How to Set Up a Client Check-In System for Your Practice (Step by Step)
If you've been thinking about adding a client check-in system to your practice, the good news is it doesn't have to be complicated. No hardware to order, no IT setup, no waiting around. Here's exactly how to get up and running with Check-In App in under ten minutes.
What You'll Need Before You Start
Just two things:
Your practice or business name
Each provider's name and the cell phone number (or email address) where they'd like to receive arrival notifications
That's it. You can add a logo, provider headshots, and a custom background image anytime later from your dashboard — none of that is required to go live.
Step 1: Create Your Account
Go to checkinapp.io/getstarted and choose your plan:
Small Practice Plan ($10/month) — up to 4 providers
Larger Practice Plan ($25/month) — up to 20 providers
Enterprise Plan ($50/month) — up to 50 providers
Custom plans available for larger practices
Enter your practice name, email address, and payment information. Your first 14 days are free — you won't be charged until your trial ends, and you can cancel anytime.
Step 2: Set Up Your Providers
Once you're in your dashboard at admin.checkinapp.io, add each provider by name along with their preferred notification method — either a cell phone number for SMS or an email address. Each provider can choose their own preference, so one therapist might want a text while another prefers email.
Step 3: Download Your QR Code
From your dashboard, download your practice's unique QR code. This is the code your clients will scan when they arrive.
Step 4: Display It in Your Waiting Area
Print the QR code and display it somewhere visible in your waiting room — a simple printed sign, a framed sheet of paper, or a small stand all work perfectly. A brief note next to it helps clients know what to do:
"Please scan to let your provider know you've arrived."
That's all the instruction most clients need.
Step 5: You're Live
From this point on, when a client arrives and scans the code, they'll see a simple screen to select their provider. Once they tap their provider's name, that provider gets an instant notification — via text or email, depending on their preference.
No front desk needed. No phone calls. No watching the waiting room between sessions.
A Few Tips for Getting Started
Test it yourself first. Scan your own QR code before your first client does to make sure notifications are coming through correctly.
Use a direct cell number. If using SMS, make sure it's a direct cell number rather than a forwarding number like Google Voice — this ensures reliable delivery.
Update providers anytime. Adding a new therapist, changing a phone number, swapping a headshot — all of it can be done from your dashboard without contacting us.
Questions?
If anything isn't working or you have questions about your setup, reach out at hello@checkinapp.io. We respond within one business day.
Ready to get started? Begin your free 14-day trial at checkinapp.io.