Thinking visitor management the anny way
With visitor management, anny maps the physical reception process digitally. The central principle: every building or floor is a resource, every visit type a booking option, and the people who receive guests are hosts in a community.
Your guests register through the booking area (booking page or directly at the terminal). You manage everything in the admin area (resources, bookings, displays, communities).
Step-by-step setup
1
Create a resource
Open Resources and create a new resource with the Building category. Name it after the building or floor (e.g. “Main building”). Under Availability, set it to Multiple availability and set the number to the maximum simultaneous visitor capacity. Under Check-In, enable check-in for this resource.
2
Create a booking option
Create one or more booking options for the resource (e.g. “Student advising” with a fixed duration, “Study space booking” with a flexible duration). Make sure the price is set to free and that under Advanced settings the option Automatically accept all bookings is enabled.
3
Enable the host query in the form
Open the booking option and switch to the Forms tab. Enable the host query as a required field. Optional: define which information is shown in the result list (full name, department, profile picture).
4
Create a host community
Navigate to Customers → Communities and create a new community (e.g. “Hosts”). Add all people who can receive visitors as a host. Link the community to the booking option via access.
5
Set up the terminal
Set up a Check-In terminal according to the article Set Up a Check-In Terminal. Choose the mode Personalized registration & Check-In, so that both pre-registered guests can check in via QR code and spontaneous guests can register on-site.
6
Enable host notifications
In the organization settings under notifications, enable the SMS notification for hosts at check-in. Optional: configure anny AI so the host also receives a call and can pass a message to the guest by SMS (e.g. “I’ll be with you in 2 minutes”).
7
Test
Create a test booking with a host. Check in at the terminal via QR code and check whether the host is notified by SMS or call and whether (if configured) a badge is printed.
Typical examples
Company with reception: pre-registered and spontaneous visitors
Company with reception: pre-registered and spontaneous visitors
A company wants employees to be able to invite guests in advance via the booking page (with a QR code by email), but also wants spontaneous visitors to be able to register at reception.
1
Resource and booking option
Resource “Reception, ground floor” with the Building category, flexible duration, free, automatically accept.
2
Internal booking page
Set the booking option to Visible and bookable for community only, so only employees (hosts) can invite guests. Under Forms, enable the option Require personalization, so the host personalizes the booking for the guest and the guest receives the QR code.
3
Terminal with registration
Mode: Personalized registration & Check-In. Pre-registered guests scan their code, spontaneous guests enter their data at the terminal.
Office complex with reception check-in and host call
Office complex with reception check-in and host call
An office complex wants guests to check in at reception and the assigned host to be informed immediately by call so they can pick up the guest.
1
Resource and booking option
Resource “Reception, ground floor” with the Building category, flexible duration, free, automatically accept. Enable the host query as a required field.
2
Host notification by call
In the organization settings, enable the SMS notification at check-in. Configure anny AI for the automatic call to the host at check-in.
3
Terminal at reception
Mode: Personalized registration & Check-In. The guest checks in, the host receives a call immediately and can tell the guest by SMS: “I’ll be with you in 2 minutes.”
Additional settings & options
Badge printing
Print visitor badges with name, company and host directly at check-in. Configure the printer and template in the terminal setup for a smooth reception.Learn more
Legal documents at check-in
Have NDAs, disclaimers or privacy statements confirmed only at check-in, by checkbox or digital signature, before guests enter.Learn more
Custom forms at check-in
Ask for extra visitor data (e.g. license plate, purpose of visit) only at check-in instead of during the checkout process itself.Learn more
Outlook add-in
Register visitors directly from Outlook and sync appointments with anny, without having to open the booking page at all.Learn more
FAQ
Which category must the resource have?
Which category must the resource have?
For visitor management, the resource must use the Building category. This category is a requirement for the visitor registration at the terminal to work correctly.
Which mode do I choose at the terminal?
Which mode do I choose at the terminal?
Personalized registration & Check-In for pre-registered and spontaneous guests. Check-In (without registration) if only pre-registered guests are allowed.
How are hosts notified at check-in?
How are hosts notified at check-in?
Hosts can be informed by email, push notification, SMS and optionally by an anny AI call. SMS and call must be enabled in the organization settings.
Can multiple participants be invited in one booking?
Can multiple participants be invited in one booking?
Yes. During booking, multiple participants can be invited. Each person receives their own QR code for check-in.
Can the host send the guest a message at check-in?
Can the host send the guest a message at check-in?
Yes. If anny AI is configured and the guest has stored a mobile number, the host can have an SMS passed to the guest through the AI flow (e.g. “I’ll pick you up in 2 minutes”).