Check-in Kiosk customers who use InformaCast Fusion can configure an integration that allows visitors to opt in during check-in and receive critical text notifications during their visit. This feature improves visitor safety and security, enabling them to receive alerts for weather or other security-related or critical events while they are checked-in. 


This article includes the prerequisites, setup, and configuration in Visitor Aware,  and distribution list confirmation in InformaCast. 


Prerequisites

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


Ensure you have set up the following:

  • Visitor Aware: 
    • Check-in Kiosk application to manage visitor check-ins
  • InformaCast Fusion: 
    • Set up a Distribution List and name it, for example, VA: Visitor Check-in Notifications. Visitor Aware will add visitors to the list when a visitor checks in, enables the Allow location-specific alerts toggle, and provides a valid SMS number. 

Steps

  1. From the Visitor Aware web application, go to System Settings > Settings > InformaCast Settings.  
  2. Click the Singlewire InformaCast button to launch the InformaCast Fusion login screen.
  3. Log in to your InformaCast provider.


Note: Once you’ve integrated, you’ll receive a confirmation message indicating you have logged in to InformaCast successfully. The Manage InformaCast Configuration page will display your settings. You can make changes to them on this page.



  1. From Visitor Aware, in the Manage InformaCast Configuration table, click the InformaCast Location dropdown menu and click the name of the Site in InformaCast site that matches the Location in Visitor Aware.

For example, if your location name is "Florida Capital" in Visitor Aware and the site name is "Florida Cap" in InformaCast, you would choose Florida Cap from the InformaCast Location dropdown menu.



  1. From the InformaCast Distribution List dropdown menu, click the InformaCast Distribution List you created for your Visitor Aware SMS text notifications.


Note: An InformaCast Distribution List is a way to group users (and devices) for sending notifications, and can include reaching them in a number of ways, including SMS text messages. You can use distribution lists to target the recipient groups for your notifications.


  1. Repeat this process to add more locations and match distribution lists as needed.

Test 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 has already performed a background check 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 toggle for Location-specific alerts while you are checked in?, and add a phone number.


  1. Tap the Check In button.


Verify the User in InformaCast Fusion

  1. Go back to InformaCast Fusion and log in (if you are not logged in).
  2. From the left navigation in the search bar, type Distribution Lists.
  3. Click the Distribution Lists link. 
  4. On the List Distribution Lists page, in the search bar type the name of the distribution list you created for use with Visitor Aware check-ins, or scroll down to find 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. 

Note: If a visitor checks in using a phone number on file but with another name, the system adds the visitor’s name and phone number of the user currently checking in, which enables them to receive location-specific alerts during their visit. 


  1. Click the user’s name from the list.
  2. In the SMS field, verify a phone number exists for the visitor.

Note: When visitors add phone numbers to enable location-specific alerts, they will receive a confirmation text. Upon replying “yes" they will receive an additional confirmation text.


Note: Visitor Aware includes a setting to check out all  visitors at a specified time of the daily (for example, 12:00 a.m.).


Recommended: Review the distribution list daily to verify all visitors are checked-out.

Once checked-out, the system removes the user from the distribution list, which prevents them from receiving additional notifications after their departure.