Use Gate Control to admit guests, collect attendance in conference rooms, or scan tickets for data collection at trade show booths.
Quick Start
Each ticket is issued with one unique code. The same code is printed on the ticket as readable numbers and is also encoded as a QR code and a barcode, so gate staff can scan it or type it manually.
Use Ticket admission in Gate Control to scan tickets as guests arrive. A valid ticket is accepted and marked as used. Invalid tickets, refunded tickets, tickets for another event, and duplicate copies of a ticket that was already admitted are rejected.
To scan, go to Control Panel > Events & Venues > Gate Control, or open https://blog.ticketor.com/gate on the scanning phone, tablet, or laptop. You can also install the Ticketor Gate app from Google Play or App Store.
Scan this QR code to open Gate Control:
If the app asks for the website, enter blog.ticketor.com, then log in with your administrator or gate controller email and password.
Select one event, or select multiple events in the web app, then go to the Camera tab and scan the ticket QR code or barcode. Gate Control checks tickets against the selected event or events. Watch and listen for the result: an accepted ticket shows a success message and success beep; an invalid or duplicate ticket shows a rejection message and a longer rejection beep.
With multiple events selected, you can scan tickets across the selection. When online, attendee search and buyer information also cover the selected events. In Ticket admission mode, statistics include combined totals and a separate count for each event. Multi-event selection is currently available only in the web app; the native iOS and Android apps continue to support one event at a time.
You can also admit guests by searching their email, phone, name, or confirmation number. If needed, type the ticket code into the Barcode field manually, or use a Bluetooth or USB barcode scanner in keyboard/HID mode so the scanner reads the code and enters it into the box for faster scanning.
For larger parties in Ticket admission mode, after a valid online scan from the Barcode tab or Camera tab, use the Pull other tickets in the same purchase option to get the list of the remaining unscanned tickets from that purchase. Staff can then tap each listed ticket to admit the rest of the party faster. This option is currently available only through the web app.
For exit and re-entry, switch Gate Control in Ticket admission to Exiting mode and scan the guest's ticket as they leave. This removes the entered status so the same ticket can be scanned again when the guest returns. Switch back to Entering mode for normal admission.
Ticket admission and Attendance & data collection
- Ticket admission: Admit valid tickets and mark them as entered. Repeat entry scans are rejected as duplicates. Scan a ticket in Exiting mode to allow re-entry.
- Attendance & data collection: Check valid tickets without changing admission status. The ticket may get scanned multiple times, including after admission. Use this mode to collect attendance in conference rooms or data at trade show booths. Attendee search and buyer-information lookup require a server connection.
Grant either mode or both from the user's Roles & Permissions tab under Gate Controller. Existing users keep Ticket admission by default; Attendance & data collection must be granted explicitly. Organizer and event restrictions apply in either mode. See User roles and permissions for setup instructions.
Each time you open the web gate page, Ticket admission is selected if you have permission; otherwise Attendance & data collection is selected. Staff with both permissions can switch modes from Actions. In Attendance mode, a banner identifies the mode, and admission status, exit/re-entry controls, and the shortcut for admitting other tickets are hidden. Returning to Ticket admission resets scanning to Entering mode.
Recording and reporting attendance
To save attendance records, enable Store audit information for entries, exits, and attendance scans in the event or booking editor and scan in Online mode. Every valid attendance scan then creates a separate audit record, including repeated scans of the same ticket. If auditing is disabled, the ticket can still be checked, but no attendance record is saved.
Use a separate scanning account for each room or booth to identify where attendance or data was collected. In the Gate & Scan Report, select the event and use Scan mode to choose All modes, Ticket admission, or Attendance & data collection. Use Scanned by to select a scanning account. Selecting Attendance or a scanning user includes audit records automatically. Admitted and Not admitted refer to ticket admission status. The filtered records can also be printed or exported.
If an Online attendance request fails, the local ticket check does not confirm that attendance was recorded. Check the error message and retry when the connection is restored.
Mode switching is currently available in the web app; dedicated Attendance controls for Android and iOS will follow. Older apps use Ticket admission for accounts with admission permission. Online scans from attendance-only accounts automatically use Attendance; exit scanning and admission status are rejected.
Additional Details
To learn about compatible equipment and to purchase one, see Find / Buy Box-Office and Scanning Equipment. To learn about kiosk mode (single app / pinned mode), see Running the Gate Control and POS app in kiosk mode.
How ticket validation works
Gate Control compares each scanned code against the selected events' valid ticket lists. Ticket admission also checks whether the ticket has already entered; Attendance & data collection accepts valid tickets regardless of admission status.
- Invalid Tickets: Fraudulent tickets, refunded tickets, or tickets for another event or performance.
- Duplicate Tickets: In Ticket admission mode, a ticket already marked as entered is rejected. Repeated valid scans are allowed in Attendance & data collection mode.
After a valid admission scan, the code is marked as used so duplicate copies cannot be admitted. In Online mode, all gate devices sync with the server so a scan at one gate is reflected at the other gates.
To learn more, read this article.
Validation methods
Method 1: Admission List
For small events with a single gate, print the Admission List from Control Panel > Reports > Admission List. Read each ticket’s numeric code, find it on the list, and check it off.
Method 2: Gate Control on a device
Use a smartphone, tablet, or laptop (the "device") with our scanning app, using either the device camera or an optional Bluetooth/USB barcode scanner.
Access and roles
Log in with an account that has Administrator, Reporter, Gate Controller, or Event Organizer access to Gate Control. The selected scanning mode must also be enabled in the user's permissions.
- Administrators and Reporters can scan all events.
- Event Organizers can scan only events they organize.
- Gate Controllers may scan all events or may be restricted to events for certain Event Organizers.
If prompted to allow the website to save data to your device, allow it. This enables loading even without internet.
Scanner and camera notes
Cameras can scan from printed tickets and from the buyer's phone display. QR codes usually scan faster and more reliably than barcodes, so use QR when possible.
External Bluetooth or USB scanners can be faster than a camera. Use a scanner that can read the barcode or QR code and transmit the value as plain text to the device (HID/keyboard mode). 2D scanners read both barcodes and QR codes; 1D scanners read barcodes only.
To test an external scanner, open any app with a text field, activate the field, and scan a ticket. The code should appear as plain text.
Behind the scene / Fast primary result / Emergency network outage
When you open Gate Control, the device downloads the latest valid codes and entry status. Admission scans update entry status in your local copy. Attendance scans leave entry status unchanged.
Fast validation:Each scan shows an instant primary result using local data (light green/red), then confirms with the server for the final validation and changes the color to darker green/red (final result). On slow networks you can usually rely on the primary result.
Emergency network outage:If the network drops, you can continue scanning using locally stored data. It can validate tickets and detect duplicates to some extent.
Offline validation:
If you do not have reliable internet at the gate, you can use Offline mode with some limitations.
In the web app, Offline Attendance & data collection accepts tickets recognized in the downloaded data, including tickets already admitted or assigned to another admission gate number. It does not change admission status, save audit records, or upload attendance scans after reconnecting. Older iOS and Android apps cannot download Offline data for attendance-only accounts. The gate-number instructions below apply to Ticket admission.
After selecting the event, choose "Offline" as the validation method.
Select the "Number of gates". All devices must use the same value.
Assign each device a gate number (Gate #1, Gate #2, etc.) and label devices accordingly.
With multiple gates in Offline mode, each gate admits only a subset of tickets (a range) to help detect duplicates. Each ticket shows a "G" value (G1 to G10) under the barcode. The system tells you which G values each gate admits. Post signs so guests enter through the correct gate based on their G value.
Click "Download data" to download valid codes to your device.
Notes:
- Download/refresh data after ticket changes are complete. You can keep selling tickets after downloading data.
- Do not reload data after scanning begins, or entry history will be overwritten and duplicates may be missed.
- In Offline mode, returns/refunds should be disabled after downloading data.
Best practice at the gate:
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For medium and large events, speed is critical. Assign a separate staff member (often with a larger tablet) to handle exceptions so the main line keeps moving.
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Scanning with one hand: Recommended Bluetooth scanners can attach to the back of a phone. You can use double tape such as Scotch® Reusable Tapes.
Testing with real tickets:
Test scanning by purchasing tickets and later voiding the invoice and returning the tickets, or test with existing orders from the reports.
To un-scan tickets, you have two options:
1- Switch to 'Exit Mode' and scan the same tickets to mark them as not entered.
2- Edit the event and use 'Reset the scan result' from the details tab.
Reporting the scanned tickets:
1- The Control Panel > Reports > Scan Report Shows each ticket and its latest scan time (one row per attendee). If audit records are enabled, it can show all entry/exit scans.
2- The Control Panel > Reports > Sold Tickets report includes a 'Scanned' column showing whether (and when) a ticket was scanned.
Note: By default, only the last scan time is recorded. Enable audit records on the event to record every entry/exit scan and the gate controller user.
