiosk

    There are three check-in methods.

    • Check-in method A: Code The student enters their own code. The code is shown in the “Code” column of the Students screen.
    • Check-in method B: Name The student taps their own name in a list. When you choose “Name”, the screen shows “If you choose Name, the names of all enrolled students are shown on the kiosk screen. Anyone who can touch the kiosk device can see them.”.
    • Check-in method C: Card The student holds up a QR card. The card is read by the check-in kiosk’s camera or by a QR code reader (connected by USB or Bluetooth). Make the cards by following the steps in Print QR cards. To read cards with the camera, allow camera access when you first open the kiosk screen on the device. If the camera cannot be used, the check-in kiosk shows “The camera can't be used. Use a QR code reader, or allow camera access in the device settings.”.

    Screenshots of what students do with each of the three methods are in “How check-in and check-out works” and “Check in and out at the kiosk”.

    Each check-in kiosk has one check-in method. If you want to use different methods (for example, to also let students who forgot their cards record by name), use two check-in kiosks.

  4. Enter the code on the check-in kiosk to connect it

    After you add it, the teacher’s PC shows the check-in kiosk’s connection code and the address to open on the kiosk. The check-in kiosk is a separate device from the teacher’s PC (such as a tablet at the school). On the device you want to use as the check-in kiosk, open that address, enter the code, and tap [Connect].

    • Teacher
      Teacher’s PC
    • Check-in kiosk
      A tablet at the school, etc.
    1. 1

      On the check-in kiosk, open the address shown on the teacher’s PC.

    2. 2

      On the check-in kiosk, enter the code shown on the teacher’s PC and tap [Connect].

    The screens of the teacher’s PC and the check-in kiosk are as follows.

    1. Teacher, PC

      1. The “Address” to open on the check-in kiosk and the “Code” to enter. The code can be used only once, until the time shown.
      The screen showing the check-in kiosk’s code and address

      On the device that will be the check-in kiosk (a separate device from the teacher’s PC), open the address shown.

    2. Check-in kiosk, tablet etc.

      1. Enter the code shown on the teacher’s screen.
      2. Tap this to make this device a check-in kiosk.
      The screen for connecting a check-in kiosk

    Once connected, the check-in kiosk shows the first screen where students record check-ins and check-outs (for the screen of each check-in method, see “Check in and out at the kiosk”). The connected check-in kiosk appears in the list on the “Attendance settings” screen.

    Place the connected check-in kiosk where students can easily use it when they arrive and leave (for example, at the school entrance), and leave the screen open. While the check-in kiosk screen is open, the screen does not dim, if the device supports this.

    On the check-in kiosk, add the address to the Home Screen and open it from there. We recommend using a device that is not signed in to Soroban Portal as the check-in kiosk, because students might otherwise see portal screens. Once you close this screen, the code is never shown again. If the code is wrong, has expired, or has already been used, the check-in kiosk shows “The code is incorrect or has expired. Add the check-in kiosk again.”. In that case, please add the check-in kiosk again.

    Check-in and check-out notification emails to parents are sent in the display language of the check-in kiosk where the student checked in or out. The display language of the check-in kiosk is determined by the language setting of the device.

    If the browser data (site data) on the check-in kiosk is cleared, the connection is lost. In that case too, add the check-in kiosk again and connect it.

  5. Change the check-in method or revoke a kiosk

    To change the check-in method, select [Change method] in the row of the check-in kiosk in the list, choose the new method, and select [Save]. After a short time, the new method is applied to check-in kiosks that are open (how long this takes is shown on the screen where you make the change). If a student tries to record with the old method before the change is applied, the check-in kiosk shows “You can't use this right now. Ask your teacher.” (no wrong record is made). To apply the change immediately, reopen the check-in kiosk screen.

    For a check-in kiosk you no longer use, select [Revoke] in its row, and select [Revoke] on the confirmation screen. Check-ins and check-outs can no longer be recorded on the revoked device. The next time someone tries to record (or after a short time), the check-in kiosk screen returns to the screen for entering a code. The revoked check-in kiosk stays in the list, shown as “Revoked”. If a check-in kiosk is lost, please revoke it as well.

    The “Status” column of the list shows “Active” or “Revoked”. “Last used” is the approximate time when the check-in kiosk screen was open and communicating with the portal (not whether a check-in or check-out was recorded). If, after connecting, the check-in kiosk screen has not yet communicated with the portal even once, “Not used yet” is shown.

When the add-on is unavailable

When the “Check-in & messages” add-on is unavailable (for example, it has not been added or the subscription was canceled), the reason is shown at the top of the “Attendance settings” screen. You cannot add check-in kiosks or change their check-in method. You can view the list and revoke check-in kiosks. During this time, check-in kiosks show “You can't use this right now. Ask your teacher.”. For how to resolve each reason, please see “How check-in and check-out works”.

Related pages