Guest and Visitor Management Overview

Last updated: August 28, 2026

The guest and visitor management module helps housing departments track and manage campus visitors from invitation to check-out. Residents create digital invitations with QR codes, operations staff check guests in and out at the front desk, and administrators configure policies and oversee all visitor activity.

This system replaces paper sign-in sheets and manual tracking with automated workflows that improve security, streamline front desk operations, and give administrators complete visibility into campus visitor patterns.

The guest management module must be enabled by Housing.Cloud support. Contact support to activate the GUEST_MANAGEMENT feature for your institution.

How the Module Works

The visitor workflow spans three portals and involves three user types:

Residents create invitations through the resident portal. They enter visitor details, select dates and times, and send digital invitations via email or SMS. Each invitation includes a unique QR code.

Operations Staff check guests in and out using the operations portal. When a visitor arrives, staff scan the QR code, verify identification, complete any required forms, and notify the host resident.

Housing Administrators configure policies, manage forms, view all visitor activity, and ban individuals who violate campus policies. All visitor data exports to CSV for reporting and compliance.

Complete Visitor Workflow

A typical visitor experience follows these stages:

Invitation Created — Resident logs into the portal, clicks Visitors in the left navigation menu, and creates a new invitation with visitor details and visit dates. The system validates the invitation against configured schedules and duration limits.

Invitation Sent — The visitor receives an email and/or SMS containing visit details and a link to their QR code. The invitation status changes to Invited.

Guest Arrives — The visitor arrives at the front desk during their scheduled time and presents the QR code on their phone or printed.

Check-In — Front desk staff scan the QR code, verify the visitor's photo ID, complete any required check-in forms, and click Check In. The host resident receives a notification that their guest has arrived.

Visit Occurs — The guest visits the resident. The invitation status shows Checked-In.

Check-Out — When the guest leaves, staff scan the QR code again and click Check Out. Alternatively, the system automatically checks out the guest at the scheduled departure time if auto-checkout is enabled.

Who Uses Each Portal

Resident Portal

Students and residents use this portal to invite guests. Capabilities include:

Create new invitations with single or multiple visitors
Select arrival and departure dates within allowed schedules
Answer custom questions configured by housing staff
View upcoming and past invitations
Cancel invitations before guests arrive
Receive notifications when guests check in

Residents must have the canInviteVisitors permission enabled on their profile. Housing administrators can disable this permission for individual residents on conduct probation or with housing agreement restrictions.

Operations/Staff Portal

Front desk staff, RAs, and operations personnel use this portal to manage arrivals and departures. Capabilities include:

Scan QR codes to check guests in and out
Search for visitors by name or host
View all currently checked-in guests
Review upcoming visitor arrivals
Notify hosts when guests are waiting
Complete check-in forms and waivers
Export visitor lists for shift reports

Staff need the checkInGuests permission to perform check-ins and check-outs. The viewGuestManagement permission allows viewing visitor records without check-in capabilities.

Admin Portal

Housing administrators use this portal for configuration and oversight. Capabilities include:

Configure visitor policies (hours, schedules, duration limits)
Create and manage invitation and check-in forms
View complete visitor history and visit counts
Ban and unban visitors who violate policies
Export visitor data for compliance reporting
Set exclusion dates when visitors aren't allowed
Customize email templates sent to guests
Control which residents can invite visitors

The manageGuestManagement permission grants full administrative access. The banVisitors permission is typically restricted to senior housing staff.

Key Features

QR Code Check-In

Each invitation generates a unique QR code. Visitors present this code at the front desk for fast, contactless check-in. The code contains the invitation details and cannot be duplicated or shared between visits.

Visitor Schedules and Restrictions

Administrators configure when visitors are allowed on campus using visitorSchedule settings. You can set allowed days and time slots, then add exclusion dates for finals week, breaks, or special events. Residents cannot create invitations outside these windows.

Duration Limits

The maxInvitationTimeInHours setting controls how long a single visit can last. The default is 48 hours for overnight guests. Residents see an error if they try to create longer invitations.

Multiple Guests per Invitation

Residents can invite multiple people for the same visit dates. This is useful for family visits or group events. Each visitor receives their own QR code, but all share the same arrival and departure schedule.

Custom Forms

Housing administrators create custom forms for two points in the workflow. The Guest Invitation Form appears when residents create invitations and collects information like vehicle details or emergency contacts. The Guest Check-In Form appears when staff check in visitors and captures liability waivers or health attestations.

Automatic Check-Out

Enable the autoCheckOut setting to automatically check out guests at their scheduled departure time. This keeps visitor lists accurate without requiring staff to manually process check-outs.

Banning Visitors

Administrators can ban individuals who violate campus policies. Banned visitors cannot receive new invitations, and their status appears as Banned across all portals. The ban includes a required reason field for record-keeping.

Notifications

The system sends automatic notifications at key points:

GUEST_INVITATION_REQUESTED — Sent to visitor when resident creates invitation
GUEST_ARRIVED — Sent to host when operations staff complete check-in
GUEST_WAITING — Sent to host if staff click "Notify Host" before check-in

Notifications deliver via in-app alerts, email, and SMS based on user preferences.

Reporting and Exports

All visitor lists export to CSV for reporting. Exports include visitor names, contact information, hosts, check-in and check-out times, visit counts, and current status. Use exports for occupancy tracking, security audits, and compliance documentation.

Visitor Status Definitions

Each invitation and visitor shows one of these statuses:

Invited — Invitation created and sent, guest has not arrived
Checked-In — Guest currently on campus after front desk check-in
Checked-Out — Guest has left campus (manually or automatically)
Canceled — Host canceled the invitation before guest arrived
Banned — Visitor is not allowed on campus per administrator action

Required Permissions

Access to guest management features is controlled by these permissions:

viewGuestManagement — View visitor lists, invitations, and details
manageGuestManagement — Configure policies, forms, and all settings
checkInGuests — Scan QR codes and perform check-ins/check-outs
banVisitors — Ban and unban individuals from campus
canInviteVisitors — Resident-level permission to create invitations

Permissions are assigned through role configuration in the admin portal.

Common Use Cases

Overnight Guests

Residents invite parents, siblings, or friends for weekend visits. The 48-hour default limit accommodates most overnight stays. Staff check guests in Friday evening and check them out Sunday afternoon.

Day Visitors

Residents invite guests for shorter visits like lunch or study sessions. Set a shorter maxInvitationTimeInHours if your policy restricts day visitors to specific hours.

Event Guests

For residence hall events, residents use the multiple-guest feature to invite several people at once. All guests check in together and share the same departure time.

Family Weekends

During high-traffic periods like family weekend, staff use the upcoming visitors list to prepare for arrival surges. QR code scanning speeds up check-in during peak times.

Compliance Reporting

Administrators export visitor data monthly or quarterly for occupancy reports, security audits, or policy compliance documentation required by campus safety departments.

Getting Started

To implement guest management at your institution:

Enable the Feature — Contact Housing.Cloud support to activate the GUEST_MANAGEMENT feature flag for your institution.

Configure Policies — Click Visitors in the admin portal navigation, then click Configuration to set your visitor schedule, duration limits, exclusion dates, and auto-checkout preference.

Create Forms — Navigate to Setup → Forms → Guest Forms in the admin portal to build custom invitation and check-in forms that collect required information.

Set Permissions — Assign checkInGuests permission to front desk staff and RAs. Grant manageGuestManagement to housing administrators.

Train Staff — Show operations staff how to scan QR codes and complete check-ins. Provide residents with guidance on creating invitations.

Test the Workflow — Have a test resident create an invitation, then walk through the full check-in and check-out process with staff.