Troubleshooting "Unknown Lead" Errors in Certain Touchpoint Lead Scanning and QR Code Badge Scanning

Certain Touchpoint — Lead Retrieval

When an exhibitor scans an attendee badge in the Certain Touchpoint app and the result comes back as “Unknown Lead” (or blank), it means the QR code value on the badge did not match any attendee record in the event. This issue is one of the most common issues reported during live lead retrieval sessions. This issue is typically a configuration or data issue. This issue is not a software bug.

This article explains how QR code matching works, what causes the “Unknown Lead” error, and exactly how to fix the issue for a single attendee or a group.

1. How QR Code Matching Works

Every attendee profile in Touchpoint has a field called External Matching Code / QR Code source (also referred to as the Lead Code ). This field value is used by the Touchpoint app to identify an attendee when their badge is scanned.

When an exhibitor scans a badge, the Touchpoint app reads the value embedded in the badge QR code. The app looks for an attendee whose External Matching Code / QR Code source field contains that exact same value. If a match is found, the app returns the attendee's contact information. If no match is found—for any reason—the result is “Unknown Lead.”

Key rule

The value encoded in the badge QR code must exactly match the value in the External Matching Code / QR Code source field on the attendee's Touchpoint profile. Any difference in the badge QR code value or any difference in the targeted field will produce an Unknown Lead result. Differences include extra characters, different format, or using the wrong source field.

The attendee's in-app My QR Code button generates a QR code from the same External Matching Code / QR Code source field. The My QR Code button works only when the My QR Code feature is enabled. If the External Matching Code / QR Code source field is blank, no QR code is displayed for that attendee in the app.

2. Common Causes of “Unknown Lead”

Most common causes of “Unknown Lead” occur when the Lead Code field is blank or when the badge QR code value does not match the Lead Code.

Most Common

External Matching Code field is blank on the attendee profile

The attendee exists in Touchpoint, but the External Matching Code / QR Code source field was never populated. This issue most likely happens with walk-in registrants, manually added attendees, or events where the attendee upload omitted the Lead Code column. Without a value in this field, the scanner has nothing to match against.

Badge QR code encodes a different value than the Lead Code

The attendee has a Lead Code on file, but the QR code printed on their badge was generated from a different value. The badge printer might use an internal sequence number. The badge printer might use a different attendee ID. The badge QR code might contain a formatted string that does not match Certain's registration code exactly. The badge QR code values must be identical, character for character.

Third-party registration or badge system QR codes

Customers using a third-party registration system (such as Stova, Cvent, or others) to print badges will find that those systems embed their own QR code values. Those embedded values will not automatically match Certain's External Matching Code. The external system's QR value must either be imported into Touchpoint as the Lead Code. Another option is configuring the badge printer to encode Certain's Lead Code values instead.

Wrong QR code type used with Certain badge printing

When using Certain Platform badge printing, the QR code type on the badge template must be set to “Basic” (Simple QR Code). Using any other QR format produces a value that does not match the attendee's registration code stored in Touchpoint.

Less Common

Attendee was not yet uploaded when the scan occurred

Onsite or last-minute registrants may have data that was not yet imported into Touchpoint at the time of scanning. This situation produces an Unknown Lead result because there is no matching profile in the system at the time of the scan. These scans cannot be retroactively associated with an attendee record after the fact. The attendee data must exist in the system before scanning occurs.

Duplicate attendee record—manually created record has no Lead Code

If a walk-in attendee was manually added in the Touchpoint CMS and also came in through the Platform integration, two records exist. The manually created record typically has no External Matching Code. When the badge is scanned and the system resolves to the wrong (manual) record, the result is Unknown Lead. Deleting or merging the duplicate resolves the issue.

3. Fix: Updating a Single Attendee Record

Use this method when correction is needed for one or a handful of attendee records during or after an event.

1. In the Touchpoint CMS, navigate to the event. Go to Attendees. Find the affected attendee. Click Edit on their record.

2. Scroll down to the QR Code / Lead Retrieval Profile section. This section only appears if Lead Scanning or Session Check-In Scanning is enabled on the event's Manage Purchases page.

3. Check the External Matching Code / QR Code source field. If the field is blank or contains an incorrect value, that field is the cause of the Unknown Lead error.

4. Determine the correct value to enter.

For Platform-integrated events, enter the attendee's Registration Code from the Certain Platform.
For non-Platform events, enter the value that matches the QR code on the printed badge.

5. Enter or correct the value. Click Save. The attendee's QR code in the app updates immediately.

6. To verify, ask the attendee to open their My QR Code in the app if the My QR Code feature is enabled. A QR code should now display. Have the exhibitor scan it to confirm a successful match.

Quick diagnostic tip

If the physical badge is available, scan the QR code with a phone camera outside the Touchpoint app. The raw text value appears. Compare the raw value exactly to the value in the External Matching Code / QR Code source field in the CMS. The values must be identical.

4. Fix: Updating Multiple Attendees via Bulk Import

Use the bulk upload process when several attendees are affected. This method is useful after a large wave of walk-in registrations. This method is also useful when a badge vendor used different QR values.

Step 1 — Export your current attendee list

From the Attendees section of the Touchpoint event, export the current attendee spreadsheet. The External Matching Code / QR Code source field appears in the export as the Lead Code column. This export helps identify which records are blank or incorrect.

Step 2 — Populate the Lead Code column

In the spreadsheet, fill in or correct the Lead Code column for each affected attendee. The value entered must exactly match what is encoded in that attendee's badge QR code.

Common source values include:

The attendee's Registration Code from the Certain Platform (for Platform-integrated events)
The attendee's External ID as assigned by your registration or badge vendor
The attendee's email address (acceptable for non-Platform events if the badge QR encodes the email)
Any unique identifier, as long as the identifier matches the badge QR exactly

> Warning: > Important: > Each Lead Code must be unique per attendee within the event. Duplicate Lead Codes across multiple attendee records cause unpredictable matching results.

Step 3 — Re-import the spreadsheet

In the Touchpoint CMS, navigate to Attendees > Import. Upload the updated spreadsheet. The import updates existing records based on the attendee identifier. Lead Codes apply to each matching profile immediately upon successful import.

Step 4 — Verify

After the import completes, spot-check a few attendee profiles. Confirm the Lead Code field is now populated. If the My QR Code feature is enabled, ask a test attendee to open the feature in their app. The test attendee should now see a QR code displayed.

5. Platform-Integrated Events

For events connected to the Certain Platform via the Platform-Touchpoint integration, the External Matching Code / QR Code source field is automatically populated with each attendee's Registration Code when the attendee syncs from Platform to Touchpoint. No manual entry is required for standard registrants.

Unknown Lead errors can still occur in Platform-integrated events in these situations:

Walk-in attendees submitted through a walk-in form may be manually created in the Touchpoint CMS rather than coming through the integration. These attendees will not have a Lead Code auto-populated.
Certain badge printing with a non-Basic QR code type will embed a different value than the Registration Code. Always select the “Basic” (Simple) QR Code option in the badge template settings.
Attendees who registered after the last sync may not yet have their record in Touchpoint. A manual sync or re-import resolves this.

6. Third-Party Badge and Registration Systems

If an organization uses a third-party registration platform (such as Stova, Cvent, Whova, or a custom badge printer) to generate attendee badges, QR codes produced by those systems will not automatically match the Lead Codes in Touchpoint.

Two options resolve the mismatch.

| Option | How It Works | Best For | |---|---|---| | Option A: Import the external system's IDs into Touchpoint | Export the attendee ID values from your external system. Add the attendee ID values to the Lead Code column in your Touchpoint attendee spreadsheet. Re-import the spreadsheet. Touchpoint then matches scans against those external IDs. | When you cannot control what value the badge printer encodes in the QR code | | Option B: Provide Certain Lead Codes to your badge printer | Export the attendee list from Touchpoint, including the Lead Code column. Send those values to the badge vendor. Ask the badge vendor to encode the Lead Code value instead of the badge vendor's own internal ID. | When you have control over badge production before the event |

Note on exporting Lead Codes from Touchpoint

You can export the full attendee list including Lead Codes from the Attendees section of the Touchpoint CMS. The External Matching Code / QR Code source field appears as the Lead Code column in the exported spreadsheet. Share this column with your badge vendor. Ask the badge vendor to encode each attendee's Lead Code value in the badge QR.

7. Walk-In and Onsite Registrants

Walk-in attendees represent the most common source of Unknown Lead errors during live events. Walk-in attendees register onsite. Their data may not be in Touchpoint yet at the time of scanning. Their data may also be entered manually without a Lead Code.

Before scanning begins

Upload all walk-in registrant records to Touchpoint before exhibitors begin scanning, including a Lead Code for each.
If walk-in badges are printed on-demand, ensure the badge printing station encodes the same value that will be uploaded as the Lead Code in Touchpoint.

If Unknown Lead scans have already occurred

Unknown Lead scans that occurred before an attendee's record was in the system cannot be retroactively linked to the attendee after the fact. The scan log records the raw QR code value. The system cannot automatically match the scan log entry once the event has progressed.
For these cases, contact information must be collected directly from the affected attendees by the exhibitor.
If exhibitors photographed the attendee badges, the encoded QR value (scannable via any standard camera) can be used to identify the attendee. Then manually enter the attendee details.

> Warning: No retroactive matching available > There is currently no way to retroactively associate an Unknown Lead scan with an attendee record after the scan has been recorded. Prevention—ensuring all records are uploaded before scanning begins—is the only reliable approach.

8. Prevention Checklist

Use this checklist before any event where lead scanning will be used to minimize Unknown Lead results.

| Action Item | Who | |---|---| | Confirm all attendee records are uploaded to Touchpoint before scanning begins, including a unique Lead Code for each | Event Admin | | For Platform-integrated events: verify that the Platform-Touchpoint sync has completed and that External Matching Code fields are populated | Event Admin | | For Certain Platform badge printing: confirm the badge template uses the Basic (Simple) QR Code option | Event Admin | | For third-party badge vendors: share the exported Lead Code column from Touchpoint and confirm the vendor will encode those values in the badge QR codes | Event Admin / Badge Vendor | | Test-scan at least 3–5 attendee badges before exhibitor scanning begins to confirm matching is working | Event Admin / Support | | For events with walk-in registration: establish a process to upload walk-in records (with Lead Codes) in real time throughout the event day | Event Admin | | Advise exhibitors that any “Unknown Lead” result should be flagged immediately so the event admin can investigate while the attendee is still on-site | Exhibitor Coordinator |

Certain Touchpoint Support

If the issue cannot be resolved using the steps above, contact Certain Support with the event URL, the affected attendee name or email, and (if possible) a scan of the raw QR code value from the badge. This information allows the support team to investigate the mismatch quickly.