Greet Onboarding Guide

This guide covers everything you need to get Greet running for your event: check-in setup, badges, printers, connectivity, logins, and the Certain Platform integration. The first sections apply to every Greet customer. The Certain Platform Integration section at the end applies only if your events live in the Certain Platform.

Check-In & On-Site Setup

Greet supports two check-in modes: staff mode for a staffed registration desk, and kiosk mode for self-service stations. You can run one or both at the same event.

Staff Mode vs. Kiosk Mode

In staff mode, a team member sits at a desk on a phone, tablet, or laptop. They log in with a short staff passcode and check people in by searching a name or scanning a QR code. Staff mode is the right choice when you want a person at the desk who can handle walk-ins, confirm synced questions, or talk attendees through something.

In kiosk mode, tablets run as unattended self-service stations. The attendee walks up, types their name or scans their QR code, moves through the configured workflow, and the badge prints. No staff needed at that station.

For a fast, hands-off check-in, kiosk mode is usually the better fit. Use staff mode when you need a human in the loop.

Configuring the Check-In Workflow

The check-in workflow is fully configurable. You can make the workflow as short as search, then print, or add steps in between. Available step types include:

• Custom questions you author in Greet
• Synced questions from your registration system
• A disclaimer or signature step
• Badge review before print
• Badge print

You control how many steps there are and in what order. There is no required minimum beyond the check-in itself.

Walk-Ins

Staff mode supports walk-in registration. You decide whether the walk-in option is available. You control what information is collected from walk-ins through the walk-in form configuration in Settings.

Once a walk-in is added and you hit check-in, Greet runs the same workflow as a pre-registered attendee.

Tips for Event Day

• Decide your check-in mode (staff, kiosk, or both) before the event and configure it in Settings.
• Test the full workflow on site, with the real printers and network, before doors open.
• For kiosk mode, confirm the attendee cache has loaded. Look for the Cached chip on the welcome screen. This check ensures the device can work offline if needed.

Badges & Printing

Greet prints badges on demand at check-in using the badge templates and printer assignments you configure before the event.

Supported Image Formats

Badge graphics must be PNG or JPEG. Greet does not accept vector files (SVG, AI, EPS, PDF) due to security restrictions. Export a raster version before uploading.

Color Printing

Color printing is supported on color printers available through your hardware rental partner. Confirm color availability when placing your hardware order.

Two-Sided Badges

Greet supports dual-sided and two-sided foldable layouts. In the badge template, set the layout type to enable back-side printing.

For the back side, you can:

• Duplicate and rotate the front design
• Add a standard agenda (same for all attendees)
• Print a personal agenda (the attendee’s specific sessions)

You can resize and reposition elements on both sides independently.

Personal Agendas on the Badge

To print an attendee’s personal agenda on their badge, assign the attendee to the right sessions in your source system. Session data (name, time, date, location) can then appear on the badge back.

> Note: Agenda items, as distinct from sessions, are on the near-term roadmap but not yet available for badge printing.

Custom Fields on the Badge

Any custom field or question you set up in Greet is available as a dynamic badge element. For example, to print a region or division:

1. Load the value into a custom question or field. 2. Map that field to the badge template.

Session and agenda data does not push directly onto the badge as a field today. The workaround is to move the value into a custom question. A custom question makes the value available on the badge.

Attendee-Type-Specific Badges

You can customize what prints for specific attendee types. Under Badges → Badge Assignments, create a separate assignment for the type you want to differentiate (for example, Exhibitor). Add the attendee-type field to that assignment only.

Attendees not in that type use a different assignment. Those attendees do not get that field printed.

Pre-Printing Badges

If a detail changes after pre-printing, the badge can be reprinted from the attendee record.

Confirm the layout and stock type with your hardware rental partner. This confirmation ensures variable fields align with the graphic.

Printers & Hardware

Greet works with printers supplied through your hardware rental partner.

How Many Stations Do You Need?

Size for your arrival peak, not your total headcount. Most attendees arrive in a tight window before the first session or keynote.

You need the number of people you expect in the busiest 30-minute window. This number is different from how many are registered overall.

Your hardware rental partner can give you a sizing estimate based on the printers you rent and your expected volume.

Sharing Printers Across Stations

Multiple check-in stations can route to one printer. You can also run one printer per station.

Greet shows which printer each station routes to. This mapping is based on the naming convention set up by your rental partner (for example, Station 1, Station 2, Station 3).

Rerouting if a Printer Goes Down

If a printer runs out of ink or paper mid-event:

1. Open the Printer tab at the top of the Greet screen. 2. Select a different available printer. 3. Continue checking in.

The switch is fast and works in both kiosk and staff mode. A single printer issue does not stop the line.

What is PrintNode?

PrintNode is the print-management layer running behind Greet’s printing. You do not configure PrintNode directly.

When you rent hardware, the partner ships a laptop with PrintNode credentials and your printers already loaded. On site, you turn it on and it works.

PrintNode also lets Certain and your rental partner monitor your printers remotely. If a printer goes offline, they can see it and send a test print without being on site. This setup makes remote support much faster.

IP Addresses and Printer Configuration

For AirPrint printers (the standard setup for most events), no IP configuration is needed. The rental partner pre-selects and names the printers before shipping.

On rented tablets, you will only see the printers set up for your specific event.

Connectivity & Offline Mode

Greet is built to keep running when the internet does not cooperate.

Internet Speed Requirements

Speed usually is not the issue. Greet runs fine on 4G or 5G if Wi-Fi is unavailable.

Ask whether the venue network can handle as many concurrent connections as you will run at the registration desk.

If the guest Wi-Fi is solid on concurrent connections, you can use it. Alternatively, the venue can segment off a dedicated network for the reg desk. This segmentation keeps check-in traffic isolated from attendee browsing.

Does Check-In Work If the Internet Goes Down?

Yes. As long as the local network is up, check-in keeps running even if the internet connection drops.

You can check in attendees, print badges, and add walk-ins. Greet queues everything and syncs back to the server when the connection returns.

Greet is built for scanning attendees onto a bus with no signal. The check-ins sync when connectivity is restored.

To make sure offline mode is ready before doors open, confirm the Cached chip is visible on the kiosk welcome screen. This visibility means attendee data is downloaded to the device.

Should You Get Backup Wi-Fi?

For a first event at a new venue, it is worth it. Your hardware rental partner can include a backup Wi-Fi device with your order.

If the venue internet drops, the switch happens automatically. This backup setup adds safety net coverage.

Login, Users & Admins

How to Log In

Everyone logs in at greet.certain.com. Greet does not use traditional usernames and passwords in normal operation.

Instead:

1. Enter your email address or cell phone number. 2. Receive a six-digit one-time code (OTP) by email or text. 3. Enter the code to access your account.

A default backup password exists for emergencies. The OTP method is the standard for day-to-day use.

Phone Numbers for OTP

Email OTP works on its own. A phone number is not required.

If you prefer to receive your code by text, add your phone number to your user record. Include the country code (for example, +1 before a US number).

Staff Access on Event Day

On-site staff do not log in the same way admins do. Instead, you set up a staff passcode in the event’s Settings.

Staff visit the Staff URL found in Settings → Access. Staff enter the passcode to get in.

This approach keeps event-day access simple and fast without sharing full admin credentials. Set an Access Window so the passcode automatically expires after your event ends.

External Partners

Partners are set up under a separate partner user type and tagged to your account. This setup lets partners support your event without any crossover into other customers’ data.

When a partner works across multiple accounts, the partner logs out and back in to switch between them. Each customer’s database remains isolated.

Getting Help

The In-App Help Button

Greet has a Help button built into the app. Click it to open an AI assistant that can answer how-to questions in plain language.

For example, ask: “how do I update the font size of the first name on the standard badge?” The assistant points you to the right place.

Opening a Support Ticket

If the AI assistant does not cover what you need, click I need more help. This action creates a support ticket in Zendesk automatically. It does not require navigating away from Greet or opening a separate browser tab.

Ticket replies arrive in your email. You can also interact with support directly inside Greet.

Greet checks the ticket status every couple of hours and updates it automatically.

Event & Badge Best Practices

These are not Greet-specific features. They are general guidance based on common practice across event management. The guidance applies regardless of which product or printer you use.

Treat the guidance as event decisions, not product constraints.

Pre-Printing vs. On-Demand Printing

Both pre-printing and on-demand printing work. The choice depends on how your event runs.

Most teams split the difference. Teams pre-print a small VIP or staff set. Teams print everyone else live.

Badge Stock and Size

Match the stock to the impression you want and the wear it will take. Tear-resistant synthetic stock holds up better than paper for multi-day events.

Standard name badge sizes run roughly 4×3 to 4×6 inches.

Size matters for readability and comfort. Too large and the badge flips over in the lanyard. Too small and the badge is hard to read across a room.

If you are going double-sided, make sure the badge still sits well when it flips.

What to Put on the Badge

Lead with the first name. Use enough size to read from a few feet away. Add the last name, company, and role or attendee type as needed.

Color coding or a small label can distinguish types like exhibitor, speaker, staff, or VIP without cluttering the design. Keep sensitive details off the badge. Do not include personal contact info. Do not put information that an attendee would not want a stranger to read over their shoulder.

The back is good real estate for a personal agenda, a venue map, Wi-Fi credentials, or sponsor logos.

Staffing the Registration Desk

Plan around your arrival peak, not your total headcount. A common rule of thumb is one check-in point per 75 to 100 attendees expected in the busiest 30 minutes. Adjust based on your setup:

• Kiosks move more people per square foot than staffed desks.
• A scan-and-print flow moves faster than one with questions.
• A separate lane for VIPs or a will-call desk keeps edge cases from stalling the main line.

What to Test Before Doors Open

Run the full check-in flow on site, with the real printers and network, before the first attendee arrives.

Confirm:

• A live badge prints end to end and fields align with the graphics.
• Check-ins land where they should in the system.
• A walk-in can be added and checked in.
• A badge can be reprinted.

Also confirm the backup plan. Use a second printer you can reroute to. Confirm backup connectivity if the venue network is unpredictable.

Walk-Ins and Reprints

Decide the walk-ins policy before the event. Brief staff on the policy. For walk-ins, decide whether on-site registration is allowed and who can add walk-ins.

For reprints, decide whether reprints happen self-service at a kiosk or staff-only at a desk. Clear rules keep the line moving. Clear rules also reduce judgment calls in the moment.

Certain Platform Integration

This section applies to customers whose events live in the Certain Platform. If you use a different registration system, skip this section.

Setup

The integration is configured once by Certain before your event. After setup, Greet automatically pulls in any event you tagged in the Certain Platform.

You do not need to touch the integration again unless something changes.

Tagging Events

Greet watches for a greet tag in Certain. Any event with that tag syncs automatically.

To tag an event:

1. Go to Plan → Event Setup → Details. 2. Add greet in the Tags field. 3. Save.

The tag is not case-sensitive. greet, Greet, and GREET all work. Many teams add the tag to their event template. This step helps every new event pick up the tag on creation without a manual step.

Tagging Questions

You tag the question itself, not individual answers. Greet pulls the question and the attendee’s response automatically.

There is no hard limit on how many questions you can tag. Tag only what you will actually use on site. If your goal is a fast check-in where attendees walk up, confirm their name, and print, you likely do not need to sync many questions at all.

> Tip: If a question you rely on is not a profile question, consider moving it to the profile level so it only needs to be tagged once.

Data Sync Frequency

Sync speed scales up as the event gets closer:

| Time to Event | Sync Frequency | |---|---| | Days/weeks out | Every few hours | | Day before | Hourly | | Event day | Every minute |

Changes made in Certain (new registrations, edits, status updates) reach Greet within a minute on the day of the event.

Forcing a Manual Sync

You do not have to wait for the scheduled sync. Greet has an instant sync button. The instant sync is fast. It usually takes a few seconds, even for large attendee lists.

If there is a line at the desk and you just made a change in Certain, hit instant sync and go.

Which Registration Statuses Sync

You choose the statuses. In the event’s Settings → Attendee Statuses, select which statuses get pulled in.

Most events sync Registered only. You can add Waitlisted, Incomplete, Cancelled, and others if needed. You can change these selections at any time.

Attendee Count Discrepancies

If the all-events dashboard count does not match what you expect, open the specific event. Go to Settings → Attendee Statuses.

These figures reflect exactly what will be available at check-in. The account-level dashboard can include duplicates or test records across all synced events.

If the account-level total looks high, Certain can help strip out test and duplicate records.

If you have additional questions, contact Certain Support.