# Race Check-In

Set up participant pre-check, email invitations, check-in stations, kit pickup and consent-based participant portraits in RUFUS Cloud.

RUFUS Race Check-In connects participant pre-check, kit preparation and pickup. Organizers configure the process in RUFUS Cloud; volunteers use check-in stations to find participants, complete the required steps and record each handover.

Availability: beta, with access approved for your organization.

## Before you start

* Have a published event and the participant records you intend to use.
* Make sure your organization has Race Check-In access. If access is not enabled, request it from the Race Check-In area in RUFUS Cloud.
* Check participant email addresses and your available email credits before sending invitations.
* Have a camera available on the station device if you plan to capture portraits.

## 1. Configure the event

Open Race Check-In in RUFUS Cloud and select your event. In Setup, configure:

* Kit contents, including options such as sizes and the stock for those options.
* Optional arrival windows for kit collection.
* Whether a waiver is required and the text participants must accept.
* Whether participants can request data corrections.
* The participant photo policy: disabled, optional or required when the athlete is present. Set the retention period and, if needed, add an organizer photo notice.

Save the full setup before preparing stations or invitations. Check that the event is active when you are ready to operate; a saved setup alone does not activate pickup.

## 2. Prepare your stations

Create a check-in station for pickup. If a separate team packs kits, add a preparation station and assign the permissions each team needs.

Give volunteers their station link and access code. Have them sign in and check access before participants arrive. Stations need the appropriate permission to record waiver acceptance or other restricted actions.

## 3. Send pre-check invitations

Generate the participants' private pre-check links. Open Email invitations, choose the language and prepare the subject and message. Save the draft and send a test before the main campaign.

Check the eligible audience and estimated email credits. You can target participants who have not yet been notified or resend to eligible participants who have already received an invitation. Queue the campaign and follow delivery results in the campaign history.

Invitations consume email credits. A test invitation uses one email credit. Participants with missing or invalid email addresses need their details corrected before they can receive an invitation.

## 4. Let participants complete pre-check

The private link opens the participant's pre-check. Depending on your configuration, they can choose eligible kit options, indicate who will collect the kit, select an arrival window and accept the required waiver. Data corrections are submitted for review rather than immediately changing RRM.

After completing pre-check, the participant can show their QR pass at collection. Pre-check prepares the pickup process; it does not record that the kit has already been handed over.

## 5. Record kit pickup and capture the portrait

At the station, scan the QR pass or search for the participant. Check their identity, review kit contents and complete any required waiver or photo steps. Hand over the kit and record pickup.

For portraits, record the participant's consent before opening the camera. Take a clear, well-lit image and save it to the correct participant record. Portrait capture takes place in the station workflow.

Consent for an operational check-in portrait does not authorize facial matching for Race Photos. That requires a separate, optional consent when the feature is available.

## Common questions

### Does every participant have to choose an arrival window?

No. Arrival windows are optional, and leaving them unconfigured does not prevent pickup.

### What if a participant declines a required photo?

The system records the decision as an issue. The station workflow provides a check-in-without-photo option that records the override for review. Do not capture an image after the participant declines.

### Does “kit ready” mean “kit collected”?

No. Preparation and pickup are separate states. Record the handover at check-in even if another team has already marked the kit ready.

Quick tip: run one participant through the full sequence before opening the desks: invitation, pre-check, QR lookup, any required photo and final pickup. A five-minute rehearsal is easier than a race-day guessing game.