Hybrid
Pre-registration and walk-in run together on one database.
At a lot of events, this is what actually happens. Some guests register ahead, some simply turn up, and both must land in one database so there is no second spreadsheet to reconcile afterwards. This is not a compromise between two flows. It is its own flow.
Best forSeminars, conferences and exhibitions that take both registered guests and people who simply turn up.
Stages
How a Guest Moves Through It.
- 01
Pre-registration
Attendees register ahead of time and receive a QR before the event.
- 02
Walk-in
Unregistered guests are handled in a separate lane on the day.
- 03
Unified Database
Both land in one database, so there is no second spreadsheet to reconcile afterwards.
- 04
Check-in
Live attendance figures cover both from the first minute.
What You'll Decide
Three Things That Decide Whether It Runs Smoothly.
This flow has decisions best settled before sign-ups open rather than when the event is close.
- 01
Who gets priority when seats run short
If the room is capacity-limited, decide up front whether registered guests are guaranteed a seat until a set time, and when the remaining seats open to walk-ins.
- 02
When online sign-up closes
Online sign-up can close the day before, or stay open through the event so guests can register on their phones while queuing. The second takes pressure off the walk-in desk.
- 03
Keep both lanes on the same rules
Walk-in guests should get the same badge, access and category as registered guests unless there is a reason to differ. Unintended differences tend to surface only once people are inside.
Before We Start
What You'll Need to Hand Over.
- Any existing pre-registration list, if sign-up opened earlier.
- A rough share of guests who will turn up unregistered.
- The minimum walk-in fields, which can be shorter than the online form.
- The entrance layout, so the two lanes don't cut across each other.
Don't have all of it yet? That's fine. We'll put the rest together in the first conversation.
Questions
About the Hybrid Flow.
How do guests know which lane to use?
Clear signage and a crew member at the head of the queue. Guests with a QR go to the scanning lane, everyone else to the walk-in desk.
What about registered guests who forget their QR?
They are looked up by name or number at any desk, and still recorded as a pre-registered guest, not as a new walk-in.
Can the report separate the two groups?
Yes. Attendance is split between pre-registered and walk-in guests, with arrival times, from the same single database.
Not sure this is the right flow? Let's talk it through.
Plenty of events end up on a different flow than they expected, and that is normal. Tell us how your guests usually arrive and we'll help map it.