Overview

Sometimes you need to stop a member at the front desk for a quick conversation: 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, which often led to confused members and unnecessary calls to billing.

Custom Check-In Alerts give you 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. No deactivation, no billing changes.

This feature is optional and must be turned on for your club. Contact support or your 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 right 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 (up to 200 characters).
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.

Viewing Current Alerts

Below the Save alert button, the Current alerts (N) section lists every active alert on the account. Alerts are sorted with Staff Holds first, then Staff Notes, then Memos, with the newest first within each type.

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 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 you'll see an "Alert deleted" confirmation. 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 with the type icon, type label, full message, and who added it. If there are a lot of alerts, 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

• The member is not checked in.
• Their row in Recent Check-Ins is highlighted red with STAFF HOLD under their name.
• A red pop-up reads: "{Name}'s check-in is blocked — Staff Hold"
• The audio says: "There is an issue with your check-in. Please contact a representative."
• The attempt is logged as a problem attendance with the reason Staff Hold.

Staff Note

• The member is checked in.
• Their row in Recent Check-Ins is highlighted yellow with STAFF NOTE under their name.
• A yellow pop-up reads: "{Name} has been checked in with an issue of staff note"
• The audio says: "Checked in, enjoy your workout."
• The check-in is logged as a normal attendance with the warning reason Staff Note.

Memo

• The member is checked in as usual.
• No highlight or label is added in Recent Check-Ins.
• The standard green pop-up reads: "{Name} has been checked in"
• The audio says: "Checked in, enjoy your workout."
• The memo still shows in the Account Alerts section so staff can read it.

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 you'll see an "Alert cleared" confirmation.
3. Re-scan or look up the member again to check them in. Clearing a Staff Hold doesn't 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. If your club shows API check-ins in Online Check-In, those check-ins get 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), and edit alert text. They won't see the Clear button or trash icon. They'll need a manager or admin 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 I clear a Staff Hold?
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.

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

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 I see Staff Holds in the Attendance Report?
Yes. Blocked check-ins show as problem attendances with the reason Staff Hold, and check-ins with a Staff Note show the warning reason Staff Note.

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