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Check-In Finished Trigger Block

The Check-In Finished trigger starts an automation when a contact completes a check-in at a Patch kiosk device or when the check-in is received from an integration. This is perfect for welcome texts, drip campaigns, email signup flows, review requests, and post-visit follow-ups.

What’s in This Article

 

 

What This Trigger Does

The Check-In Finished trigger fires when Patch receives a completed check-in event from either:

  • A connected integration that sends check-in activity into Patch or

  • A Patch kiosk device

In simple terms:
“Run this automation when someone finishes checking in (from a kiosk or integration).”

 

 

When to Use This Trigger

Use Check-In Finished when you want to:

  • Send a welcome SMS right after someone arrives

  • Start a new lead / guest nurture sequence for guests

  • Trigger an email signup or “opt-in confirmed” follow-up

  • Send a post-visit message (review request, coupon, return offer)

  • Tag contacts by behavior (ex: “Checked In”, “Visited Today”)

  • Track visits for milestone campaigns (ex: “5th visit reward”)

  • Run the same workflow whether check-ins come from kiosk or integrations

 

 

When Not to Use This Trigger

Don’t use Check-In Finished if:

  • You need to trigger off a purchase (use a Order Finished trigger; typically an Order happens before a check-in when the purchase is made)

  • You need reminders for a scheduled booking time (use a calendar/event trigger)

  • Your check-in source does not reliably create or match contacts in Patch

 

 

Block Settings Explained

Details (Info Panel)

This section explains:

  • How the block is triggered

  • When to use this block

It’s informational only—no settings here change behavior.

Add Conditions

Use Add Conditions to control which check-ins should trigger this automation.

Examples of useful conditions:

  • Only trigger if Membership [] Not Empty (members only)

  • Only trigger if Event Type = Reservation

  • Only trigger if Phone is known (for SMS campaigns)

Important: Conditions are evaluated when the check-in event is received. If a contact’s data changes later, it won’t affect a check-in that already happened.

 

 

Configure Trigger Frequency

This section controls how often the trigger should run for the same contact (based on check-in count).

Frequency option 1: One time at a certain number of check-ins

Use this when you want the automation to run once when the contact hits a specific milestone.

Examples:

  • Run on the 1st check-in only (first-time welcome)

  • Run on the 5th check-in only (membership upsell / reward / VIP message)

Frequency option 2: Every X check-ins

Use this when you want the automation to repeat on a pattern.

Settings you’ll see:

Number of check-ins

This is the “X” in Every X check-ins.

  • If you enter 3, the automation runs every 3 check-ins.

Starting with check-in

This sets where the “counting” begins.

Examples:

  • Start at 1 → runs on 1, 4, 7, 10…

  • Start at 2 → runs on 2, 5, 8, 11…

  • Start at 5 → runs on 5, 8, 11, 14…

 

 

Common Use Cases

  • First-time welcome SMS (run on 1st check-in only)

  • Guest-to-member nurture sequence

  • Review request after a visit (paired with a delay)

  • Win-back offer after a no visit in 5 days

  • VIP / loyalty milestones (5th, 10th, 20th check-in)

 

 

What Data This Trigger Has Access To

This trigger runs based on a completed check-in event tied to a contact. Your automation can use:

  • The contact record and its fields (phone, email, tags, custom fields, lifecycle, etc.)

  • Any check-in-related fields available in your Patch account (varies by kiosk/integration setup)

If you’re sending SMS, make sure the contact has a valid mobile number and the right SMS consent/opt-in status for your account rules.

 

 

Important Things to Know

  • This trigger runs when a check-in is fully completed and Patch receives it (from a kiosk device or an integration).

    • Integration timing can affect when the automation starts. Some integrations send check-ins to Patch on a schedule (every few minutes or hours) instead of instantly. That means your “welcome” or “right after arrival” message could be delayed if the check-in wasn’t delivered to Patch in real time.

    • Tip: If you need truly real-time messaging, confirm whether your check-in source sends events instantly or syncs in batches before building time-sensitive automations.

  • Use conditions to prevent triggering for the wrong audience (ex: members vs guests)

  • Use frequency to avoid over-messaging repeat visitors

  • If your source creates duplicate contacts, you may see unexpected behavior

  • Add a Delay step for “after they leave” messages

 

 

Example Automations

Example 1: First-Time Welcome (1st check-in only)

  1. Trigger: Check-In Finished

  2. Frequency: One time at a certain number of check-ins → 1

  3. Send SMS: “Welcome! Reply HELP if you need anything today.”

Example 2: Review Request (after they leave)

  1. Trigger: Check-In Finished

  2. Delay: 2 hours

  3. Send SMS: “Thanks for coming today! Want to leave a quick review?”

Example 3: Every 5th Visit Reward

  1. Trigger: Check-In Finished

  2. Frequency: Every X check-ins → X = 5, Starting with = 1

  3. Send SMS: “You just unlocked a perk! Show this text at the counter.”

 

 

Best Practices

  • Use One time for first-visit experiences and major milestones

  • Use Every X for loyalty, but keep it light (avoid spamming frequent visitors)

  • Add conditions when different audiences share the same check-in source

  • Pair with Delay for post-visit messages (reviews, offers, follow-up)

  • Test with internal contacts before turning it on for everyone

  • Keep SMS short and clear (and include opt-out language if required)