Sign In App

Frequently asked questions

The Sign In App team is here to help with any questions you may have. Contact us either by phone, online chat or email and we will come back to you as soon as we can. For even quicker answers to your questions, the team has gathered together answers to our most frequently asked questions which you’ll find below.

If we haven’t answered your question in the list below, please get in touch.

Free Trial

How do I sign up for a trial?

You can sign up online here. It only takes a minute and you’ll receive an email with a link to our user guide which will walk you through setting up the app and online portal.

What hardware do I need to be able to try Sign In App?

You will need a PC or laptop with a modern web browser to access the Sign In App online portal. From the portal you can manage all your settings and configure your sign in experience. To experience signing in via an iPad, you’ll need access to an iPad that’s 5th generation (2017) or later. To sign in with our companion app, you’ll need an iPhone or Android device. Lastly, if you plan to print out a Sign In Point QR code, you’ll need a printer and a smartphone to sign in with.

What if I don’t have access to this hardware?

If you’d like to see the iPad signing in process but don’t have access to an iPad, let us know and we can arrange a web demonstration to walk you through it.

How long does the trial last for?

The trial will end 15 days after you sign up.

What is included in the trial?

The trial is unlimited, so includes all features and support. We also provide you with 10 free tokens to try out SMS notifications. You can set up as many staff, portal users and devices as required. We don’t add any trial notices or warnings to the iPad app, so you’re free to use Sign In App in your reception for the duration of your trial.

I haven’t had time to use our trial, can I have an extension?

Please contact us and we’ll aim to extend your trial where possible to give you more time to review the app.

How do we order following our trial?

At any point during or after your trial, you can buy Sign In App online here. If you’ve had a trial, we will contact you to find out if you want to transfer your trial data over, or open a new account.

Will all my visitor data and settings be kept from my trial?

When you buy Sign In App, we’ll contact you and give you the option to transfer all your trial data, just the settings or set up a new account if you’d prefer to start again. It’s up to you.

Pricing and billing

What’s the renewal cost for the site subscription?

The annual cost of each site subscription is £345. Enhanced subscriptions are additional £319 per site annually.

Do site subscriptions auto renew?

To help reduce admin for you, you can choose to set up automatic renewals if you pay by credit or debit card. However, whether you choose automatic payment or not, we will always contact you prior to your renewal to make sure you’re still happy with our service.

What are your methods of payment?

You can pay online via credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express) or select invoice as your payment method to pay by bank transfer. You will have the option to provide a purchase order number with your order.

When we purchase the full package is the hardware ours to keep or do we have to return it after the year?

If you choose the “Full package - Buy” option, all hardware is yours to keep. This includes the iPad, printer, secure stand and media. The “Full package - Hire” option is available to those looking to hire equipment for a lower upfront cost. If you choose “Full package - Hire”, you can request a hardware refresh after 3 years.

How many site subscriptions do I need?

Each location or office with a different postcode requires its own site subscription.

Can I connect more than one iPad to a site?

You can connect additional devices for each entrance at no additional cost, but if the buildings are located in different postcodes, each would require a site subscription.

How do I add more sites?

If you’re an existing Sign In App site, contact us to add more sites or place an order here and we will contact you to ask if you want the new site under your existing account or a new one.

How many staff can I set up?

There’s no limit to the number of staff who can use Sign In App. There are no limits to any visitor groups and companion app is a free download available to all your staff.

Do you offer any discounts?

We believe Sign In App is great value for money. Live chat support is included in the price and our development team are continuously adding enhancements at no additional cost. There are also no limits to the number of staff, devices or portal users you can add. We’ve priced the product to be as competitive as possible, so we’re unable to offer additional discounts unless you are ordering 10 or more sites.

What additional costs are there?

If you want to add SMS notifications, these are charged at 6p per message. If you have added any of our add-on solutions to your subscriptions, these will be an additional cost. Please refer to the individual add-on pages for the pricing. Enhanced subscriptions are an additional £319 per site annually.

Printing

Which printers are supported?

Sign In App supports several models from Brother’s QL range of label printers, but we recommend and supply the Brother QL-820NWB. This printer offers Bluetooth and Wireless connection options, plus it has a display on the printer itself and the ability to print in red with selected labels. Brother’s QL range of printers are fast, cheap to run and reliable. A full list of supported printers can be found here.

Are the printers black and white or full colour?

Brother QL’s are fast thermal printers which print in black and white. The QL-820NWB also has the option to print in red when paired with selected media. Thermal printing has all of the technology in the roll, so there aren’t any ink cartridges to buy.

What are the different connection options?

Brother QL-820NWB printers can be connected by ethernet, wireless or bluetooth. If you connect by ethernet or wireless, both the iPad and printer must be on the same network. Connecting via Bluetooth is quick and easy but a printer can only be connected to one iPad at a time.

Does it print sticky labels or paper for badge holders?

QL printers can print on to either sticky labels or paper depending on your preference. Just be sure to select the correct media. Badges printed to go in holders are designed to be 88mm wide by either 54mm tall, or 62mm tall, but this can be amended using a custom badge template.

What are the ongoing print costs?

The Brother QL range are thermal printers so they don’t require ink cartridges. The only ongoing cost is for the rolls of media which start at £11.95 for a 54mm roll that prints 340 badges onto paper.

Can we use a custom badge template?

Yes, Sign In App has several badge templates to choose from, but if you have your own template you would like to use get in touch and we’ll set this up for you free of charge.

Stands

What are the stand options?

We supply 11 different Bouncepad stands including freestanding and mounted options, so there’s something to suit every reception. Browse the full range here.

What colours are they available in?

Bouncepads are available in either black or white.

Why do you recommend Bouncepad stands?

Bouncepad are the market leaders in tablet accessories designed exclusively for business use. They are sturdy, secure and look great in receptions. We recommend and supply Bouncepads because their build quality means they stand up to continual use 24/7 in the most demanding environments. You can read more information about Bouncepads here.

Can I have the home button covered?

We can supply your Bouncepad with the iPad home button covered, however we recommend leaving the home button open both for aesthetic reasons (it balances the camera opening on the opposite side) and to make administration of the device easier. With the app running in Apple’s Guided Access mode the home button is locked to prevent unauthorised access. Authorised personnel can enter the pin to access the iPad without having to remove the iPad from the secure enclosure.

How does the iPad charge while in the stand?

All Bouncepads allow you to pass the iPad’s standard charging cable through either the neck or stand (depending on model). This means you can keep the device powered 24/7 without compromising the look of your reception or security. Sign In App’s night mode allows you to automatically dim the screen outside of work hours.

What iPads do the stands support?

If you are using your own iPad, simply let us know what model it is when ordering your Bouncepad. We will supply the correct Bouncepad and fixing kit to suit your device. If you change your iPad at a later date for a new model, you can simply order a replacement fixing kit without replacing the whole stand (subject to screen size remaining the same).

How secure is the stand?

Bouncepads are lockable from the back and come with two keys and a stainless steel or aluminium faceplate. For unmounted stand options, Bouncepads also support Kensington locks for added security.

Data security

Where is my visitor data hosted?

Sign In App is a cloud based service hosted in Tier 4 data centres. When starting a trial or purchasing a subscription, you can select from one of six data storage regions; UK (London), EU (Stockholm), US (North Virginia or California), Canada (Montreal) and Asia-Pacific (Sydney). All visitor data and backups are stored and replicated within the region you select. Our data centres employ physical security and environmental controls to secure our infrastructure from physical threat or impact. Each site is staffed 24/7/365 with on-site physical security to protect against unauthorised entry.

Sign In App network diagram
How long is data retained for?

You control how long your visitor and staff sign in history is retained for. Set the retention period for your account from 7 days to indefinitely in line with your privacy and GDPR policies.

Is data encrypted?

All data is encrypted at rest and in transit over TLS 1.2. All backups are encrypted and passwords are hashed.

How is my data backed up?

Your data is continually backed up and replicated between two data centres. All backups are encrypted and retained for 14 days.

What happens to my data in the event of a disaster?

During any disruption to the Sign In App service, your app will continue to operate in offline mode. We will notify all clients within one hour if an extended period of disruption is expected. All data is backed up and our disaster recovery procedures are outlined as part of our ISO27001 certification.

What does ISO27001 certification mean?

ISO 27001 is a specification for an information security management system (ISMS) as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It’s a framework of policies and procedures that includes all legal, physical and technical controls involved in an organisation's information risk management processes. Simply put, it ensures that an organisation strictly controls all aspects of information security. Sign In App Ltd is ISO27001 certified with certificate number DK20022018ATC.

How is Sign In App GDPR compliant?

Sign In App acts as your data processor for visitor data. Our responsibilities include ensuring your data is secure, providing transparency around where the data is stored and providing features to allow you to control your data in line with your GDPR policies. Ethical data protection has always been a key part of Sign In App and the GDPR has only strengthened this since coming into force. With Sign In App you can set your own data retention rules, customise the data collected for each visitor type and present policies and opt-in options to visitors. You can also rest assured that your visitor data stays in the region you choose.

We also have an IASME certificate of assurance issued to us for GDPR compliance. This is attained following a self-assessment against the IASME governance standards which are verified by IASME.

What is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is an official UK government-backed scheme that protects our organisation against a whole range of the most common cyber attacks.

Have you completed the NHS Data Security & Protection Toolkit (NHS DSPT)?

Yes. You can find evidence of our submission here. The Data Security & Protection Toolkit is an on-line self assessment tool that allows organisations to measure their performance against the National Data Guardian’s 10 data security standards.

In the UK all organisations that have access to Patient data and systems must complete the NHS Data Security & Protection Toolkit. This provides assurance that they are practising good data security and that personal information is handled correctly. You can find more information about the NHS DSPT here.

Where can I find more information?

We are continually introducing features to help you manage your staff and visitor privacy and security. If you require additional information, please contact us at privacy@signinsolutions.com.