> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trytalkvalue.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manual search check-in

> Find and check in an attendee by typing their name or email — the fallback path when the QR scanner can't read a ticket.

Manual search is the reliable fallback for any time the QR scan doesn't work: lost ticket, screenshot won't display, scanner can't focus, camera permission denied. The staff search bar lives at the top of the check-in screen, accepts a partial name or email, and surfaces every matching attendee in a tap-to-confirm card list.

<Note>
  **Before you start**

  * You're in Check-in mode on the staff station. See [Open on mobile](/badge/staff-stations/open-on-mobile).
  * A print station is selected and **Connected** in the header. Without one, you can find attendees but can't queue a badge print.
</Note>

## Search and check in

<Steps>
  <Step title="Tap the search field">
    The top of the Check-in screen has a **Search attendee…** field with a magnifying-glass icon on the left. Tap it. The on-screen keyboard opens.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Type any part of the name or email">
    Start typing. The list updates as you type with a short debounce. Three or four characters usually narrows the list to a handful of matches. Search runs against the attendee's name and email; partial matches at the start, middle, or end all match.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Filter to VIP only (optional)">
    The **VIP** toggle next to the search field filters the list to attendees flagged as VIP. Useful when you're staffing a VIP check-in lane and only want to see priority guests.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tap the attendee">
    Each result is a card showing name, email, ticket type, status (pending or checked in), and VIP flag where applicable. Tap the matching card. The attendee drawer slides up with their full details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm check-in">
    The drawer's primary action button is contextual: **Print Badge & Check In** for standard attendees, **Reprint Badge** if already checked in, **Force Check In** if marked not attending. Tap the button to confirm. A toast confirms `Checked in & printing badge` and the badge job is queued at the selected print station.
  </Step>
</Steps>

You can clear the search by tapping the **X** on the right of the field. Clearing it returns the main view to a list of recent check-ins from this device's session.

## What the search matches

A few details that come up when searching:

* **Name and email only.** The search field doesn't match company, ticket type, phone, or job title. To filter on those fields, use the dashboard's attendee table.
* **Spaces matter the way you'd expect.** "jane smith" matches `Jane Smith`. "smith jane" doesn't; the search is left-to-right within fields.
* **Email matches partial strings.** "@acme.com" surfaces every attendee on the Acme domain. Useful when a guest knows their company email but not how the ticket was registered.
* **Limited to 50 results per search.** When a search is too broad to narrow down, the list caps at 50. Add a few more characters to filter further.

## Manual badge print (walk-ins and no-records)

For an attendee who isn't in the list at all (a walk-in, a guest registered under a different email, or a record that was deleted), use **Manual** in the check-in header.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Tap Manual">
    The top-right of the check-in header has a **+ Manual** button. Tap it. A drawer titled **Print New Badge** slides up.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill the required fields">
    Type the attendee's **First Name** and **Last Name** (required), pick a **Ticket Type** from the list (required), and optionally add **Email**, **Company**, and **Job Title**. The ticket types are the same ones imported into the event.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Print">
    Tap **Print Badge**. A toast confirms `Badge printed for <full name>`. The print job goes to the selected station and the attendee is logged as a manual print, not added to the attendee list for future scans, but visible in the event's print history.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Manual prints are useful for press, vendors, sponsors, and on-site walk-ins who didn't go through Eventbrite or Luma registration.

## Cancelling a check-in via search

To cancel a check-in you made earlier (wrong person, accidental tap):

<Steps>
  <Step title="Search for the attendee">
    Type their name or email in the search field.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the drawer">
    Tap the card. The drawer shows their current status and last check-in time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tap Cancel Check-in">
    Open the drawer's three-dot overflow menu — when the attendee is checked in it includes a **Cancel Check-in** action (not a primary button). Tap it to revert. The attendee's status returns to pending.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Cancelling does not retrieve any printed badge. Physically retrieve and discard the badge if the cancel matters.

## Troubleshooting

### Search returns "No results found" for a name you can see in the dashboard

Three checks: typo in your search, the dashboard view is filtered while the staff station is not (or vice-versa), or the attendee was added to the dashboard after the staff page loaded. The staff station refetches the attendee list on each search, so a fresh search picks up newly added attendees within seconds.

### Search returns "No VIP attendees match your search"

The VIP toggle is on but the attendee isn't flagged VIP. Tap **All** next to the search field to disable the VIP filter and re-search.

### Tapping Check In shows "No barcode available"

The attendee record has no barcode, common for manually-added entries or some integration imports. Use the **+ Manual** flow to print a badge instead; the attendee's check-in is logged against the print history.

### Tapping Check In shows "No station selected"

You haven't picked a print station in the header. Tap the printer chip at the top-left of the header and pick a station. Until one is selected, check-ins can't proceed because Badge has no print destination.

### Tapping Check In shows "Check-in failed"

Server-side error, usually a transient network glitch. Try again. If it persists, hand the attendee off to a teammate on a different device, since the attendee record is shared and the second device's session is independent.

## Related

* [QR scan check-in](/badge/staff-stations/qr-scan-checkin). The primary scan path; manual is the fallback.
* [Open on mobile](/badge/staff-stations/open-on-mobile). Load the staff URL and pick Check-in mode.
* [Get the access code](/badge/staff-stations/get-access-code). Share the code with new staff joining mid-event.
* [Import attendees](/badge/events/import-attendees). Confirm the attendee list is current before doors open.