Inventry Alternative

[steveg]

When you setup a card reader in Sign In App it asks for the format and Net2 is one of the options. I don't know if this is just so you can add the card ID in a format you already know or if there is any further integration.

 

Their support is pretty quick at responding so it wouldn't hurt to ask if you don't get a response here.

 

It works with the Paxton cards but the numbers it reads from the cards are different, so you will have to get everyone to enrol themselves using their Paxton card (a pretty painless process) Apparently this is the same if you use Paxton cards for papercut.

[Chclark]

Surely they just need to reprogram there readers to the correct format. This is the same for your MFD card readers. We have programmed all of our MFD readers to read as net2 reads our mifare cards. This is what allows us to have salamander pull net2 card details put that into the ad pager field so papercut can sync these, and in addition for inventry salamander make a CSV that inventry pulls into our central setup to make it more seamless for users.

[localzuk]

If you use the default Paxton cards (the hitag2 ones, not Mifare as they are different), only Paxton readers will read the encrypted Paxton ID. If you use other readers, you get the non-encrypted ID of the card instead. There's no way round this that I've found.

[EntrySign_Dev]

Localzuk is absolutely right, only Paxton readers will read the encrypted number from a Paxton (Hitag-2) card. Many Paxton customers do use other card technologies such as Mifare (as you say) in which case it is possible to push and/or pull token numbers (within EntrySign at least). If you are using Paxton Hitag 2 cards/fobs we can still synchronise users and we have an easy self-enrolment feature which allows users to 'link' their cards to their account within EntrySign so you can still share the same cards/fobs across both systems without too much difficulty.

[dapaulio]

2 up here for sign in app. I have it installed on two of my sites

Relatively inexpensive and as AD integration works likes a charm. Think this was extra if memory recalls.

 

Not that I’ve needed just yet but looks like it will work with trusts and or schools over multiple sites also

 

One of the sites is in a excellent 4g coverage area where auto sign in using mobile location service and the app is great if you want to limit the hands on approach just to guests using the tablet. The other site is a bit out in the sticks where the 4g can be 1-2 bar and can be a bit flacky

 

Pre authorised guests can also be sent an email which will allow the iPad camera to scan a guest in in seconds.

 

Fire report is online. Either unclip the iPad or use your own mobile device.

 

Overall I give this app a 9/10. With some scope I see some development.

 

I am guessing the very competitive price will be temporary once they got their foot in the door I can see the price going up so if you going to make the jump do it now

Edited August 28, 2023 by dapaulio

[5tu]

What sort of integration are you wanting with Paxton?

 

I realise I'm waking up an old thread, but I've just had a demo of SignInApp which looks great. However, I'd be grateful if those of you with SignInApp and Paxton could advise how you manage staff/student leavers? Without Paxton integration are you having to manually disable tokens in Paxton when users leave your schools?

[Chclark]

I realise I'm waking up an old thread, but I've just had a demo of SignInApp which looks great. However, I'd be grateful if those of you with SignInApp and Paxton could advise how you manage staff/student leavers? Without Paxton integration are you having to manually disable tokens in Paxton when users leave your schools?

 

Do you use salamander as they handle our Paxton user creation and leavers.

[5tu]

Do you use salamander as they handle our Paxton user creation and leavers.

 

Yes we do - interesting!

 

Does salamander create your Paxton users and manage leavers too? How do you get your SignInApp RFID tokens into Paxton?

[Chclark]

We don't use sign-inapp we don't think it will do what we want. We have inventry.

 

So salamander handles all the user creation but also makes the Paxton user accounts sets the access control etc. At this point a engineer programs/prints a card salamander will on next run write this card number back out of Paxton to ad pager field, this is used for papercut as we programmed all our mfd card readers to understand the Paxton format. Salamander makes a CSV file for us that rights details inventry needs to import into the central server console which syncs our staff to inventry central which pushes down to all of our school screens.

 

This generally makes the whole process for the end user seamless. Apart from the getting the photo and printing the I'd badge from Paxton.

[tdawson]

Another up-vote for Sign in app.

- It's happily running on some old iPads so cost us very little to put in.

- It doesn't seem to suffer from the very regular 'loss of printer connection' messages that our previous app did.

- The ability to choose the default direction of travel means that for students it signs them in (lates) but for staff it signs them out (medical appointments etc)

- Integration with AD and SIMS is simple

Just as a side note, although Sign in app don't have any mounts with readers on their site that are totally standalone, you can purchase the desktop one and put a USB power bank inside giving you the best of both worlds. Most of the time it is plugged in to the mains via the power bank but if we need to take it to a different location we can unplug it and the reader is powered by the powerbank.

[d13373d]

We are looking at Sign in App too. Inventry support don't seem interested in fixing any issue and just want to sell you a new system.

£1500 for the 3 year licence, £1500 for a new screen and £1000 for a quick scan. No thanks.

 

Only thing about Signinapp is the MIS integration is an extra £120 a year. Anyone have Arbor and write back marks? The userguide suggests this doesn't work for the AM/PM format primaries use.

[snagrat]

We are looking at Sign in App too. Inventry support don't seem interested in fixing any issue and just want to sell you a new system.

£1500 for the 3 year licence, £1500 for a new screen and £1000 for a quick scan. No thanks.

 

Only thing about Signinapp is the MIS integration is an extra £120 a year. Anyone have Arbor and write back marks? The userguide suggests this doesn't work for the AM/PM format primaries use.

 

Just set this up at 15 schools. We pay for the writeback. A couple of comments:

 

SIA didn't say we couldn't use PM writeback, it was the schools who said we have different time for different years. SIA would only support one time gap for L or U marks.

 

SIA seems to write over marks if already present. If someone is marked for Medical (M I believe) for a first thing appointment, upon returning to school SIA will overwrite that as a L/U. Admin need to manually turn back to an M

[Simcfc73]

Just set this up at 15 schools. We pay for the writeback. A couple of comments:

 

SIA didn't say we couldn't use PM writeback, it was the schools who said we have different time for different years. SIA would only support one time gap for L or U marks.

 

SIA seems to write over marks if already present. If someone is marked for Medical (M I believe) for a first thing appointment, upon returning to school SIA will overwrite that as a L/U. Admin need to manually turn back to an M

I echo this.. the way it writes back is confusing and it relies on teacher doing their jobs right.

 

Not overly impressed with the fire evacuation module either. The Classcharts app is so much better for this.

[snagrat]

I echo this.. the way it writes back is confusing and it relies on teacher doing their jobs right.

 

Not overly impressed with the fire evacuation module either. The Classcharts app is so much better for this.

 

And permissions can be confusing.

 

On the companion app, if you are given Evacuation or Today permissions, then you can see all schools. It can not be limited to a single school(s) like the web portal can. The only way to limit it is to restrict the ability to sign in to another school, which doesn't help for Staff that roam.

[tmleafs]

Just set this up at 15 schools. We pay for the writeback. A couple of comments:

 

SIA didn't say we couldn't use PM writeback, it was the schools who said we have different time for different years. SIA would only support one time gap for L or U marks.

 

SIA seems to write over marks if already present. If someone is marked for Medical (M I believe) for a first thing appointment, upon returning to school SIA will overwrite that as a L/U. Admin need to manually turn back to an M

 

Sounds just as bad as inventry, I don't understand why it can't be done

 

If (No mark on MIS)

{Write Mark}

Else

{Nothing}

 

All the companies mentioned in this thread have all told me "we aren't allowed to read SIMS" How does that make sense and why can Edulink do it for example

[SignInApp]

Sounds just as bad as inventry, I don't understand why it can't be done

 

If (No mark on MIS)

{Write Mark}

Else

{Nothing}

 

All the companies mentioned in this thread have all told me "we aren't allowed to read SIMS" How does that make sense and why can Edulink do it for example

 

Hi Everyone, my name is Gary and I am the Senior Product Manager at Sign In App.

 

I do not like interfering with personal opinions in public forums, but we are always looking for ways to improve our product to meet the needs of our customers.

I wanted to mention that we are launching a new beta of writeback functionality that covers many of the concerns some of you have posted here.

 

1. Protected codes - Prevent the overwrite of specific codes of your choice (Like M-Medical for example)

2. Custom attendance codes - Write back a specific code based on the answer to a question when signing in.

 

If anyone would like to know more or participate in the beta trial, please PM me and I can arrange this for your account. We plan to start the beta trials before the end of March.

 

Thanks

[snagrat]

Hi Everyone, my name is Gary and I am the Senior Product Manager at Sign In App.

 

I do not like interfering with personal opinions in public forums, but we are always looking for ways to improve our product to meet the needs of our customers.

I wanted to mention that we are launching a new beta of writeback functionality that covers many of the concerns some of you have posted here.

 

1. Protected codes - Prevent the overwrite of specific codes of your choice (Like M-Medical for example)

2. Custom attendance codes - Write back a specific code based on the answer to a question when signing in.

 

If anyone would like to know more or participate in the beta trial, please PM me and I can arrange this for your account. We plan to start the beta trials before the end of March.

 

Thanks

PM'd

 

Personally I think you getting involved is good.

[SignInApp]

PM'd

 

Personally I think you getting involved is good.

 

Thank you.

Regarding your other comment about a single Late or Unauthorised time, this is true if all pupils are in the same group. The setting is for all members of the group, however it is possible to split out a single pupil group into different year groups and each year group can have a different set of rules.

[snagrat]

Thank you.

Regarding your other comment about a single Late or Unauthorised time, this is true if all pupils are in the same group. The setting is for all members of the group, however it is possible to split out a single pupil group into different year groups and each year group can have a different set of rules.

 

Yes but then we would have to have multiple groups on the iPad for signing in/out.

Sub-groups would be nice i.e Pupils -> Year 1, Year 2

 

That would also be good for other groups

[Scan099]

So far

 

SignInApp - No Paxton integration

E-Reception Book - No Paxton integration told me it's due to Paxton not having a Cloud API

EntrySign - Has Paxton integration - Might still have the high install costs due to the same hardware as inventry going to ask them if they can reuse it

 

EntrySign looks like what inventry should have been, The other two are cloud and use iPads

 

were you able to use the inventry hardware for entrysign - I am in the same situation and want to get rid of Inventry as soon as possible.

[EntrySign_Dev]

Good afternoon... if you could drop me a PM with your contact details on we'll happily advise on your options for hardware, and answer any other questions you may have.

[Scan099]

Good afternoon... if you could drop me a PM with your contact details on we'll happily advise on your options for hardware, and answer any other questions you may have.

 

have sent a PM

[Symbiosis]

Hi all

 

Sorry to jump onto this thread but we are also with InVentry and have yet to have a "successful" fire drill using their data.

 

How do the sign-in app users find the fire/evacuation process? What lists does it produce when an evacuation is started? Are the lists customisable at all (for example, our fire officers would like separate lists for teaching staff and support staff)?

 

TIA

[SignInApp]

Hi all

 

Sorry to jump onto this thread but we are also with InVentry and have yet to have a "successful" fire drill using their data.

 

How do the sign-in app users find the fire/evacuation process? What lists does it produce when an evacuation is started? Are the lists customisable at all (for example, our fire officers would like separate lists for teaching staff and support staff)?

 

TIA

 

Hi @Symbiosis

 

I'll let others say how they find it, but Sign In Apps recommended method of running an evacuation process is to use our free companion app or using the kiosks.

Each device can join a 'Shared evacuation', meaning that they are all synchronised, so if someone is marked as present on one device, it displays this on all devices in the evacuation.

You can filter the list live by Group, Fire evacuation point or any other personal field like year group. You can create or sync as many tags as you want and filter by these. With a compatible MIS, we can also pull the school register and add it to the list along with visitors, staff and contractors.