Skip to main content

Check-in errors at the door

This page is about what to do in each real scenario at the door. For what each result state means, see the reference page: Ticket result states.

"Already Used" — but the guest says they haven't entered​

This is the most common dispute at the door. Before assuming an error:

  1. Check the time shown on the "already used" screen — does it roughly match when the guest is claiming they haven't entered? A very recent time suggests a genuine double-scan; a much earlier time (before doors even opened) is more likely a real problem worth investigating.
  2. Ask if anyone else could have their ticket — a shared screenshot, a forwarded email, or a couple checking in on one phone are the most common real causes.
  3. If it looks like a genuine mistake, an Owner or Manager can use Admit anyway to override it. Door staff and Team members cannot do this themselves — the app will show Not Authorised if they try.

"Refunded" ticket at the door​

A refunded ticket is dead by design — refunding it is what invalidates the QR code. If a guest shows up with one:

  1. Tell them clearly and kindly that the system shows this ticket as refunded.
  2. This is genuinely a customer-service conversation, not a scanning problem — the guest may not know a refund happened (a chargeback, an organiser-issued refund, or a cancelled order).
  3. Only an Owner or Manager can override a refunded ticket with Admit anyway, and only if they're confident that's the right call. If you're Team or door staff, get them.

"Problem" ticket​

A Problem ticket was deliberately flagged by the organiser beforehand (for example: "VIP upgrade pending" or "Comp ticket — verify ID"). It is never admitted automatically.

  1. Read the note shown on screen — it usually tells you exactly what to check (an ID, a special arrangement, etc.).
  2. This needs an Owner or Manager decision — they review the note and use Admit anyway if satisfied.

"Not Authorised"​

You (or whoever is holding the scanner) tried to use Admit anyway, but your role doesn't allow it. Only Owner and Manager can override a Refunded or Problem ticket — Team members and door staff never can, regardless of how confident they are the guest is legitimate. This isn't a bug: get an Owner or Manager over instead of trying again.

"Not Overrideable"​

The override was attempted on a ticket that isn't in a state that can be overridden — most often because it's already Admitted or already Used, not Refunded or flagged as a Problem. There's nothing to override here; re-check what the original scan actually said.

Persistent "Network Error"​

If this keeps happening rather than being a one-off:

  1. Check the device's mobile data or Wi-Fi signal — the check-in app needs a live connection to verify every scan, it doesn't work offline.
  2. Try moving closer to the venue's Wi-Fi access point, or switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data (or vice versa).
  3. If it's affecting the whole door team on multiple devices, this may be a venue connectivity issue rather than anything to do with TimbaTicket — escalate to the Owner/Manager so they can decide whether to fall back to the guest list while it's resolved.

When to actually escalate​

Call the event's Owner or Manager over (rather than guess) whenever:

  • The override button would be needed and you're Team or door staff.
  • A guest disputes a result and you're not confident it's a simple double-scan.
  • The same problem is happening to multiple different guests in a row.
Was this article helpful?