Staff Check-In

Use Attendance Mode, Quick Scan, or the Check-in Kiosk to track staff attendance for payroll and room ratios

Sabrina avatar
Written by Sabrina
Updated over a week ago

Staff and administrators can use Kiosk, Quick Scan, or Attendance Mode to check themselves in and out of any room they are assigned to, depending on the program's settings. Administrators can also check other staff in and out. Programs can limit staff's ability to check in from any device and require they check in using a device set in Kiosk mode in the Check-in Settings.

It is the program's choice how the settings should be configured and what steps staff should take based on program needs and licensing requirements!


Administrator Check-in Set-Up

As an administrator, you can set up staff self-check-in via Attendance Mode, Quick Scan, or Kiosk Mode.

Set Up Attendance Mode

Staff and Administrators can use Attendance mode from within their account on the app to check themselves in, out, and move rooms throughout the day. Administrators can also check in and out other staff via Attendance Mode as needed. This is a great option if you don’t require staff to check-in via a Kiosk using a 4-digit check-in code, or quick scan, and you need a way to quickly check in and out.

  1. Log in to the Staff or Administrator brightwheel account on the app

  2. Select the appropriate Room from the drop-down menu at the top

  3. Click the Attendance option at the bottom of the page

  4. Click to jump over to the Staff tab

  5. Select the appropriate staff member's name to check in/out
    Please Note: If a staff member is checked in, there will be a teal bubble around the name and a banner stating "Checked in". If the staff member is checked out, their name bubble will simply be grayed out.

If the ‘Staff check-in from any device’ setting is toggled off by a program administrator, these steps will not be possible. When toggled off, the Staff tab visible in the image above will not be there. In this case, staff would need to follow the appropriate steps below to check-in via the Kiosk with their check-in code or by using Quick Scan if that is something the program is utilizing.

To manage the “Staff check-in from any device” setting and ensure staff can check in and out via Attendance Mode, review our Manage School Check-in Settings resource.

Set Up Kiosk Mode

As an administrator, you can open the Kiosk on your device by tapping Check-in Kiosk on the Administrator Home screen and then lock your device in Kiosk Mode for administrators, staff, and parents) to use following the steps below.

  1. From the Administrator Home page, tap Check-in Kiosk

  2. Enter your unique 4–digit check-in code to lock the device in Kiosk Mode

    Please note: Visit our Edit Your Check-in Code Help Center resource to learn more about how to edit and where to find your unique check-in code.

  3. To exit out of Kiosk Mode, select Exit in the upper left corner of the screen and re-enter your 4-digit check-in code

🎥 Jump to 1:16 in the video above for staff kiosk check-in

Set Up Quick Scan

Administrators can physically print, or digitally set up a QR code on a Kiosk Device for staff to scan and check themselves in and out. This QR code is the same code that student contacts can use to check their child in and out.

To print the QR code for staff to use, please visit our Print QR Code Help Center Resource to learn more.

To digitally pull up the QR code on a Kiosk Device:

  1. Log in to your administrator account on the web, or app

  2. Go to your check-in settings by following the steps in our Manage School Check-in Settings Help Center resource

  3. Ensure the Quick Scan setting is toggled ON

  4. Login to your administrator account on the mobile app

  5. From the Administrator Home page on the mobile app, tap Check-in Kiosk

  6. Enter your unique 4–digit check-in code to lock the device in Kiosk Mode and pull up the QR code


Staff Self Check-in

Depending on the settings enabled in your account, staff and administrators will have the option to initiate self-check-in/out by tapping your profile via Attendance Mode, scanning a QR code, or entering their unique 4-digit check-in code on the kiosk. View timecard records via our Viewing Timecards on the App Help Center resource.

Check-in via Attendance Mode

If your program has enabled check-in via Attendance Mode, you’ll be able to check yourself in by tapping your profile.

  1. Log in to the Staff or Administrator brightwheel account on the app

  2. Select the appropriate Room from the drop-down menu at the top

  3. Click the Attendance option at the bottom of the page

  4. Click to jump over to the Staff tab

  5. Select the appropriate staff member's name to check in/out

Please note: Staff can only be checked into one room at a time. Checking into a new room automatically checks the staff out of the previous room they were checked into.

Check-in via Kiosk

If your program has enabled Kiosk Mode for checking in, follow the steps below:

  1. Scan the program’s QR code via Quick Scan or enter your staff check-in code

    Please note: If Quick Scan is not being utilized, there will only be an option to enter the check-in code. If Quick Scan is being utilized, follow the steps below to open the QR scanner before continuing

  2. Select the Room to check in to

  3. If applicable, complete any Health Screen and Submit

  4. Repeat these steps to check out and move rooms!

Check-in via Quick Scan

  1. Log in to the staff brightwheel account on the app

  2. Tap the menu in the top left corner

  3. Tap the Check in/out button at the top of the menu

  4. Use the QR scanner that's opened to scan the program's QR code and continue checking in


Auto Check Out Staff

This Payroll Setting is a valuable option for programs that are wanting to ensure staff does not run into any errors when attempting to check in for the day. If a staff member has left themselves checked in without checking out, they will receive an error stating “This timecard cannot be updated. The staff member already has a timecard within this time period” the next time they try to check in.

This can easily be avoided if an administrator toggles the Auto Check Out Staff setting ON. Once enabled, this will auto-checkout all staff members still checked in for a day at midnight. Administrators may still be required to edit a timecard entry to the correct check-out time, but this at least avoids anyone having to scramble in the moment!

Please Note: If this setting is not something a program is interested in utilizing, these scenarios can still be remedied by following the process in the last FAQ listed below.


FAQs for Admins

How do I manage settings for Staff Check-In?

You can update the Check-in Settings to allow staff to check in/out on their personal devices or a device set to Kiosk mode. From there, we recommend determining how you'd like your staff to check in/out each day by selecting the appropriate process above and communicating those expectations.

How do Staff Check-in & Ratios work?

Once you start having teachers check-in and out, you can check theRoom Check screen for accurate ratios!

Where can staff find/edit their check-in codes?

You and your teachers can go to your Profile settings and set the check-in code for your own account.

What do I do if my staff gets a “This timecard cannot be updated. The staff member already has a timecard within this time period” error but I do not want to use the 'Auto Check out Staff' setting?

That error is happening because the staff member has open or overlapping timecards. You can follow the steps here from your administrator account on the web to Edit/Delete a Timecard.

Quick Tips to locate errors on the Timecards page on the web:

  • Is there a Time In stamp but no Time Out stamp on a previous date?

  • Does the Total column have an unexpectedly high number of hours?

    • Does the Time Out column have a date listed that's different from the check-in date or much later than expected on the same day?

      View Timecards

Brightwheel's payroll offerings are a complete, easy-to-use payroll solution enabling providers to automate tax filings, save time, and manage payroll with confidence with the #1 payroll provider for small businesses.

Did this answer your question?