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How to Add Attendance in RainMaker
How to Add Attendance in RainMaker
Laura Hines avatar
Written by Laura Hines
Updated over a week ago

RainMaker is very flexible in the way you can add attendance records to your members.

The Add Attendance Methods cn be found by going to the top menu.
Top Menu > Members > Attendance > Add Attendance

1. Manually.
You can manually search for a member by name or their ID and add the attendance record. This is not the recommended way for large amounts of attendance, but is a great way if you have a member who may have lost their attendance card.

Top Menu > Members > Attendance > Add Attendance > Add Manually


2. Scan Barcode
You can print out RainMaker Barcode Labels, or Attendance Cards, or even Attendance Business Card size labels and assign someone to scan all your cards into RainMaker. This is a VERY fast way to enter hundreds of cards in only a few minutes.

Limitations: Will not scan and assign to a Rank Style, only good if you have one style.

​Top Menu > Members > Attendance > Add Attendance > Scan Barcode


3. Scan Barcode by Style
Same as method #2 above, but if you have multiple rank styles, this method will allow you to automatically assign the attendance record to a particular style, meaning the classes since last exam will be assigned to the proper style as well as the attendance record will also be able to assigned as a class for the selected style.

You can manually select a style, or you can have RainMaker assign a style to the printed label or attendance card, if you have RainMaker assign the style you could scan a hundred cards, all different styles and RainMaker will automatically assign it to the right style.

If you print barcode labels (or attendance cards), you can select a rank style. That barcode when scanned will automatically assign a class to that specific rank style without any interaction from you. We also did the same with full size four to a page attendance cards too. So you could have have a box full of cards and marked on the card box would be the name of the style, the member goes to the box for that style picks out their card, turns it in for class. Then takes a different style and goes to a different box, pulls that card turns it in for that class. At the end of the night, your front desk person scans a whole pile of attendance cards and each class is appropriately assigned to the correct rank style. A class is added to the appropriate rank style for "classes since last exam" as we'll. all automatic.

Top Menu > Members > Attendance > Add Attendance > Scan Barcode by Style


4. By iPad or Tablet (add by Class Roster)
The teacher can assign members to a Class Roster. Let's say you create a Class Roster titled "Tuesday 6:00 PM BJJ" and when the class starts you pull out your iPad (or Kindle, or Android Based Tablet) and you tap on each of the members who are attending the class. It will automatically assign them to a Rank Style and add an attendance record.

Limitations: Will not scan and assign to a Rank Style, only good if you have one style.

Top Menu > Members > Attendance > Add Attendance > Add by Class Roster


5. Add by using Kiosk Mode - Self Checkin (great for iPad too)
If you want your members to enter their own attendance, we have a Kiosk mode. It is even touch enabled if you wanted to have a few iPads available for your members to use.

Limitations: Will not scan and assign to a Rank Style, only good if you have one style.

Top Menu > Members > Attendance > Add Attendance > Add by Kiosk Mode


6. Self Checkin by Barcode Scan using a Microsoft Windows PC.
We have special software that you can download and install on your Windows PC where your members can scan their own cards without assistance from a staff member.

Limitations: Will not scan and assign to a Rank Style, only good if you have one style.

To download the software, click here.


About Barcode Scanners
Barcode Scanners are basically little computers who read an image of an actual barcode and turn that image into a word or a number or mixture of both numbers, symbols and letters.

RainMaker has barcode scanners for sale that are already pre-programmed to work with RainMaker, this will save you time (and frustration). Since there are many different brand names of barcode scanners, and each manufacturer has their on method of programming their scanner, RainMaker does not provide assistance in programming your existing scanner. However, if your tech savvy, you may want to dive right in.

Here is how.
The type of barcodes RainMaker prints are "code 3 of 9" or sometimes called "39." You will need to make sure your scanner is programmed to read that type of barcode.

RainMaker Desktop Software looks for a barcode "prefix." The prefix RainMaker looks for is a ^. (look on your keyboard above the number 6.) Your scanner should be programmed to have the prefix of the ^. This let's RainMaker desktop software know that you are scanning a RainMaker barcode and not just typing away some numbers.

You also need your barcode scanner to add a "suffix" of "Enter Key." So after it scans the barcode it sends a Return or an Enter as if you were hitting that key on your keyboard.

To sum it up..

  • Must read Code 3 of 3 (Code 39) type of barcodes

  • Must have a scan "prefix" of: ^

  • Must have a scan "suffix" of ENTER (or Return) key.

Typically, in your manual for your brand of scanner there is a way to simply scan barcodes to program your scanner. If you have lost your manual, a simple Google search of your brand of scanner and the model number with "manual" will return a manual you can download.

Read the manual on your computer and print the pages you need to scan. You must print the pages because it won't scan from your computer screen (I have tried :)) And you only need the pages that you need to scan, so have a plan before printing.

Call your manufacturer's tech support, tell them you just bought the scanner recently (typically manufacturers only help you with this if bought in the last few months) and tell them you need the following requirements:

  • Must read Code 3 of 3 (Code 39) type of barcodes

  • Must have a scan "prefix" of: ^

  • Must have a scan "suffix" of ENTER (or Return) key.

Here are some additional resources...
If you have a Symbol LS2208 (other Symbol Scanners might also use this), download this guide.

Have a Honeywell Metrologic? download the guide.

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