Companies often need to record data from visitors or external contractors joining meetings. Especially during heightened safety requirements, it is essential to know who was on site and when. To address this, we built an Outlook add-in that enables an intuitive visitor registration flow powered by QR codes. This article walks you through the concept and highlights the key user experiences.
Visitor registration via Outlook add-in
Several free approaches already exist (for example, Power Apps), but they usually create extra steps for the meeting organizer. We therefore implemented our solution as an Outlook add-in so it integrates seamlessly into the existing invitation workflow. Organizers do not have to switch between apps or open additional SharePoint URLs, which keeps the process efficient and reduces the risk of errors.
The add-in provides two focused views: one for the organizer and one for the front desk.
View 1: Create and send QR codes
Automatically generate QR codes
The organizer opens the add-in via the ribbon button “Invite participants”. A list of all invitees appears, and the add-in automatically generates a QR code for each person. These QR codes can then be emailed to selected invitees or to everyone at once.
Update participant data
Each QR code contains contact details pulled from Outlook. Every company defines which information matters — such as phone number, email address, or company name. If data points are missing, the organizer can update the contact right within Outlook. A form opens so the participant’s information can be edited before sending out the invitation.
View 2: Scan QR codes at the front desk
Check visitors in within seconds
When a new visitor arrives, the front desk creates a calendar event and opens the add-in via the ribbon button “Scan QR code”. This launches the scanning view, allowing the receptionist to capture the visitor’s QR code directly with the device camera.
Automatically transfer visitor data
The add-in reads the QR code and writes the captured contact details into the newly created event with no manual typing required.
Close out a visit and keep records
When a visitor leaves the building, the front desk scans the same QR code again. This updates the end time of the existing event, resulting in a complete visitor timeline that shows exactly who was present and when.
Conclusion and next steps
We have continued to polish the experience to make the workflow even more intuitive. Learn more in our follow-up article: Refinement of the visitor registration solution. If you want to bring your entire SharePoint or Microsoft Teams environment into Outlook, explore Office 2 SharePoint.
