With zkipster's Communications feature, you can generate and send QR codes to any guest in your event. This article covers:
What is a QR Code?
QR codes are two-dimensional barcodes. QR stands for Quick Response, which refers to the instant access to the information (the code value) contained in the QR code.
Scanning the QR code with the zkipster app automatically brings up your guest's profile so you can check them in without typing their name into the search bar. Find out more about QR code scanning with the zkipster app here.
How to Add a QR Code to an Email
Open the Composer tab of your Email or Confirmation Email.
Click 'Add Element +' and select QR Code.
A QR code section appears in your composer. Click it to edit the QR code options.
Please note: Confirmation Messages are usually the best place to issue QR codes, and the QR code is switched on by default in Confirmation Emails.
How to Add a QR Code to an SMS or WhatsApp Message
You can send a QR code in an SMS or WhatsApp message as an attachment. The file is hosted online by zkipster, so in an SMS your guests open the QR code through a link. On WhatsApp, the QR code is displayed as an image in the body of the message.
From the Composer tab, open the Attachment section and turn the toggle ON.
From the Attachment Type dropdown, select QR Code. By default, the QR code is configured for check-in, but you can customize the value (see Configuring Your QR Code Value below).
Include the dynamic tag :attachment_url in your message text. This tag turns into the link your guests use to open the attachment.
Please note: Only one attachment can be sent per SMS/WhatsApp message, so you can't send a QR code and a custom file in the same message.
Formatting the QR Code in Your Email
To begin with, you can give your QR code an internal label to help you and your team keep things organized. The label appears next to the field name in the composer and is never shown to your guests.
To make your campaign more accessible, you can add descriptive text to the QR code. Screen readers will read this text aloud to guests who use them.
In the QR code section, use the dropdowns to set the alignment and size of the code.
To move the QR code within your email, click and hold the QR code section, then drag it to the position you want.
Configuring Your QR Code Value
In the QR code section, you also define the information encoded in your QR code, i.e. the code value. There are three options:
Check-in ID
Guest Details (vCard)
Advanced
Check-in ID
The Check-in ID is used to check in guests instantly by scanning their assigned QR codes. There are two ways to configure it:
1. zkipster ID
zkipster automatically generates a unique ID for each Main guest. Scanning a QR code carrying this value with the zkipster app instantly brings up the corresponding guest's profile on the device.
Tip: We recommend this option if you want to use QR codes for guest check-in at your event.
2. Custom ID
The Custom ID lets you specify your own code values. Use the dynamic tags in the dropdown to pull guest information into the value.
Please note: For check-in, the Custom ID value must be unique to each guest. If you're using values generated outside zkipster, import them with your guest list.
Guest Details (vCard)
A vCard QR code works as a digital business card, letting guests exchange contact details by scanning the code with their phones. vCards are typically used on Name Badges, but you can also use them for check-in at the door, and the zkipster app includes a vCard scanner. Build the vCard from information stored in any guest field.
Please note: If you use vCards to check in guests, the vCard value must be unique to each guest.
Advanced
The Advanced option gives you full flexibility and lets you generate codes for purposes other than check-in. For example, you can encode a link to an external website or your event landing page.
Enter the information you want to encode in the text box, or use the dynamic tags to encode specific guest fields.
Please note: If you use an Advanced QR code for check-in, the value must be unique to each guest. If check-in is your only goal, we strongly recommend the Check-in ID or vCard options instead.
Adding a Wallet Pass Button to Your Email
With the Wallet Pass feature, guests can save a digital pass (containing a QR code) for your event to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. The Wallet Pass is a separate element in your email, linked to a pass you create in your event.
Please note: Wallet Passes can currently only be shared by email (the Email or Confirmation Email of a campaign). They can't be sent via SMS or WhatsApp.
Make sure you have created a pass in your event using the Wallet Pass feature.
From the Composer tab of your Email or Confirmation Email, click 'Add Element +' and select Wallet Pass.
Use the Button Alignment dropdown to place the 'Add to Apple/Google Wallet' buttons on the left, center or right.
From the Link Pass dropdown, select the pass that recipients should be able to add to their wallets.
Before sending, check the Wallet Pass section on the Review and Send page to confirm the right pass is linked.
Please note: Enabling the Wallet Pass button isn't enough on its own. The button only works once it's linked to an existing pass.
Prefer your own button design? Instead of the branded Apple and Google buttons, you can add a Custom Button via 'Add Element +' and link it to your Wallet Pass.
Please note: If your pass includes a QR code, voiding the pass removes it from the guest's wallet but does not cancel the QR code itself. A guest who saved a screenshot may still be able to use it. The only way to fully invalidate the QR code is to delete the guest profile, which permanently removes the guest and all their data.