Attendees scan a QR code at each session door, and the automation totals minutes each person attended. Those who meet the credit threshold get a certificate PDF, the organizer gets the accrediting body's attendance file, and anyone short is told which session is missing time.
Typical results
≈23 hrs
Staff time saved per conference
≈80%
Fewer disputes over credit hours
≈600
Attendees credited from door scans per conference
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
Accredited conferences must prove how long each attendee spent in each session. Paper sign-in sheets are typed up after the event, minutes are estimated, and certificates go out about three weeks later. Attendees dispute their credit hours, staff spend around 25 hours per conference on attendance, and the accrediting body's report is assembled by hand.
Before and after
Days from conference end to certificates sent
−95%Staff hours on attendance and certificates
−92%Credit disputes after certificates go out
−83%The automation
Attendees scan the QR code at each session door on the way in and out, and every scan is time-stamped. After the conference, the automation totals each person's minutes per session against its credit value. Those who meet the threshold get a certificate PDF listing their sessions, credit hours and accreditation number. The organizer gets an attendance file in the accrediting body's format, and anyone short gets an email naming the session where time is missing.
How it works
- 01
Scans at each session door
Attendees scan the QR code at the session door on the way in and out, and each scan is stored with the session and time.
- 02
Minutes totaled per person
After the conference, scans are paired per attendee and session, and the minutes attended are totaled against each session's credit value.
- 03
Threshold checked
Attendees who meet the credit threshold are marked eligible, and those who fall short are listed with the sessions where time is missing.
- 04
Certificates emailed
Each eligible attendee gets a certificate PDF by email listing their sessions, credit hours and the accreditation number.
- 05
File for the accrediting body
The organizer gets an attendance file in the accrediting body's format, and attendees who fall short get an email explaining the gap.
Starts from
- Session door QR scans
- Session schedule and credits
Delivers
- Certificate PDFs
- Accreditation file
- Shortfall emails
The impact
Certificates reach attendees within 24 hours of the last session instead of about three weeks. Staff save roughly 23 hours per conference, credit disputes drop from about 30 to around 5 because every figure comes from time-stamped scans, and the accrediting body's attendance file is ready the same day.
Questions about this automation
What if an attendee forgets to scan out of a session?
A missing exit scan is handled by a rule the organizer sets, such as counting time until the session's scheduled end or until the attendee's next scan elsewhere. These cases are listed for staff, and an attendee who disagrees with their total can reply to the email for a manual check.
Can it produce the file our accrediting body asks for?
Yes. The attendance file is built to the column layout, session codes and file type the accrediting body specifies, whether that is a CSV, an Excel sheet or a portal upload format. If several bodies accredit the same event, each one gets its own file from the same scan data.
What is needed before the next conference?
The session schedule with credit values, the credit threshold, the certificate wording with the accreditation number and a way to print QR codes for each room door. This is a multi-step build, usually rolled out in stages, often starting with certificates while the accreditation file is added after the first event.