Mostly in formal settings like offices and schools, it may be necessary to get the essential information of attendees for reasons like record-keeping. The most convenient way of taking such records is a sign-in sheet. The sheet helps to record important information about participants for the benefit of the organizers of the event. The sheets can also be used by companies to keep a record of their daily attendance at work and to know how much to pay them for overtime. Since these sheets serve different purposes, it is crucial to understand how they are made.
This article discusses what a sign-in sheet is, why it is essential and how to create a sign-in sheet for your use.
What is a Sign-In Sheet?
A sign-in sheet is a form used to record attendeesโ information, like their names and contacts at an event.
They are used in many settings, including open house showings, company meetings, employee check-ins, and community meetings. The information collected in these forms may also include the time and signature of the person signing the document. In some instances, like open houses, sign-in sheets are used as a marketing tool. In events, these sheets also collect information like contacts and comments from attendees.
Reasons to Use
Sign-in sheets are convenient when collecting information. Unlike other tools, they do not require too much information and can be filled in quickly. In addition, since the sheets only require basic information, they can be customized to add categories like sign-in and sign-out time for companies with overtime policies. Further, they can be used to record the names of employees that attended meetings or events held outside of the companyโs location.
The following are the reasons why you should use a sign-in sheet:
Evacuation
Signing-in sheets can ensure people in a building are accounted for in times of disaster. In such times, having a list of all the present people makes it easy to know who is missing and the number of people needing emergency services.
Record-keeping
Businesses have various methods of keeping records, including sign-in sheets, which can be used to record the number of people who access a facility. The human resources department can use them to track the number of interviewees. Companies have also begun using these sheets to check on the utilization of departmental resources. For those with an overtime policy, the sheet helps track the number of hours employees worked on calculating the amount of overtime to be paid.
Signing-In Sheet Templates
Signing-in sheets are easy to create, but it may be tedious to create one from scratch whenever needed. Templates make it easier to edit and customize the sign-in sheet for different uses. We provide free downloadable and customizable sign-in sheet templates for ease of use.
The following are some types of sign-in sheets:
Community meeting sign-in sheet
It is used to record the names and comments of the attendees of a meeting. Since most decisions are made in such meetings, keeping records that can be referred to when compiling the discussion results is necessary.
Visitor sign-in sheet
It records the visitors that access a place. The records contain the date, name, and duration of the visitorโs visit. For example, the record can show the number of visitors that came in a day. It can also be used in case of a security breach at a facility should the need arise to identify the visitor.
Meeting sign-in sheet
Companies often use a meeting sign-in sheet to track the employees attending meetings. It can be used to record the comments of each employee, first to mark their contributions, and second to record the most popular decision. Company boards can use these records when making decisions, calculating overtime, or meeting allowances. The records can also record attendeesโ interests in the meeting through their comments; these interests may be factored in when preparing future events.
Patient sign-in sheet
The patient sign-in sheet records patient appointments and can be referred when doctors need information about patients. They can also determine when to schedule a patientโs next visit. The sheet contains the patientโs name, the date and time of their appointment, and the doctorโs comments.
Multiple-day sign-in sheet
The multiple-day sign-in sheet is convenient for events running for more than one day. It helps to keep track of daily attendance without creating another sheet. It can also be used to compare the number of attendances per day to gauge the attendeesโ interest in an event.
Class party sign-in sheet
A class party sign-in sheet can be used to record the students who attend a party. In addition, the sheet contains a comment section where students can give feedback about their experiences. The comments can be used when organizing future class parties.
Open house sign-in sheet
An open house sign-in sheet is used to record the visitors that attend an open house showing. It records the date, visitorโs name, and contact information. In addition, a sheet is a marketing tool; the agents involved can contact the visitors for future showings or market other houses.
Student sign-in sheet
The student sign-in sheet is used to record student attendance at an event. The events may vary from science fairs to class presentations. These sheets are used by teachers as attendance records or referred to for student comments.
Day-care sign-in sheet
The day-care sign-in sheet is crucial for day-care workers. It records the time a child is dropped off and picked up and the parent responsible for the child. In addition, proper records can be used to check against a childโs paid-for hours in the day-care.
Event sign-in sheet
An event sign-in sheet is used to keep track of the guests at an event. It records their names, contacts, and period of attendance. Organizers can use the information to gauge guestsโ time at the event.
How to Create a Sign-In Sheet in MS Word
A sign-in sheet is supposed to be simple. Only the primary and most important information should be collected. Hereโs how to create a sign-in sheet:
Open MS Word
Word is one of the Microsoft Office Tools. You can search for it by typing โwordโ in the search bar and clicking the icon Word. In addition, you can download MS Word from the App Store when using a MacBook.
Decide on the number of columns
Once the application is open, tap on the โinsertโ icon and select โtable.โ The table will then give you a drop-down menu on the number of rows and columns you want. Input the preferred number of rows and columns. The number of rows and columns can be edited if the need arises.
Insert the table
After selecting the rows, columns, and your preferred width, click the tab marked โOK.โ This action will insert the table on your Word document.
Title the columns
You should indicate the appropriate field for each column in the tableโs top row, which will act as the title for each column. The columns may vary depending on the use of the sheet. For example, the purpose of open house sign-in sheets is to collect contact information; the columns should include name, phone number, and email address. If you want to number the sections, highlight the first column, click the โHomeโ tab and select โnumbering.โ
Adjust the layout
You can adjust the layout by adding rows and columns or increasing the size of each cell. To add a row, click on any cell and insert below.โ To add columns, select a cell and click โinsert leftโ or โinsert right.โ To adjust the size of a cell, click the arrow pointing up and down to increase or decrease the cell.
Customize table design
You can customize your table design by clicking the โtable designโ tab in the top menu. You can modify the thickness and color of your borders by selecting โbordersโ and picking your preferred design or using the shading tool.
Save the document
Once satisfied that the table has all the essential information, you can save the document by clicking the โsaveโ button at the top left of the menu. You should keep the document by the preferred title or purpose of the sign-in sheet.
Bottom Line
Sign-in sheets are a valuable tool for collecting information. They can be used to record meeting attendance and comments for future reference. An effectively prepared sign-in sheet can help to maintain essential records that can be referred to in the future. You should ensure the sheet only requests basic information since it is easier for people to fill in.
When preparing a sign-in sheet, avoid requesting information that may take longer to fill out; instead, break the information into shorter columns. The best layout for sheets with many columns is the landscape layout because it allows the creator to make more space for the details. Once you create the sign-in sheet, you should review it to check for any errors before sharing or printing it.