# Check-in: Definition & Examples | NextUp Walk-in

Source: https://nextupwalkin.com/glossary/check-in

> Check-in is how a customer gets a place in a walk-in line. Compare paper sign-in, door tablets and phone check-in and what each captures.

[Glossary](https://nextupwalkin.com/glossary)

# Check-in

Check-in is the step where a customer tells the business they are here and gets a place in line, on paper, at a tablet, or by scanning a code with their phone.

Also called: sign-in, joining the line

Check-in is the first data point of every visit. It records who arrived, when, and what they want. For a walk-in business, that moment decides everything that follows: the position in line, the quoted wait, and which team member the visit is routed to.

There are three common ways to do it. Paper sheets are free and familiar, but they cannot show a wait or tell you who left. A tablet at the door lets customers add themselves in seconds. A code on the window or counter lets them join from their own phone, even from the car.

What you ask at check-in is a trade-off. A name is enough to start. Adding services helps the estimate, and a phone number helps if the business needs to reach someone, but each extra field makes the line feel slower to join.

## How NextUp Walk-in handles it

Customers join by scanning a QR code, on the door tablet, or from a link such as a Google profile, Instagram bio or your own site. They enter a first and last name and can choose services and a team member. There is no app to download.

[Self check-in kiosk](https://nextupwalkin.com/features/check-in-kiosk)

[Join the line with no app download](https://nextupwalkin.com/blog/join-the-line-no-app-download)

## Questions

What information should I collect at check-in?

A first and last name is the minimum. Add services if you want a more accurate wait estimate, and a team member only if customers really choose one.

## Related terms

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