You may use an inexpensive handheld scanner to quickly mark attendance in one of two ways:
•You can distribute a bar code to your parishioners which they can hold up to the scanner when they enter. You can even have CMD mark their attendance and print a name tag as the name is scanned. See Bar Codes for Attendance (an Output Form on the Print Control page of Print Names for information on how to print bar codes for this type of use).
•You can scan bar codes on an attendance form that CMD prints that includes bar codes. See Print Attendance Forms for information on how to print this form.
Either way of scanning is very simple, and can greatly speed the up the process of entering attendance. We'll detail how you use the scanner, and then we'll provide information about the scanner we purchased for the construction and testing of this feature.
How to Use the Scanner to Mark Attendance
We will assume that you have installed the scanner according to its manual, and that it is in working order. We'll also assume you have printed some bar codes using one of the two methods above.
To use the scanner, all you need to do is to go to the Enter Attendance dialog, set all the controls to select the date, event, affiliation, and group with which you are working just as you would if you were going to use the keyboard to enter the attendance.
Once the various date, event, group, etc controls are set, click into the blank Search edit box if the cursor's not already there, and then all you literally have to do is to hold a bar code up to the scanner, listen for the beep, and the name associated with that bar code will be marked present. That's really all there is to it!
Special Note: Make sure the cursor is blinking in the edit box where you would normally type in a name to be marked present before you attempt a scan! The scanning function will not work unless the cursor is in the Search edit box!
If you wish to mark people present as they appear for a service or event, then you'll need to have the scanner with a computer with access to CMD's data files where people will come in. An omni-directional setting on the scanner is best for this purpose.
If you are working from a list with names and bar codes on it such as the one that is generated from CMD's Print Attendance Forms dialog, then your scanner can be connected to any computer that uses CMD. You'll want to use the Line Scan setting for this type of use.
Once you hear the scanner's beep signifying that a scan has been accepted, you will see the name appear on the list of names marked for attendance, the name tag will be printed if you selected the option to print the name tag when the name is marked, then CMD will be ready for the next name.
Note that you can switch back and forth between bar code scanning and typing in a name as you have always done as needed. There is no special mode or setting to switch. You can go back and forth as needed.
Note also that if the name you are scanning is not on the list of names to be processed, then no attendance marking will take place even if you hear the scanner's beep.
What The Scanner Provides to CMD
While using the scanner may seem complicated, it's really a simple process. All the scanner does is read a number from the bar code, and then send it to your computer as if you had typed it in manually and then pressed ENTER.
When CMD realizes that a number has been entered, it will search for the name by this number (which is CMD's internal record number for a name) rather than by their name, and they will be immediately marked present.
This number only has meaning when the cursor is blinking in the Search edit box where you type in the name to be marked present. If the cursor is in any other control, scanning a bar code will not result in marked attendance.
Scanner Information
While not meant to be a recommendation about vendors or equipment styles, we will describe the scanner we purchased for our use in preparing this feature. Scanners come in a wide array of styles and prices, but the expenditure for a scanner that will work with CMD need not be excessive. You can get a workable scanner for as little as $125, ranging up to $350. The unit we purchased cost $239 (it was on sale - regular price was $299) and was purchased over the internet from POSGuys.com. We ordered our scanner on Monday and it arrived on Wednesday of the same week. We found POSGuys.com via a Google search. We simply selected them from the list of vendors that appeared.
Our unit, a Metrologic™ MS-3780 Fusion™ is an omni-directional, USB-connected scanner that comes with a cable and stand, and can be used on the stand or as a handheld unit. If your use never envisions people walking by and flashing their bar code, then you don't need the omni-directional feature, and can buy a less expensive line scanner or perhaps even a pen (or wand) scanner unit, though you will not save much. It may be worth the extra few dollars to provide omni and line scanning capability just in case you change how you use the scanner in the future. Plus, we may conceive additional uses for it as time goes on.
You can get scanners with a variety of connection options, but we strongly recommend that you get a USB-connected device for simplest operation. We literally just plugged ours in and started using it. While there might be some settings required to set up some scanners, ours required nothing other than plugging it in!
When removed from the stand, a button on the back of the unit changes the scanner's reading pattern from omni-directional to a single line scanner, which is best for when you are reading scans off a list, such as the one you can print on the Print Attendance Forms dialog.
Note that we do not guarantee that your scanner will work with CMD. However, if you obtain a current scanner that connects in a simple and direct way with your computer and you are running a Windows version that recognizes the scanner, you should have no trouble.
Here's a picture of our Metrologic scanner:
