Check-In Sections
What Is a Check-In Section?
The Check-In section is the entry point of every class. It is always the first section. When a guest visits a class URL, this is the first screen they see. Guests enter their email address to start the class. No account or password is required.
The Check-In section creates a check-in record that links the guest's identity to all their activity in that class. Everything they submit in subsequent sections — form answers, test results, video prompt responses, and branch selections — is recorded under this check-in.
What the Admin Configures
The Check-In section has minimal configuration because the email capture is a fixed, required field that cannot be changed. What you can customize:
Title
Click the section title to open the title modal and rename it. This title appears as the heading guests see on the check-in screen.
Example titles: "Welcome!", "Get Started", "Register Here", "Check In to Membership Class"
Body Text
Click the body text area to open the rich text editor. Use this to add a welcome message, instructions, or any context guests should read before entering their email.
Example body text: "Enter your email below to start your Membership Class journey. Your progress will be saved."
What Guests See
Guests see: • The section title as a heading
• The body text (if any)
• An Email input field (required)
• A "Next" button (no back button on this first screen)
After entering their email and clicking "Next", guests are taken to a profile page where they enter their name and phone number.
The Check-In Flow
1. Guest visits the class URL
2. Guest enters their email on the Check-In screen
3. Guest enters their name and phone number (first-time), or confirms their saved profile (returning guest)
4. Guest proceeds into the class sections
Returning guests: If a guest has checked in before (under the same email), their name and phone are already on file. They see a confirmation screen showing their saved info. They can update it or proceed without changes.
30-day session window: OnArk reuses an existing check-in if the guest has one for this class within the last 30 days. After 30 days, a new check-in is created and the guest starts fresh. This is why a guest who returns after more than 30 days may see the class from the beginning.
Admin Preview Mode
When an admin opens a class link with ?preview=true, the Check-In screen requires the admin's own email address. This ensures that admin previews do not appear alongside real guest records. Preview check-ins are marked separately and can be filtered out in the Guest list.
Restrictions
The Check-In section cannot be: • Deleted
• Duplicated
• Moved (it is always the first section)
Every class has exactly one Check-In section.
Common Questions
Why is a guest being forced to start over when they return? Three common causes: (1) They are on your admin team — admin check-ins always start from the beginning by design. (2) They used a different email address, browser, or device. (3) Their original check-in was more than 30 days ago. Regular (non-admin) guests using the same email within 30 days should resume normally.
Does a guest check-in count toward my billing? Only non-admin guest check-ins count. Admin previews (including ?preview=true URLs) never count toward your billing limit. See Billing for plan details.
Can I remove the email field or make it optional? No. The email field is required for all guests and cannot be removed or made optional. It is how guests are identified across sessions.
What if a guest enters a different email each time they take the class? Each unique email creates a separate guest record. A guest who uses a different email will appear as a new guest in your database.
Can I capture phone numbers on the Check-In screen? Phone numbers are collected on the profile screen that follows the Check-In email step, not on the Check-In screen itself.
Can I add custom fields to the Check-In section? No. For custom data collection, add a Form section after the Check-In section.
What happens if a guest closes the browser partway through? A check-in record is created as soon as they submit their email. If they return later and enter the same email, they are recognized as a returning guest and their profile is pre-filled. Their progress is not automatically saved to the exact section they left on — they start the class again from the beginning.
Do guests need to create an OnArk account? No. Guests never create a login. They only enter their email (and any other info you ask for) on the check-in page. OnArk then remembers them for future classes and lets them resume the same class later.
Can guests see classes they've completed? There's no "my courses" dashboard for guests. They can return to any class link and see their results (assessment results, form answers) by checking in again with the same email.
How do I edit the check-in screen — can I change the button text or what info is required? The check-in page is required and the email field must stay. You can edit the instructional text in the course builder. The main button label and core behavior can be seen using Preview. Further customization of button text and field layout is limited — it's on our list for future improvements.
Does previewing or testing a course count as a check-in for billing? No. Admin previews (including ?preview=true URLs and the Preview button) never count toward billing. Only non-admin guest check-ins are counted.