Every registrant has a QR code that identifies them in Brella. Attendees and sponsor representatives scan it to save a contact as a lead, and you can print it on badges or use it with a check-in system. Four settings decide who has a code, who can scan, and where the codes appear.
Before you start
You need to be an event admin or an organization admin.
Lead scanning works in the mobile app and in the web app. The web app needs camera access in the browser.
A registrant's QR code exists before they join. In an invite-only event you can export the codes and print them on badges; scanning a badge works even if the person never joins.
Where to find it
Event switch: Networking > Settings > Chat & lead scanning > Lead scanning.
Per list: People > Lists > Ticket type or Custom > list > Permissions & access > Lead scanning and Show QR code.
Per booth: Sponsors > booth > Lead scanning.
Invite card and email: People > Settings > Event access > Invites settings > Show QR code on invites; Communications > Email Settings > QR Code for Invite emails.
Export: People > Settings > Export > Export registrants (.csv).
Turn lead scanning on
Open Networking > Settings.
Under Chat & lead scanning, turn on Lead scanning. It is off by default. The description reads "Allow attendees and sponsors to connect and add leads by scanning QR codes."
With the switch off, the app shows no QR Code tab to anyone, so nobody can show or scan a code. Keep it on if you use the codes for check-in.
Decide who can scan and who has a code
Open a list under People > Lists and its Permissions & access tab.
Permission | What it does | Default on ticket type lists |
Lead scanning | "Members can scan and collect leads." Members can use the Scan QR Code sub-tab and get the Scans sub-tab under People and the Scans shortcut on Networking. | On |
Show QR code | "Members can share their profile via a QR code." Members get the My Code sub-tab, and their QR code shows on their invite card. | On |
Custom lists can set each permission to Not set, Off or On. A custom list overrides the ticket type list; see How permissions work when someone is on several lists.
An attendee can scan when all of these are true:
Lead scanning is on for the event.
Enable networking resolves to on for them, and they haven't opted out of networking.
Lead scanning resolves to on for them. Exception for sponsor representatives: the booth's Lead scanning switch decides instead. A representative of a booth with lead scanning on can scan even if their lists say off; a representative whose booths all have it off can't scan even if their lists say on.
An attendee has a QR code to show when Show QR code resolves to on for them. Someone whose lists allow scanning but not Show QR code can scan others but has no My Code sub-tab.
Show the QR code on invites and in invitation emails
For invite-only events you can put the registrant's code where they see it before joining.
People > Settings > Event access > Invites settings > Show QR code on invites: the code appears on the invite card in the app, if Show invites in Brella apps is on, the invite has one seat and the registrant's list has Show QR code on. Attendees tap the code to enlarge it.
Communications > Email Settings > QR Code for Invite emails: the invitation email contains the code as an image. Not added for virtual events or for registrants whose attendance type resolves to Virtual.
Custom invitation emails can include the code with the QR Code block of the visual editor, or start from the template Basic invite template 02 (QR code included).
Print the codes on badges
Open People > Settings and select Export registrants (.csv). Brella emails you the file.
Use the
qr_stringcolumn. Generate a QR code from each value with your badge printing system or a QR code generator, and print it on the badge.
The value has the form brella_invite_id=<id>&brella_invite_token=<code> for registrants who haven't joined, and stays valid after they join. A registrant who joined a public event without an invite has brella_attendee_id=<id>.
If your registration or badge system already prints its own QR codes, you can store that value on the registrant instead. The Integration API's invite endpoints accept external_qr_string, and the Brella scanner recognizes it. The value must be unique in the event, up to 255 characters, and must not look like a Brella code. The export shows it in the external_qr_string column, and qr_string then returns it instead of the Brella value.
What happens when someone scans
The scanner reads Brella codes from the app and from badges. For any other code it asks Brella whether a registrant has that
external_qr_string. If still unknown and the code is a web address, the app offers to open it.Scanning the badge of a person who hasn't joined saves the registrant's registered details as a lead. If the person joins later, the lead points to their attendee profile.
Scanning a joined attendee saves their profile as a lead.
Sponsor representatives' scans go to the booth's Scans in the admin panel, under Outbound scans. People who scan a representative appear under Inbound scans. Custom fields with Expose to Sponsors / Exhibitors on add a column to that table and to its export.
Attendees find their own scans under People > Scans in the app, or with the Scans shortcut at the top of Networking.
Use the codes for check-in
Brella has no check-in screen of its own. Two options:
Use the
qr_stringexport, orexternal_qr_stringvalues you set, in your check-in system. Each value identifies one registrant.Xtag: an in-person check-in integration under Integrations > Integration List. The card appears only when Brella has turned the Xtag integration on for you. With Integration enabled? on, registrants are synced to Xtag and Go to Xtag dashboard opens it. See Check in attendees with the Xtag integration.
What attendees see
With Lead scanning on, the QR Code tab appears for attendees who have a code or can scan. It has My Code (only if the attendee has a code) and Scan QR Code. My Code shows the attendee's name, company and code; What is this QR Code? opens a note titled Your Event ID.
Before joining, the invite card in My invites shows the code when Show QR code on invites is on.
On Scan QR Code, attendees who can't scan see "Sorry, QR code scanning is unavailable". Attendees whose networking is off see "Sorry, networking is unavailable". Attendees who opted out of networking see "You haven't enabled matchmaking yet" with a Start networking button.
Limits
The QR code encodes an identifier, not contact details. It is useless outside Brella and your own systems.
In a public event, codes exist only for people who have joined, so badges can't be printed in advance from Brella.
The booth's Lead scanning switch overrides list permissions for representatives in both directions.
The scanner needs the event's Lead scanning switch; list permissions alone don't show the QR Code tab.
Troubleshooting
An attendee has no QR Code tab
Lead scanning is off for the event, or the attendee has neither a code nor scanning: Show QR code resolves to off and scanning is blocked by their lists, by networking being off or by opting out of networking.
An attendee sees Scan QR Code but no My Code
Show QR code resolves to off for their lists.
A representative can't scan although their list allows it
The booth's Lead scanning switch is off. Turn it on under Sponsors > booth.
A badge code isn't recognized
The badge was generated from another column than qr_string, or the external value wasn't stored on the registrant as external_qr_string. Compare the badge value with the export.
The invite card shows the event logo instead of the QR code
Show QR code on invites is off, the invite has more than one seat, or the registrant's list has Show QR code off.