Enhancing Visitor Management System with Notification Features

Questions
1

I am exploring the possibility of enhancing our Visitor Management System to improve our reception process. Specifically, I am interested in implementing a notification feature that would alert hosts when their visitors arrive at the reception. The enhancement would include options for the host to either accept or reject the visitor with a simple button click.

Our current setup includes FileMaker Server 19 and FileMaker Pro 19. I would appreciate any advice or recommendations you might have on integrating these features within our existing system.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

2

You may like to look at this approach, @Saeed

It would be a process included in the script that assigns the staff member who is being visited by the guest.

Here's a VDO as well.

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3

I apologize for the delay.

I will check if this assist me. Do you have any insights from your side?

4

There aren’t many options for such messaging. The method linked above is one clever way to do what you describe you need.

There are some plugins as well, but I’ve not used them, so can’t comment. Perhaps other Soupers have some ideas.

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5

You may also consider using SMS messaging to implement this. SMS messaging itself can be handled through a 3rd party integration or through email-to-text functionality provided by Cell Phone Carriers.

The SMS message can be dispatched by the system with a link to WebDirect. This link can be configured to contain instructions to run a script and a parameter. This parameter can be the visit ID and the script can land the host on a layout where they can respond with a Yes or No.

The structure of the URL would be "https://[hostname].mysite.com/fmi/webd/[solution name]?script=[script name]&param=[parameter]

One word of caution, some carriers limit the length of the SMS message. If the resulting URL is too long, it will be truncated.

This can also be handled by sending an email.

I hope this helps.

6

Saeed, it would help us to provide you insights if you at least let us know where you are in your research work about this. What are the approaches you studied and what are your proof of concept premises.

A question at large like this calls for a course on the matter rather than a colleague helping you weights the pros and cons of your intended approach.

I suggest you let us know if you need pointers where to learn more about the subject so you can do your homework, or, if you already are thinking of a strategy take the time to present it.

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7

I have already implemented the SMS service to receive host notifications via SMS.

In the future, the visitor management system will transition to a WebDirect platform.