Badge Reader Integration for Walk-up Experience

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Badge Reader Integration for Walk-up Experience

    The Badge Reader Integration application enhances the Walk-up Experience at your on-site queue locations by enabling users to check in quickly by scanning their employee badges instead of manually entering credentials. This pre-built, domain-separated base system application simplifies and accelerates the check-in process, improving overall user satisfaction and increasing the use of on-site walk-up queues.

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    Users receive both on-screen confirmation and an audio alert upon successful check-in, streamlining the queue joining experience.

    Key Features

    • Badge Scanning Integration: Allows Walk-up Experience users to join queues by scanning employee badges, eliminating the need to look up names or emails.
    • Pre-built Application and Plugin: The Badge Reader Integration plugin (com.snc.badgereader) must be activated to enable integration with badge reader hardware, and it is available at no additional cost.
    • Role-based Administration: Configuration and management require the Badge Admin role (snbadge.badgeadmin), ensuring controlled administration.
    • Hardware and Client Support: Badge reader hardware is installed at each walk-up queue location, replacing existing tablets. The client supports macOS and Linux platforms.
    • REST API for Integration: Provides a generic, reusable REST API facilitating communication between badge readers and the Walk-up Experience application.
    • Multiple Configuration Modules: Includes modules for managing badge readers, event handlers, user badge associations, and scan logs for monitoring and troubleshooting.

    Important Components

    • Badge Number and Facility Code: Unique identifiers encoded on badges to associate users and locations.
    • Human Interface Device (HID): USB protocol used for interfacing with badge readers.
    • Physical Access Control Services (PACS): Security method for physical environments; however, the integration does not authenticate or replace facility access control systems.

    Security Considerations

    The Badge Reader Integration is not an authentication mechanism but a convenience tool to speed up queue check-ins within the existing security perimeter of your facility. It does not integrate with or replace existing access control software.

    Setup and Configuration

    • Activate the Badge Reader Integration plugin using the Badge Admin role.
    • Install badge reader hardware at walk-up queue locations to replace tablets.
    • Configure badge readers, event handlers, and user badge associations through the provided application modules.
    • Monitor and troubleshoot using Badge Scan Logs to ensure smooth operation.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    This integration enables faster and more user-friendly check-ins at physical walk-up queues, reducing friction and administrative overhead. ServiceNow customers can expect increased user satisfaction and higher adoption of on-site queue services by simplifying the check-in process with badge scanning technology.

    Improve Walk-up Experience user satisfaction by using the Badge Reader Integration application at your on-site walk-up queue locations. Walk-up Experience users can scan an employee badge to check in to a queue, rather than entering credentials.

    Badge Reader Integration for Walk-up Experience on-site queue locations

    Badge Reader Integration is a pre-built, domain-separated, base-system application. The application enables your Walk-up Experience users to simply scan an employee badge to join an on-site walk-up queue. Scanning a badge eliminates the need for users to look up a name or email to join a queue. Administrators can easily configure the badge scanning integration for use with Walk-up Experience.

    By providing an enhanced, easier, and faster Walk-up Experience check-in process, the use of on-site walk-up location queues can increase and overall user satisfaction can improve. Users receive an on-screen confirmation and an audio alert after a successful check-in to a walk-up queue.

    The Badge scanning integration requires activation of the Badge Reader Integration plugin (com.snc.badge_reader). The plugin enables applications, such as Walk-up Experience, to integrate with badge reader hardware. Badge Reader Integration administration requires the Badge Admin role (sn_badge.badge_admin).

    Note:
    Badge Reader Integration is not an authentication mechanism.

    Walk-up Experience Badge Reader Integration components

    The badge reader hardware and integration client are physically located at a walk-up queue location. The Badge Reader Integration application provides a generic, reusable REST API used by the badge integration clients. Walk-up Experience uses the Badge Reader Integration application as a soft dependency.

    Walk-up Experience implementers install the badge reader hardware on a new computer at each on-site walk-up queue location. The hardware replaces any existing tablets used for on-site check-in.

    The following are important associated components.

    Table 1. Associated components in badge reader
    Component Description
    Badge number Employee badge number.
    Facility code Unique facility or site code encoded into each card that identifies the organization.
    Human Interface Device (HID) Protocol for interfacing with user interface devices via USB.
    Physical Access Control Services (PACS) Method used to protect the security of a physical environment by setting authorization and authentication rules.
    Badge reader client Client for the badge reader. Acceptable platforms include macOS and Linux.
    Badge reader plugin The Badge Reader Integration plugin (com.snc.badge_reader) is at no additional cost.

    Badge Reader Integration modules

    Badge admins can access several application modules.

    Module Description
    Downloads Badge Reader Integration client for download to your system.
    Badge Readers Configuration module for defining and activating your badge reader devices.
    Badge Event Handlers

    Configuration module for defining what action to take when a badge is scanned by a badge reader device.

    The script entered is the code executed when a badge is scanned.

    These records are typically delivered as part of the application-specific badge reader integrations.
    User Badges

    Configuration module for associating users with user badges.

    Configuration requires associating a sys_user with a unique badge number and facility code.
    Badge Scan Logs View-only module to monitor badge reader error events.
    User Badge Configuration

    Configuration module for defining the table from where the user ID and badge ID mapping information is retrieved.

    Badge Reader Integration security

    The Badge Reader Integration application is not an authentication mechanism. It provides a quicker, more convenient way for users to check into a walk-up queue. It is meant for use within the existing security perimeter at the facility. The application does not integrate with existing access control software at the facility.

    Badge Scanner Integration scan logs

    You can view the Badge Scanner Integration scan logs and fix the errors to connect to the badge reader. For more information, see View Badge Scanner Integration scan logs.