Each student and staff member carries a QR ID card; scanning it with the free EDUBase QR Attendance App marks attendance in real time and can notify the parent. To set it up, print the cards from the portal, install the Android app and start scanning at the gate or in class.
What is QR card attendance and how does it work?
QR card attendance replaces calling out names with a quick scan. Every student and employee gets an ID card with a QR code printed on it, and that code is linked to their record in EDUBase.
A staff member at the gate or in the classroom opens the EDUBase QR Attendance App on an Android phone and scans each card. The attendance is marked in real time and lands in the same attendance records as the class register, the Teacher App, biometric machines and face attendance tablets. This means your daily reports, absentee lists and parent alerts work in the same way whichever method was used.
- The card carries the QR code, the photo and an expiry date.
- The app reads the code and marks the person in or out.
- The portal records the attendance immediately, so reports are current within moments of the scan.
What do you need before you start?
QR attendance needs very little equipment. Most schools already have what is required.
- Up-to-date student and employee records in EDUBase, ideally with photos, since the cards print from these records.
- A card printer or a print shop that can print ID cards from the portal's printable designs.
- One or more Android phones with a working camera for scanning; the QR Attendance App is free on Google Play.
- SMS or WhatsApp set up if you want parents told when their child is scanned, using the free SMS Sending App on the school's own SIM, a branded SMS gateway, or the school's WhatsApp number linked by QR code.
How do you set up QR attendance step by step?
The setup follows the same order for students and staff. Work through it once per campus and you are ready to scan.
- Check records: confirm each student's class, section and photo, and each employee's profile and shift timings.
- Choose a card design: pick a vertical or horizontal layout and apply your school's logo, colours and signatures through the print templates and branding settings.
- Print cards: print student cards with QR codes in bulk, and print employee QR cards from the staff records.
- Install the app: download the EDUBase QR Attendance App on each scanning phone and sign it in for your school, so the device holds its own credential.
- Set parent messages: write your own wording in the SMS templates for arrival or absentee messages.
- Run a trial day: scan a few classes, then check the attendance reports in the portal before rolling out to the whole school.
How does QR attendance work for staff and payroll?
Employees scan their QR card in the same app when they arrive and leave. The scan marks them in and out against the shift timings set on their employee record.
Out-time rules can automatically record Short Leave when someone clocks out earlier than allowed. Late arrival, short leave and absence feed the salary calculation automatically, and once salaries are done the month can be locked so attendance cannot change afterwards.
How are parents notified when a child scans in?
A gate scan can send an SMS, a WhatsApp message or a Parents App notification to the parent. The message uses the template wording your school has set, so it reads the same way as your other attendance messages.
Separately, the portal can send absentee alerts for children who were not marked, and the Owner App lists today's absentees with call and WhatsApp buttons for quick follow-up.
How do you manage scanning devices and correct mistakes?
The portal shows the devices registered for attendance, and any device can be removed. Because each phone or tablet holds its own revocable credential, a lost phone can be cut off without changing anyone's password.
If a child forgot their card or a scan was missed, the day's attendance can be corrected from the portal; the change is logged. Attendance alerts can also tell you when a class or employee has not been marked by the expected time.
Ways to mark attendance in EDUBase compared
| Method | What you need | How attendance is marked | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| QR card scan | Printed QR ID cards and an Android phone with the QR Attendance App | Card is scanned at the gate or in class and marked in real time | Gate entry and quick class checks for students and staff |
| Class register | Access to the web portal | Teacher or office marks each student per class and section | Schools that prefer a daily roll call |
| Teacher App | Teachers Android app with assigned classes | Teacher marks the class from their phone | Classroom marking without a computer |
| Biometric device | Standard fingerprint or face terminal connected to EDUBase | Device punches mark attendance automatically | Staff entry and controlled gates |
| Face attendance tablet | An ordinary Android tablet with the face attendance app | Face is recognised on the device with a liveness check | Busy gates where cards are often forgotten |
| Geo-location attendance | Teacher App and a campus pinned on a map with a radius | Staff mark from their phone only inside the radius | Staff who start work away from a fixed gate |
Related modules
- QR, Biometric & Geo Attendance — Automatic in/out marking from QR cards, biometric machines and phone location.
- Student Attendance — Mark attendance from the class register, the Teacher App, a QR scan or a gate device, and tell parents instantly.
- Employee Attendance — Daily or monthly staff attendance from the register, the app, QR or a device, locked once payroll runs.
- Certificates, Cards & Print Designs — Student cards, certificates, letters and every printout in your school's own branding.
- Student Management & Admissions — Every student record, from first enquiry to leaving certificate, in one place.
- Staff Management (HRM) — Employee records, shifts, documents, letters, leave and the Teacher App login, in one place.
- SMS, WhatsApp & Notifications — Reach parents by SMS, WhatsApp, branded SMS or app notification, from every screen that matters.
- Payroll & Salaries — Salary plans, allowances, deductions, approvals, payslips and salary sheets, posted to the ledger.
- Face Attendance Gates — A tablet at the gate recognises the face and marks the child or staff member in.