With Photo Party Upload, you have the ability to have your guests share automatically with a swipe of an RFID bracelet. It's a very powerful feature that dramatically speeds up share time (our largest RFID event had 30,000 guests!), but it does take time to configure and order equipment. If you want to have RFID at your event, please give yourself at least 6 weeks for your customized RFID tags/bracelets and readers to be shipped. The rest of the RFID configuration can be completed relatively quickly.
This tutorial will go over the basics of setting up your RFID event, and provide links to more in depth instruction for each topic. Let's get started!
What is RFID?
RFID (radio-frequency identification) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects or people.
In our case, RFID tags are in bracelets given to guests. Those tags have a unique identifier that the RFID readers will be able to read when the tag is swiped close enough to the reader. Each unique identifier is connected to a guests' registration information (Email address, phone number, Facebook account, etc.), so they can simply select their share method and off it goes! No need to enter in an email address, or Facebook login and password, etc., for every single share.
Equipment You Need
As explained earlier, each RFID event will need RFID tags and readers. You can purchase them directly from us, and information on how to purchase can be found in the tutorial HERE.
The amount of tags you have to purchase will depend on the number of guests at your event (we recommend getting several extra for testing and spares).
The amount of RFID readers you have to purchase depends on how many sharing stations, registration stations, and check-in stations you want to have at your event. Each RFID reader will be connected via USB to a PC that's running either PBU, PPU Kiosk, the RFID registration app, or just Helper if it's a check-in station.
Setting Up the Event
1. Guest Registration
Your guests will need a way to register their email address, phone number, social media logins, name, and other demographic information. They can do so at the event at registration stations, or they can access a website before the event and pre-register there.
Option 1) On-site registration. At your event, you would set up a few registration stations for your guests. Each guest would enter their info at the station, then scan an RFID tag to link that info to that tag. Each registration computer would need a RFID reader connected via USB. You can download the RFID registration app from the Event Manager web page on the upper right above the Profile link, or simply click HERE.
Option 2) Pre-registration. In Event Manager, you can setup a website where people can enter their info. You can send your guests a link to the registration page before the event. When they register, they get a 6 digit code displayed on the screen and emailed to them. At the event, the guest would still go to a registration station, but simply input their 6 digit code to connect their info to an RFID tag. This system allows for a lot more guests to move quickly through registration. If some guests didn't complete the pre-registration, they can still register fully at the registration stations.
The registration page is configured in Event Manager under the RFID Registration tab. Simply click Add new RFID registration and fill out the email section. The email will contain the registration confirmation and code. The registration page will use our default template, but you can edit the HTML from that page with our template. You can find more information on the registration page and email HERE.
Once you've configure your registration page and email to your liking, click Save at the bottom of the configuration page.
Note: If you don't have internet at your event, you will have to do all registration locally. All features (except web registration) will be available to you, but the sharing Kiosks must be connected to the same Helper in which the registration took place. In this case you will likely only have one Helper serving all registration stations, photo booths, and sharing stations. If you need more, you'll have to manually copy the Helper database to other Helper computers after all registrations are complete, or periodically throughout your event. All shares and check-ins will be queued, and can be sent when the Helper PCs are connected to the internet.
2. Check-in Stations
With our RFID system, we also have the ability for guests to check-in to stations with a swipe of their RFID tag. These stations can post a message to social media, send an email, a text message, check-in to Facebook, or like a Facebook page. The guest is unable to customize any of these posts, as all they do is swipe and the post is made.
To create check-in station, log in to Event Manager and click the RFID Stations tab. On the new page, click Add New RFID Station and you'll be presented with the configuration page. Give your station a unique name (e.g. Facebook Check-in 1), and write a description about that particular station. A unique name and description will help you keep track of each station and what it does.
Below that, you can select what the check-in station will do. Select all the options you want, and customize the fields that are presented.
Note: The Instagram feature will only work if the guest registers on the registration app at the event. The guest cannot save their Instagram information through the pre-registration web page.
Click Save at the bottom of the page once you're done customizing it.
3. Event Settings
In your event settings in Event Manager, you will enable RFID under Extras > RFID. Select your registration page from the drop down list, and select any RFID check-in stations you want to use at your event. Configure all your other event options as you would normally, and submit your event. All registration data will connected to our database via this event and the Helper.
At the Event
Registration Stations
Before your guests arrive at the event, set up your registration stations with a PC running the registration app connected to a Helper with your RFID event selected. Make sure you have an RFID reader connected to each registration station via USB. We recommend you have an attendant at the RFID registration stations to help guests when they arrive, and to hand out RFID tags/bracelets to each guest. You can find a more in depth guide to the registration app HERE.
Check-in Stations
Your RFID check-in stations will need a PC with the Helper running, and a USB RFID reader. You'll select the specific station you want to use in the Helper configure menu in the Selected RFID station dropdown list, which is just below your selected event. If you're not using a PC for a check-in station, you should set the Selected RFID station to Disabled.
PBU
On a photo booth running PBU, you can enable RFID sharing before the photo is taken or after it is taken. You can also use PBU to register a guest's RFID information, but it's much more efficient to do so at a registration station. To learn more about RFID with PBU, see the tutorial HERE.
PPU Kiosk
On a PPU Kiosk with RFID enabled, a guest can select multiple images as normal, and share with a swipe of the RFID tag. You can also register a guest at the Kiosk after they select their photos. One of the best features is the ability to show only the media associated with the RFID tag that is swiped. The RFID number is saved in the filename of photos/videos/GIFs if you capture it with PBU, and with that info, the Kiosk can display media that matches the swiped tag. For more information on using RFID with Kiosk, have a look at our tutorial HERE.
That's it for the overview of our RFID system! Please have a look at our more detailed tutorials for the registration web page and email, registration app, RFID with PBU, and RFID with Kiosk.
RFID can be quite complex, but if set up properly, we're sure you'll have a wonderful event.