Overview

Sometimes staff need to stop a member at the front desk for a quick conversation. Examples include an unsigned waiver, a past-due balance, a member training clients who isn't on staff, or a behavior issue a manager needs to address. Until now, the only way to guarantee that conversation happened was to deactivate the member's card. That often led to confused members and unnecessary calls to billing.

Custom Check-In Alerts offer a lighter option. Staff can add an alert to a member's account and choose what happens the next time that member checks in:

The member's card and membership stay active the whole time. There is no deactivation and no billing change.

This feature is optional and must be turned on for the club. Contact support or the club's CSM to enable it.

How It Works

1. A staff member opens the member's profile and adds an alert, choosing Staff hold, Staff note, or Memo.
2. The next time the member checks in (by scan or lookup at Online Check-In), the system checks for active alerts.
3. What happens next depends on the highest-priority alert on the account:
   • Staff Hold: check-in is blocked, and staff see the reason.
   • Staff Note: check-in goes through, and staff are prompted to see the note.
   • Memo: check-in goes through normally.
4. Staff with permission can clear the alert from the check-in screen once the issue is handled.

Adding an Alert

1. Open the member's profile.
2. Select the bell icon to open the Member Alerts panel.
3. Type the alert message in the text field. Messages can be up to 500 characters, including spaces.
4. Under On check-in:, choose the alert type:
   • Staff hold: "Member cannot check in until cleared."
   • Staff note: "Staff sees note, check-in allowed."
   • Memo: "For staff reference only. No impact on check-in."
5. Select Save alert.

New alerts default to Staff note. The Save alert button stays disabled until a message is entered and a type is selected.

The text field stops accepting characters once the message reaches 500 characters. This limit gives staff room for detailed instructions, such as what the member needs to bring, who they should see, or what was already discussed.

Viewing Current Alerts

The Current alerts (N) section appears below the Save alert button and lists every active alert on the account. Alerts are sorted in this order:

1. Staff Holds
2. Staff Notes
3. Memos

Within each type, the newest alerts appear first.

Each alert shows:

• The alert type icon and label (STAFF HOLD, STAFF NOTE, or MEMO)
• The alert message
• Who added it and when (for example, "Added by Sarah M · 09/24/26")

Editing an Alert

Select the pencil icon on an alert to change its message or type, then select Save. The 500-character limit also applies when editing. The alert updates in place and shows the name of the person who edited it and the edit date.

Deleting an Alert

Select the trash icon on an alert to delete it. The alert is removed right away, and an "Alert deleted" confirmation appears. Only users with the Clear Check-in Alerts permission see the trash icon.

What Staff See at Check-In

When a member with alerts checks in, the Account Alerts section of the Online Check-In screen shows each alert as a card. Each card displays:

• The type icon and type label
• The full message, up to 500 characters
• Who added the alert

If there are many alerts, or the alerts have long messages, the section scrolls.

If the member has no custom alerts, the section reads "No alerts on this member." Staff can still select the pencil icon to add one.

Staff Hold

Staff Note

Memo

Clearing an Alert at Check-In

Staff with the Clear Check-in Alerts permission see a Clear button on each alert card.

1. Talk with the member and resolve the issue.
2. Select Clear on the alert card. The alert is removed right away, and an "Alert cleared" confirmation appears.
3. Re-scan or look up the member again to check them in. Clearing a Staff Hold does not check the member in automatically.

What Happens in Special Scenarios

Member Has More Than One Alert

Every active alert shows on the check-in screen. The highest-priority alert decides whether the member gets in, which pop-up appears, and which audio plays. If a member has several Staff Notes, the yellow highlight and label appear once, and all the notes are listed.

Member Also Has a System Alert (Past Due, Photo, etc.)

A Staff Hold always wins. For example, a member who is past due and has a Staff Hold sees the Staff Hold message. All custom alert cards are shown no matter which alert wins.

Check-Ins from Kiosks, Doors, and Other Integrations

Custom alerts also apply to check-ins that come in through the Club OS API, such as door access systems, kiosks, and third-party front desk tools. A Staff Hold denies entry, while Staff Notes and Memos allow it. Clubs that show API check-ins in Online Check-In see the same highlights, pop-ups, and audio described above.

Staff Member Doesn't Have Permission to Clear

Staff without the Clear Check-in Alerts permission can still:

• See all alerts
• Add new alerts, including Staff Holds
• Edit alert text

They won't see the Clear button or the trash icon. A manager or admin needs to clear the alert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Staff Hold deactivate the member's card or change their billing?
No. The member's card, membership, and billing are untouched. The hold only stops check-in until someone clears it.

Will the member be let in after a Staff Hold is cleared?
Not automatically. After clearing the alert, re-scan or look the member up again to check them in.

Can front desk staff add a Staff Hold?
Yes. Anyone who can add alerts can choose any alert type. Clearing or deleting alerts requires the Clear Check-in Alerts permission.

How long can an alert message be?
Up to 500 characters, including spaces. The field stops accepting text once it reaches the limit. Existing alerts written under the previous 200-character limit are not affected.

What happened to the alerts already on member accounts?
When the feature is turned on, existing alerts are converted to Memos. They keep the original text, author, and date. They won't change anyone's check-in until their type is changed.

Is there a record of who added or cleared an alert?
Yes. Every time an alert is added, edited, or cleared, a note is saved to the member's account notes. For example:

• Check-in alert added (Staff Hold): "Waiver needs to be re-signed"
• Check-in alert edited (Staff Note): "Please see Mike before next visit"
• Check-in alert cleared (Staff Hold) by Sarah Miller

Can Staff Holds be seen in the Attendance Report?
Yes. Blocked check-ins show as problem attendances with the reason Staff Hold. Check-ins with a Staff Note show the warning reason Staff Note.

Can members see these alerts?
No. Alerts are for staff only.

Recent Updates