3.7 Scanning badges at partner events

At certain exhibitions, your team can scan visitor badges to capture contact details instantly. Here’s how it works and what to expect.

What is badge scanning?

Badge scanning uses the QR code printed on visitor badges at partner exhibitions. When your team scans a badge, Helpie reads the QR code and fetches the visitor’s registration data from the organiser’s server.

This is different from business card scanning. Badge scanning pulls data from a central database. Card scanning reads text from a physical card using AI.

Where is badge scanning available?

Badge scanning is available at exhibitions organised by our partner organisers. Currently, this includes all Messe München India (MMI) exhibitions in India and South Africa — around 25 events.

At non-partner events, badge scanning is not available. Your team uses the business card scanner or manual entry instead.

How it works

1. In the app, tap Scan Badge on the New Interaction screen.

2. Point the camera at the QR code on the visitor’s badge.

3. Company name, visitor name, and job title appear immediately from the QR code data.

4. Email and phone number are fetched from the organiser’s server. This requires an internet connection.

What if email and phone don’t appear?

Two possible reasons:

• Poor connectivity — The first three fields (company, name, job title) come from the QR code instantly. Email and phone require a server call. If internet is weak, Helpie keeps trying in the background. The data will populate once connectivity improves.

• Organiser didn’t collect it — Some visitors provide minimal information during registration. If the organiser’s database doesn’t have their email or phone, Helpie can’t fetch it. Ask the visitor for a business card as a fallback.

Which badges can be scanned?

Only badges marked GUEST are accessible through Helpie’s badge scanner.

Do not scan these badge types — they will not return data:

• Exhibitor badges

• VIP badges

• Buyer badges

• Delegate badges

• Organiser badges

If a visitor has one of these non-GUEST badges but you still want to capture their details, scan their business card instead.

Scan Card vs Scan Badge — when to use which

• Use Scan Badge when: You’re at a partner event, the visitor has a GUEST badge, and you have reasonable internet connectivity.

• Use Scan Card when: You’re at a non-partner event, the visitor doesn’t have a GUEST badge, internet connectivity is poor, or you want to capture details from a business card directly.

Both methods work. Many users switch between them during the same event depending on the situation.

Pro tip: Always seek the visitor’s permission before scanning their badge. Privacy matters.

Next steps

• How the business card scanner works (3.8)

• How offline mode and data sync work (2.9)

Still need help?

Email us at prioritysupport@helpie.io or call +91 98206 08561.