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Introducing "Checkpoint" By Boardingware

Vincent Paget

July 25, 2017

It’s no secret that boarding schools are facing increasing pressure to keep track of their students whereabouts, especially when students are leaving school grounds for things like “weekend exeats” or “overnight leave”.But recently, there’s also been a growing demand to keep track of where students are on school grounds (ie. who is at the library, main hall, sports field etc).More and more schools, including large day schools, are looking for more efficient ways to collect accurate information about where their students are on-campus, as well as innovative solutions to account for their safety.At Boardingware, we’ve always been aware of the security concerns in boarding and day schools, and that’s why we’re bubbling with excitement to present Checkpoint - Our brand new kiosk application.Please note: The Checkpoint app is currently only available on iPad and is scheduled to be released later this week.

Why we built Checkpoint

The new Checkpoint app has been designed to replace our old kiosk application. This allowed us to formulate a unique design approach that will ultimately fulfil our vision for a secure check-in/out system.When we set out to build Checkpoint, our main goal was to remove the barriers that make it tough for schools to keep track of their students movements on-campus. Our primary objectives were to:

  • Streamline the data collection process
  • Provide greater customisation and flexibility for each “Checkpoint”
  • Enable access to real-time information about your students activity
“Our main goal was to remove the barriers that make it tough for schools to keep track of their students movements on-campus.”

So how does Checkpoint work?

Checkpoint works in a very similar fashion to our previous kiosk app. It allows you to set up a stand where students can check-in and out on their own, just like a daily sign-out sheet.Once you’ve downloaded the app and set up a few stands at your common destinations (ie. boarding house foyer, library entrance, dining hall entrance etc), students will be able to update their leave information at the designated “Checkpoints” as they move to and from their destinations.

All the information is then instantly updated in the trusted Boardingware platform, so you can easily find out exactly where your students are.

Here are some of the brand new features in “Checkpoint”:

Tile View

With the new checkpoint app you will have the option to display your students in a “Tile view”. The tile view is a handy way for students to quickly find their profile and sign themselves out.

Large images allow you to quickly find the person you’re looking for and the visual interface displays basic leave details to show you where everyone is at a glance. You can also press and hold a student's tile to view more information about their current leave activity.

Faceless View

The alternative is to use the “Faceless view”. This view will not display student details on the screen. Instead, each student will select their own profile from a search bar which will automatically bring up available names as you begin to type, making the selection process quick and easy.This also allows you to add a layer of privacy to your checkpoint interface as it means that students cannot view leave details and sensitive information about other students.

Advanced Settings

You can also configure each Checkpoint stand with advanced settings that add further control for how your students will sign-in and out. Here are the settings that are currently available:

  • Multiple Selection - Allows you to sign out multiple students at the same time. Handy for when you need to sign out groups of students to the same destination.
  • Editing Capabilities - This option allows you to edit leave details from the Checkpoint app when someone mistakenly enters the wrong details or if their plans change.
  • Viewing Permissions - This option allows you to view the details of a student's active leave by pressing and holding their profile in the tile view.
  • Pin Codes - Turning this option on will require students to enter their unique pin-code for authentication protocols.
  • Availability - In this section you can define which houses have permission to use this particular checkpoint.

Custom Branding

We’ve also allowed you to customise your Checkpoint App. You can give the Checkpoint a special name (ie. Library checkpoint, Dining room etc) and also change the background image to suit it’s destination, or your school colours, or whatever you want it to be.Plus, all of your Checkpoints can be configured separately, so you can set up your checkpoints in a way that best suits your school’s protocols.

Stay Tuned

This is just the first step in our mission to create a secure check-in/out network that students can use with minimal disruption to the daily activities. We’ve planned continued development to the Checkpoint app which may include:

  • Centralised management of all your different Checkpoints
  • Enhanced on-campus check-in/out settings
  • Advanced security and authentication processes

To stay up to date with our progress, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog belowAnd as always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.[marketo-fat form="1107"]

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Vincent Paget

I'm a kiwi living in London and who has been part of Orah since 2015. Working in operations, my passion lies in finding efficiencies and scalabilities in all areas of the business. Beyond the office, I'm all about outdoor adventures like football and fishing, along with music, travel, and quality time with friends and family, especially my dog.

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