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Kiosk mode is a full-screen, high-contrast interface designed to run on a tablet at your event’s check-in desk. Volunteers walk up, search their own name, and check themselves in or out — no admin needed at the terminal. It handles asset assignment at check-in and asset return at check-out automatically.

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Launch kiosk mode

Open the event you want to run kiosk for, then click Launch Kiosk in the Event Dashboard header. This opens the kiosk at /events/{id}/kiosk in full-page mode with a floating header showing the event name. To exit at any time, click Exit Kiosk in the top-right corner of the header. This returns you to the Event Dashboard.
Kiosk mode requires an authenticated session. If the session expires, the page redirects to the login screen. Keep admin credentials available at the check-in desk.

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Self-service check-in flow

The kiosk walks volunteers through a fixed sequence of steps.
1

Search by name

The kiosk opens on a large search field with the prompt “Please enter your name to begin check-in.” As the volunteer types, results appear in real time (debounced at 300 ms). Up to 20 matching profiles from the event are shown. Each result card displays the volunteer’s name and group.
2

Confirm identity

Tapping a result card opens the Confirm screen. The volunteer’s name, group, and all their assigned shifts are displayed in chronological order. Each shift card shows the shift name and time window, along with a status button:
  • Check In (green) — shift not yet started
  • Check Out (red) — shift is currently active
  • Completed (grey) — already checked in and out
The volunteer taps the appropriate button for their shift.
3

Handle assets (if applicable)

If the volunteer is checking in and has a currently active shift with assets still assigned, the kiosk shows the Switching Shifts screen first (see Smart shift transitions). Otherwise it proceeds directly to the Select Equipment step.During check-in, the volunteer selects any equipment to take from the pool of available assets. During check-out, the Verify Return screen lists the assets currently assigned to them and marks them all as returning.
4

Complete action

Tapping Complete Check-In or Complete Check-Out commits the action to the database. A large confirmation screen displays “Checked In!” or “Checked Out!” for 3 seconds, then the kiosk automatically resets to the search screen.

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Asset assignment during check-in

When a volunteer taps Check In, the kiosk shows a grid of all assets currently in available status for that event. Each tile shows the asset name, type icon, and identifier (e.g. RAD-001). The volunteer taps tiles to select the equipment they are taking. Selected assets are highlighted in blue with a check mark. The volunteer can deselect by tapping again. When the check-in is submitted:
  • A row is inserted into asset_assignments with checked_out_at set to the current time.
  • Each selected asset’s status is updated to assigned and linked to the volunteer.
  • The activity log records the assignment under the asset_out event type.
If there are no available assets in the inventory, the grid shows “No available equipment to assign.” The volunteer can still complete check-in without selecting anything.

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Asset return during check-out

When a volunteer taps Check Out, the kiosk shows a Verify Return list of all assets currently assigned to them (those with a null checked_in_at in asset_assignments). They cannot deselect items — all listed assets are returned when check-out is confirmed. On submission:
  • checked_in_at is set to the current time on each asset_assignment row.
  • Each asset’s status is reset to available and its volunteer_id is cleared.
  • The activity log records the return under the asset_in event type.

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Smart shift transitions

When a volunteer checks in to a new shift while they are still actively checked in to a previous one (e.g. back-to-back shifts), the kiosk detects the overlap and shows a Switching Shifts screen before the asset step.

Yes, keep equipment

The previous shift is checked out automatically. The assets stay assigned to the volunteer and carry over to the new shift — no return or reassignment needed.

No, return and pick new

The previous shift is checked out and all current assets are returned to available. The volunteer then selects fresh equipment from the grid for the new shift.
This transition is triggered only when the volunteer has at least one asset currently assigned. If they have no active assets, the kiosk skips the transition prompt and goes straight to the equipment selection grid.

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Tablet setup tips

Use portrait orientation for the name search step; the large input field and result cards are optimised for vertical scroll. Landscape works well on larger tablets (11”+) where the asset grid benefits from the extra horizontal space.
Disable auto-lock and screen timeout on the tablet before placing it at the check-in desk. On iOS, go to Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock and set it to Never. On Android, go to Settings → Display → Screen timeout.
To prevent volunteers from navigating away, open the URL in a browser’s full-screen or guided access mode. On iOS, use Guided Access (triple-press the side button). On Android, use Screen Pinning under Settings → Security.
The kiosk makes live database requests — ensure the tablet has a stable Wi-Fi or cellular connection. A dropped connection during check-in will show an error notification and no data will be saved.
If you expect high traffic at the check-in desk, consider running two tablets side by side. Each kiosk session is independent and concurrent check-ins are handled safely.

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