Next-Gen Check-In live in v16.7

Next-Gen Check-In live in v16.7

Published Jan 2, 2025

Check-in was one of the first features we implemented in Rock, and it was inherently complex because "everyone does check-in a little differently." To accommodate this diversity, we needed to ensure that the check-in system would work seamlessly for all the churches that transitioned to Rock over the past 10 years.

As many of you already know, we've been mentioning "Next-Gen" check-in more frequently recently. If you're not sure what Rockʼs "Next-Gen Check-in" is all about, you can read the section below or listen to Podcast Episode 161 for a bit more detail.

Next-Gen Check-in is in Rock v16.7 as a "beta" feature, and we want you to know what that means for your organization. Keep in mind that during this beta phase, you should expect to encounter some bugs. We're also continuing our rigorous internal testing to make sure everything runs smoothly when itʼs released in v17.

Strategically Using Testing Next-Gen Check-in

While we've invested hundreds of hours into developing this new feature, it should still be considered "beta" in version 16.x. Since every organizationʼs check-in system is slightly different, we encourage you to proceed with caution as you integrate Next-Gen Check-in.

If you're as excited about it as we are, we recommend starting by setting up one semi-private Next-Gen kiosk that your staff can use to check in their kids. Even a small implementation like this is a tremendous gift to the community and will help make Rock Better Together.

This approach allows you to identify and report any critical issues—what we might consider "showstoppers"—without impacting your entire operation. 😊

If this initial phase goes smoothly for a few weeks, you might consider expanding to include one or two public kiosks that your knowledgeable volunteers can use to check in their kids. Should this phase also be successful, we can view it as a blessing from God and proceed to roll out additional public kiosks as needed.

Our goal is to maximize testing and usage before we ship v17.0 and remove the "beta feature" label from Next-Gen Check-in.

Tactically Using Next-Gen Check-in

Once you've established your strategy and battle plan, here are the next steps you'll want to take:

  1. Read the New Details About Next-Gen Check-in:
  2. Set Up Next-Gen Check-in in Rock v16.7:
    • a. Prepare an Experimental Kiosk:
      • i. Select one kiosk and set it aside for testing purposes.
    • b. Install the New Rock Windows Check-in Client (or look for the new Rock Check-in app from the App Store soon):
      • i. Download the new Rock Windows Check-in Client installer (found under Power Tools > External Applications; 1.16.7/checkinclient.msi).
      • ii. This client is compatible with Rock v16.7 and later.
      • iii. If your old kiosks are configured to point to …/your.rock.server/checkin, configure the new kiosk to point to …/your.rock.server/nextgen-checkin or …/your.rock.server/nextgen-checkin/setup depending on your circumstances.
    • c. Verify the Kiosk Appearance:
      • i. Ensure that the new kiosk screens look different and are using the Next-Gen theme.
    • d. Initial Configuration:
      • i. When the kiosk starts, select your campus and one of your device kiosks from the drop-down menu.
      • ii. Press the "Custom Configuration" button to create a new saved configuration for your chosen check-in options.
  3. Create and Link New Check-in Labels in Rock:
    • In Rock (under Check-in > Next-Gen Labels), create new check-in labels that match the look of your existing labels.
    • Link these new labels in your Check-in Configuration Areas under the "Next-Gen Check-in Labels" list.
  4. Configure Check-in Schedules and Other Settings:
    • Set up your check-in schedules and configure other settings as you normally would.

What Is Next-Gen Check-in?

Simply put, Next-Gen Check-in is a complete rewrite of the check-in system using our new V2 API and Obsidian technology. Itʼs 25 times faster than the original version!

Next-Gen does not use the complex "Unattended Check-in" workflow that very few organizations have needed to adjust. Instead, it leverages the backend "Check-in Configuration" settings that nearly every Rock Admin is familiar with. Our goal was to utilize as much of the existing configuration as possible. However, for a few features, we reinvented some parts—including the experience of making custom Check-in Labels. We can't wait for you to see how easy it is to build new labels. Yes, we'd even say itʼs actually fun!

Will Next-Gen work for every existing check-in setup in Rock today? Probably not. We anticipated this from the very first Next-Gen architecture and design meetings. However, there is no need to panic because we'll continue to support and fix bugs in the original check-in system for many years. Eventually, our aim is to transition everyone to Next-Gen, and we'll all learn and adapt along the way.