Organizations using InformaCast Fusion for emergency notifications can allow visitors to receive critical text notifications on their mobile devices. This integration ensures that visitors can opt-in for location-specific alerts for weather, security, or other important notifications during their time checked-in and on-site.


Prerequisites

Contact Singlewire sales to request an InformaCast Fusion integration or learn more about InformaCast Fusion. In addition:

  • Visitor Aware Check-in Kiosk application is configured
  • InformaCast Fusion is set up and operational
  • A Distribution List in InformaCast Fusion for Visitor Aware notifications to visitors

Considerations

  • When a visitor checks in and provides a phone number while enabling the Allow location-specific alerts toggle, Visitor Aware adds them to the designated InformaCast Distribution List
  • Visitors who provide phone numbers for alerts will receive an initial confirmation text. They must reply Yes to this text to receive further alerts.
  • (Optional, recommended) Visitor Aware includes a setting to automatically check out all visitors daily at a specified time (e.g. 12:00 a.m.). If a visitor does not check out, they will not be removed from the distribution list automatically.
    Note: You can manage the setting to clear the distribution list at a set time in System Settings | Visitor Settings | General.

  • Once a visitor checks out, the system removes them from the distribution list, preventing them from receiving additional notifications after their departure
    Note: Regularly review the Distribution List in InformaCast to verify that all visitors are checked out and are not receiving alerts after they’ve checked out

Steps

  1. From the Visitor Aware web application, navigate to System Settings | Settings | InformaCast Settings.
  2. To launch the InformaCast Fusion login screen, click the Singlewire InformaCast button.

  1. Log in to your InformaCast provider. A confirmation message will indicate a successful login. The Manage InformaCast Configuration page displays your settings, where you can make changes.
    Note: If you are unable to log in to InformaCast successfully, submit a support request to enable the InformaCast integration.

  2. From Visitor Aware, in the Manage InformaCast Configuration table, click the InformaCast Location dropdown menu.

  3. In the Location field, click Visitor Aware site name. In the InformaCast Site dropdown menu, select the matching InformaCast site name.

  1. From the InformaCast Distribution List dropdown menu, click the InformaCast Distribution List you created for your Visitor Aware SMS text notifications to visitors.
  2. Repeat this process to add more locations and match distribution lists as needed.

Testing the Configuration 

  1. Return to the Visitor Aware app on your device.
  2. Tap the Visitors button. 
  3. Sign the Conditions of Entry screen, and tap the I agree button if presented. 
  4. Tap the Check In button.
  5. Follow the prompt to take your photo and tap the Take Your Photo button. 

Note: If Visitor Aware previously performed visitor screening procedures using your driver's license, you may not be required to present your driver's license again. 

  1. On the check-in screen, enable the Allow Location-specific alerts? toggle and add a phone number.
  2. Tap the Check In button.
  3. Check your SMS device to confirm you received a text.

Verifying the User in InformaCast Fusion

  1. Return to InformaCast Fusion and log in (if not already logged in).
  2. From the left navigation, click Recipients | Distribution Lists.
  3. Click the Distribution Lists link.
  4. On the List Distribution Lists page, search for the name of the distribution list you created for Visitor Aware check-ins, or scroll to locate it.
  5. Click the Distribution List name from the list.
  6. Click the Users tab.
  7. Use the search bar to search for the user’s name, or scroll to find the name in the list.
  8. Click the user’s name from the list.
  9. In the SMS field, verify a phone number exists for the visitor.