NFC Event Check-In with Kitetags and Zapier

What problem does NFC event check-in solve? link

Traditional event check-in is slow. Paper sign-in sheets create bottlenecks. QR code scanners require staff with devices. Manual data entry leads to typos and missing records.

NFC check-in removes those friction points. Attendees hold their phone near a badge for one second, and the system handles the rest.

How does the Kitetags solution work? link

The system uses three components:

1. Kitetag badges — Each attendee gets a tag with their info pre-loaded.
2. Zapier — Receives the tap event and routes it to Google Sheets.
3. Google Sheets — Stores the attendance log in real time.

flowchart LR
    A[Attendee taps badge] --> B[Kitetags Platform]
    B --> C[Zapier: Tag Tapped trigger]
    C --> D[Google Sheets: Create row]

How do you set it up? link

Step 1 — Create a Kitetag group for your event link

1. Log in to your Kitetags dashboard.
2. Create a new Kitetag Group called “Event Badges” (or your event name).
3. Define a KDS (data structure) with these fields:
   • first_name (text)
   • last_name (text)
   • email (text)
   • ticket_type (text)

Step 2 — Assign tags and populate data link

1. Add your Kitetag badges to the group.
2. For each badge, fill in the KDS fields with the attendee’s registration data.

Step 3 — Set up the Zapier interaction link

1. Create an interaction on the group that uses the Zapier app.
2. Follow the Zapier integration guide to connect your Kitetags account to Zapier.
3. In Zapier, create a new zap:
   • Trigger: Kitetags > Tag Tapped
   • Action: Google Sheets > Create Spreadsheet Row
4. Map the KDS fields to your spreadsheet columns.
5. Publish the zap.

Step 4 — Prepare your spreadsheet link

Create a Google Sheet with column headers that match your data fields:

Step 5 — Test before the event link

Tap one of the badges and confirm a row appears in your sheet. Check that all fields populate correctly. See the troubleshooting guide if the zap does not trigger.

What do attendees experience? link

1. The attendee holds their phone near the Kitetag badge.
2. A notification appears on their phone (this takes about one second).
3. Their browser briefly opens a confirmation page.
4. Behind the scenes, their check-in is logged to Google Sheets.

The attendee does not need to download an app, scan a QR code, or type anything.

Tips for a smooth event check-in link

• Pre-test every badge before handing them out. Use Test Flight to confirm each tag reads correctly.
• Monitor the spreadsheet during the event to catch any gaps early.
• Watch your Zapier task quota. Each check-in uses at least 2 tasks (trigger + action). See the Zapier cost breakdown for planning.
• Have a backup plan for attendees whose phones do not support NFC (rare but possible).

Next steps link

• Read the Zapier integration guide for detailed setup instructions
• See the developer guide examples for variations like adding Slack notifications
• Explore other use cases for more Kitetags ideas