TECH TALK SESSION
iAccu is an Accudemia add-on feature that allows you to track attendance without a sign-in computer. It’s best used for one-time events where you will need to track a large number of students at once and may not have access to a traditional sign-in station. In this week’s Tech Talk session, Senior Support Specialist Nick Armstrong explained how iAccu works, and gave a demonstration of its capabilities.
How and Why You Should Use iAccu
As mentioned above, iAccu is the ideal choice for any tracking situation where you need to sign a large number of students in or out at one time, and/or when a traditional computer sign-in station is not a feasible option, such as at a large workshop or outdoor event.
iAccu is an app for iOS devices such as iPhones or iPads, which transforms that device into a portable attendance-tracking device. It uses the device’s built-in cameras to read QR codes or the barcodes on student ID cards. Students or staff can also manually enter ID numbers into the app.
Do I Have Access?
Whether or not you, your center, or your account has access to iAccu for Accudemia will depend on your license level and if your account has purchased any additional licenses. Licenses are per device so if you have two licenses, for example, that means iAccu can be used on two devices at any given time.
Essentials accounts by default do not receive any iAccu licenses with their subscription, while small center accounts have one license, and institutional accounts receive five. Additional device licenses can be purchased at an annual rate of $99 per device. If you’re unsure of how many licenses you have, you can check by going to Administration > Sign-in Stations > Offline Devices (iAccu). If you need to purchase additional device licenses, contact your account administrator or Engineerica.
Using iAccu
iAccu is a simple program to set up and use. Just follow these steps for setup:
- Download the app: iAccu can be downloaded from the iOS app store, simply by searching for iAccu. Once downloaded, attempt to log into the app using your Accudemia credentials. This first attempt will fail on this device as it has not been listed as an authorized iAccu device yet, but doing so will add it to your device list in Accudemia. At this point, log into Accudemia on your computer and go to Administration > Sign-in Stations > Offline Devices (iAccu), where you will be able to activate the device using one of your licenses.
- Set up the App: Once the license is activated, you can then go back to your mobile device to sign into iAccu. From there, go to Settings and set up the General settings such as the iAccu device name, ID settings, and sync settings. Next, set up your tracking settings for both Center Attendance and Class Attendance. Keep in mind that you can set this up differently or the same as your Accudemia center setup that you configured in your browser, but each device using iAccu must be set up individually. Finally, select whether you will enable Manual Mode and Barcode Scanning. We recommend enabling both as they will allow for maximum flexibility when signing in students.
- Test a Sample Sign-in: To avoid any surprises or hiccups during the actual sign-in process, we recommend performing a sample sign-in beforehand. Before doing so, make sure you sync the device and select Track Attendance > Center Attendance. Have a test student, who can be a real or fake student, scan their QR code, ID card, or type in their ID number, and walk through the options. If your device was not connected to WiFi during the scan, connect it at this point and sync the data to your Accudemia account, then log into Accudemia on your computer to check that the Session Log came through. If it did, you’re good to go!
iAccu is a powerful tool for use with Accudemia, which can make your life much easier under the right circumstances. Our clients use iAccu for a variety of situations, and if you believe it could make your life easier, we’re here to help! Contact us with any questions.
Join us next time!
Engineerica Systems is pleased to present our Tech Tip segment recap for the Accudemia session on 3/29/2022. Held Tuesdays at 1 pm EST (weekly during the academic year, and monthly during the summer), Accudemia clients can join a session to learn about a quick, useful topic from one of our Support Specialists. Each week, we’ll follow up Tech Tip Tuesday with a blog recapping that week’s topic. Check the page about our Monthly Accudemia Session to find out more about our next session and for more ideas about helping our students achieve success!
