Gracely has two ways to check children in. Most churches just want to record who showed up — that's regular check-in, and it works on every plan. If you need guardian drop-off with printed labels and pickup codes, that's secure child check-in, a Pro feature. This article explains both.
Regular check-in (every plan)
Children are regular attendees. To check one in:
Open the event from the Calendar.
Go to the Attendees tab.
Click Check in to open the check-in screen.
Find the child (search by name, or click Check in next to their name).
That's it — the check-in is saved with a timestamp. No labels are printed, and no pickup code is generated.
Secure child check-in (Pro)
Secure child check-in adds guardian drop-off with printed labels and a matching pickup code, so a child is only released to an authorized adult. It runs only when both of these are true:
Secure child check-in is enabled on the event (Enable secure child check-in toggle when creating the event), and
Your church is entitled (on the Pro plan or an active trial).
If either isn't true, children simply check in plainly with no labels — exactly like regular check-in.
How the secure flow works:
Enable it on the event. When creating the event, turn on Enable secure child check-in.
Open check-in. From the Calendar, open the event, go to the Attendees tab, and click Check in. When secure check-in is active, the screen splits out a Secure checked in group from regular check-ins.
Check the child in. Select the child (or add a walk-in). For walk-in children you'll first collect the guardian's name, email, and phone. Verify or update emergency contact and medical notes (allergies, conditions) so the record is accurate.
Labels print automatically. Two labels print:
Child label — the child's name, event location, check-in time, and a QR code.
Guardian label — the child's name, a matching security/pickup code, event details, and a QR code.
Confirmation email. The guardian receives an email with the child's name, event details, and the unique pickup code that matches the printed guardian label.
Secure pick-up. At pickup, the guardian presents the matching code. Staff verify it against the child's label before releasing the child.
Note: Labels and pickup codes only appear in the secure flow. If you don't see labels, the event probably doesn't have secure child check-in enabled, or your plan isn't entitled. See Secure child check-in explained and Check-in troubleshooting.
Tip: Make sure your label printer is connected and its driver is installed before the event. See Setting Up Label Printing for Secure Child Check-In.
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