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Daycare Quick Check-in + Barcode Check-in

9 min. readlast update: 03.06.2026

*Feature applies to Live Access & KC-Cloud*

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE about the benefits of using Daycare Quick Check-in.

First, lets talk about the benefits of using Daycare Quick Check-in. 

Daycare Quick Check-In is designed for busy facilities that handle many daycare drop-offs in a short period of time, especially during the morning rush.

Instead of fully checking in each dog one at a time, staff can quickly search, select, or scan pets onto a staging list as they arrive. This keeps lines moving and prevents backups at the front desk.

Once dogs are added to the list, staff can use the staging page to review all arrivals at once, adjust daycare types, add services, or make corrections before anything is finalized.

When ready, the Check In All button allows staff to create appointments and check in multiple dogs at the same time, saving significant time and reducing repetitive work.

For facilities using pet barcodes, dogs can be added by scanning, with configurable barcode actions such as:

  • Add to list

  • Create appointment

  • Create appointment and check in

Overall, Daycare Quick Check-In helps reduce congestion, minimize errors, and streamline daycare operations during peak hours.

**Many facilities already loving this feature, use tablets for check-in (if they're not using barcode scanning). This allows them to walk away from the computers and meet the pets at drop-off. Many facilities also have outdoor check-in areas to keep the office clear and now use the tablets out there with the Quick Check-in feature. 

Click play to watch a full tutorial:

Section 1: Access & Navigation.

Section 2: Manual Search & Add.

Section 3: Barcode Scanning Options & Scanning.

 

Section 1 - Feature Enable & Navigation

Daycare Quick Check-in needs to first be enabled. Make sure you have admin or manager permissions and then: 

  1. Navigate on the left-hand menu to "Manage".
  2. Locate "New Feature Settings" and click/tap. 
  3. Locate Daycare Quick Check-in. 
  4. Enable the module and choose your defaults. 

  1. Click "Save" in the upper right corner.

Once enabled: 

Daycare Quick Check-in can be found quickly under the "old classic menu" below the Daycare module or by using the "Quick Search" menu in the upper right.

 

**Quick Tip:** You Wherever you see the lightning bold icon, it means you can click it to add that to the lightning menu (quick search menu).

**Did you know?** Did you know that you can customize your left-hand navigation menu to fit your usage/position. Each logged in user can have their own menu and can really streamline your workflow. To create a custom menu follow the steps here and be sure to add Quick Check-in!

Section 2 - Manual Search & Add

This is where the magic happens!

 

  1. On the DC Quick Check-in page, start searching for the dog checking in. You can search by client name, phone number, address etc. but most commonly it's the dogs name.

  1. Once the pets are displayed, click the blue arrow icon to the right to qucikly add them to the Quick Check-in staging screen. If client is dropping off multiple pets, click the arrow next to all that are going to be enjoying a day of fun.

The image above shows both blue arrows now showing as green check marks signafying both pets from the Smith family have been selected for daycare. It also shows both pets now added to the Quick Check-in staging screen. 

  1. Continue to search and add pets until your drop-off rush is over. (Make a mistake? Don't worry, you can remove pets from the staging screen when you're done adding.)

  2. Once the rush is over, you now have time to review all the pets added before checking them in. On this Quick Check-in staging screen, there are a number of options. 

**QUICK TIP:** By clicking the filter icon, you can quickly sort your list by different options and by assigned pet icons.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE about all the options and explanations in the screenshot below.
  • Selected (blue) check box - You can click this to select or de-select all at once to include or exclude from next step.

  • Individual (green) pet check box - You can click this to select or de-select pets to include or exclude from next step.

  • Apply Action To Selected - Click this drop down to choose the action that happens next. (Once you choose this option, it will complete the next step so be sure you're ready.) The options are:
    • Create appointments only. (This will create the appointments on your daycare schedule but will NOT check them in.)
    • Create appts & check in. (This will create the appointments AND check them in.)

  • Copy From - Click this drop down to choose to copy details from their last appt. OR if they have defaults set, use their daycare defaults. (This is handy if they always get the same thing)

  • Pencil/edit icon - Click this to open the FULL appointment page to edit any/all details of that specific appointment. (All your data on the Quick Check-in page will remain.)

  • Trash can icon - Click this to delete that pet from the staging page.

  • Icons/Pet Warnings - This shows icons and pet warnings to be aware of.

  • Half Day/Full Day - Let's you choose their daycare type. (This is set by default in the beginning when you enable Quick Check-in.)

  • Run - Allows for run selection if daycare has runs. 

  • Room - Allow for room selection if daycare has rooms. 

  1. When you have set the appropriate appointment details and all pets are ready, click the "Apply Action To Selected" blue button/drop down and choose the action to apply.

The selected action will now run and either create appointments only or create appointments and check-in for all pets that were selected on that staging screen.

**Quick Tip:** The individual check marks on each pet (green) allow you to perform the action on some pets but leave the other pets on staging page. You may have some you're ready to move forward with but not others. 

  1. Actions now complete. You will see this page upon completion. Please note that if you're checking in a large amount of dogs, this may take a few seconds.

 

Section 3: Barcode Scanning Options & Scanning

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE - A widely popular option for busy daycare facilities. Click to read more about barcode scanning.

Daycare Quick Check-in allows for use of barcode scanners. If you're unsure of what this is, it's quite populare. Facilities with busy daycare will use barcodes for their clients or pets. Some print out barcodes and stick them onto pets folders and will scan those but many use key tags (think of gym membership style, little key tags with a barcode on them) and many purchase those from here as you can add your own logo etc. (https://vanguardid.com/custom-key-tags)

If you need a barcode scanner, visit POSGuys.com. Here are compatible models: 

Barcode scanner (no stand) Click HERE.

Barcode scanner (with stand) Click HERE.

**Did you know?** While barcode scanning is most commonly used for daycare check-ins, you can also scan the barcode into the client explorer seach field to very quickly find and open the pet card.

Before you can start scanning pets with a barcode scanner, you have to enter their barcodes. 

    • Open the pet card for the pet that needs a barcode. 
    • Click the Edit tab
    • Locate the barcode field. 
    • If you have a keytag or pre-printed barcode you're assigning them, scan that barcode to populate this field. 
    • Click save. 

**QUICK TIP:** If you have multi-pet families that normally attend daycare together, instead of assigning multiple barcodes and keytags (one for each pet), you can open the CLIENT CARD instead, click the Edit tab and locate the barcode field. Scan the barcode into that field and save. 

**You can use the "Generate" button to generate a random barcode if you do not have one but you would need to program a barcode with that number to scan. 

Using the barcode scanning feature in real time:

With barcodes saved to your pet cards or client cards, you're set to start using this feature. 

  1. Open the Daycare Quick Check-in page and set your "Barcode default action". (This is what WILL happen when a barcode is scanned.)
Click here to view the barcode default actions and explanations.

Add to List - Selecting this option will ONLY add the scanned in pet to the Quick Check-in list/staging page. 

Create Appt. - Selecting this option will create the appt. directly to your daycare schedule. (Skips the Quick Check-in staging page)

Create Appt & Check In - Selecting this option will create the appt. AND check-in the pet/s directly to your daycare schedule. (Skips the Quick Check-in staging page)

  1. Once you set your barcode action, click in the search field to the left. This will set your mouse cursor in the field and you're now ready for canning. (Your cursor must stay in that field. If you click anywhere else, scanning will stop.)

**QUICK TIP:** Many facilities use a separate stand-alone computer or laptop with a barcode scanner connected to create a check-in station out of the way of the main front desk. This allows this machine to focus on check-ins consecutively without being interupted by someone using the computer for something else. 

3. Scan a barcode and watch the action you selected take place OR if you have setup a scanning station/computer with the barcode scanner on a stand, your clients may now start scanning as they walk in. 

 

Please contact support with ANY questions!

Support@kennelconnection.com

888.486.4343 option #2

 

 

 

 

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