Attendance Recording During the Seminar

🎟️ This article is for Conference Organizers.

The most important moment of any CE seminar comes in the final three minutes — when attendees scan a QR code, register their attendance, and earn their credit. This article walks you through exactly how that moment works, so you can brief your presenters confidently and make sure every seminar runs smoothly.

Before you begin

Each seminar has its own unique Event Code and QR code. They're embedded in the Attendance Recording Slide CEU Events provides. Don't mix slides or codes between seminars — each one belongs to a specific session.
Every presenter needs to know the workflow before they step on stage. Brief them in advance so the closing of each seminar runs smoothly.
Have the printed Attendance Recording Guide in every room. It's your backup if the AV system fails, the QR code doesn't scan, or attendees have trouble with the digital workflow.

The two tools provided for each seminar

Attendance Recording Slide. A PowerPoint slide with a unique QR code and the unique Event Code for the seminar. This slide must be inserted at the end of the presentation. Attendees scan the QR code with their mobile devices to register their attendance.

Attendance Recording Guide. A printable guide with the same Event Code, full backup instructions, and the manual entry URL. It can be passed around the room alongside the Attendance Recording Slide at the end of the seminar, or kept available for attendees who run into issues.

The recommended workflow during the seminar

Start with a great presentation. Attendance recording comes at the end — the seminar itself is what attendees came for.
At the conclusion of the presentation, pause on the Attendance Recording Slide. Don't click past it. Leave it on screen so attendees can scan.
Attendees scan the QR code with their mobile device cameras to begin registration.
If the QR code isn't accessible — bad lighting, screen glare, camera issues, weak Wi-Fi — direct attendees to www.ceuevents.com/attendance and have them enter the unique Event Code shown on the slide and printed in the Attendance Recording Guide.
Attendees complete registration by signing in to their CEU Events account, or creating a free attendee account if they're new to the platform. Once registered, they can download their certificate of completion immediately.
Presenters should confirm the process is complete before attendees leave the room. Plan for about three minutes at the end of every seminar for attendance recording.

⚠️ Important: Only display the Event Code once attendees have earned their credit. Most organizations require 50 minutes of attendance for 1 hour of credit. Displaying the Attendance Recording Slide or Event Code too early — or making it visible to attendees who haven't completed the required attendance — risks granting credit that wasn't earned, which can jeopardize the credit-eligibility of the seminar itself. Wait until the end.

Ensuring proper registration

The success of every seminar's credit reporting depends on attendees completing this process before they leave the room. Speakers and conference organizers play a shared role in making sure that happens:

Speakers announce the attendance recording moment at the end of the seminar, leave the slide up long enough for everyone to scan, and answer questions if attendees run into issues.
Conference Organizers make sure each room has the printed Attendance Recording Guide, presenters are briefed, and AV systems are tested before the conference starts.

When the process runs smoothly, attendees walk out with their certificate already downloaded — and CEU Events handles credit reporting to AIA, IDCEC, and other applicable organizations automatically by the next business day.

Best practices

Brief every presenter on this workflow before the conference. Even experienced speakers may not know your exact attendance recording process. Walk them through the slide, the QR code, the timing, and the manual backup before they go on stage.
Test the AV setup in every room. Check that the Attendance Recording Slide displays clearly, the QR code is large enough to scan from the back row, and the screen isn't washing out the code under stage lighting.
Print the Attendance Recording Guide and keep it visible in every room. Sometimes it's faster for an attendee to read the Event Code off a printed sheet than from a glare-affected screen.
Build the three minutes into the seminar schedule. If a seminar is scheduled for 60 minutes, plan for the actual content to end around the 57-minute mark, leaving three minutes for attendance recording.
Have on-site staff available to help. Conference attendees often have questions during attendance recording — having a staff member with the printed guide near the door speeds things up.
Plan for Wi-Fi load. Hundreds of attendees scanning QR codes and signing in simultaneously can strain conference Wi-Fi. Confirm bandwidth ahead of time and have the manual URL ready as a fallback.

Troubleshooting

The QR code won't scan. This usually comes down to screen glare, poor lighting, distance from the screen, or a dirty camera lens. Direct attendees to www.ceuevents.com/attendance and have them enter the Event Code manually — it's printed on the Attendance Recording Guide in every room.
An attendee doesn't have a CEU Events account. They can create a free attendee account during the registration flow. See Register and Create Your Free Attendee Account for the steps.
Wi-Fi is overloaded and attendees can't connect. The manual entry URL works the same way — attendees can also complete registration on cellular data, or come back to it later as long as they have the Event Code. Make sure the printed Attendance Recording Guide is visible so they can capture the code before leaving.
A presenter forgets to display the Attendance Recording Slide. Attendees can still register using the Event Code from the printed Attendance Recording Guide. If a presenter consistently misses this step, brief them again before their next seminar.
An attendee left the seminar early but is asking for credit. Most organizations require 50 minutes of attendance for 1 hour of credit, so partial attendance generally doesn't qualify. If they have specific questions, they can contact CEU Events support.
Still have questions? Contact CEU Events support and we'll help.