Getting Started with Porter

Last updated March 2026

Creating Your Account

Getting started with Porter takes just a few minutes. To create your account, visit the Porter sign-up page and choose your preferred registration method. You can sign up using your email address, or use single sign-on with Google or Microsoft for faster access.

If you choose to register with email, you will need to provide your full name, work email address, and create a secure password. Porter requires passwords to be at least 8 characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters for security.

After submitting the registration form, check your inbox for a verification email from Porter. Click the verification link to confirm your email address and activate your account. The link expires after 24 hours, so be sure to verify promptly. If you do not see the email, check your spam or junk folder.

For Google and Microsoft sign-on, Porter will request basic profile information (name and email) from your account. No password is needed as authentication is handled by your identity provider. This is the recommended approach for organisations that already use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.

• Email registration requires email verification before access is granted
• Google sign-on uses your existing Google Workspace credentials
• Microsoft sign-on works with any Microsoft 365 or Outlook account
• All methods create the same account type with full feature access

Setting Up Your Company

Once your account is verified, Porter will guide you through setting up your company profile. This is the foundation for your visitor management system and determines how your organisation appears to visitors during the check-in process.

Start by entering your organisation name. This will be displayed on the kiosk welcome screen, in email notifications sent to visitors, and throughout the Porter dashboard. Make sure to use the official name that visitors will recognise when they arrive at your premises.

Next, upload your company logo. Porter supports PNG, JPG, and SVG formats, with a recommended minimum resolution of 400x400 pixels. The logo appears prominently on the kiosk screen, in visitor emails, and on printed badges if you use badge printing. A square or horizontal logo works best.

Finally, choose your primary brand colour using the colour picker or by entering a hex code. This colour is applied to buttons, accents, and highlights across the kiosk interface, ensuring a consistent branded experience for your visitors. You can always update these settings later from the Company Settings page.

• Organisation name appears on kiosk, emails, and dashboard
• Logo formats: PNG, JPG, or SVG (recommended 400x400px minimum)
• Primary colour is applied to kiosk buttons and interface accents
• All branding settings can be updated at any time from Company Settings

Adding Your First Location

Porter supports multiple locations, making it ideal for organisations with several offices, buildings, or sites. Each location has its own kiosk, visitor log, and notification settings. To get started, you need to add at least one location.

Navigate to the Locations section in the sidebar and click the "Add Location" button. Enter a descriptive location name that your team will recognise, such as "Head Office", "Building A - Reception", or "Manchester Warehouse". This name is used internally and can also appear on the kiosk if configured.

Provide the full street address for the location. This address is included in pre-registration emails sent to visitors, helping them find your premises. Porter uses the address to display a map link in visitor notifications, which is especially helpful for first-time visitors.

Select the correct timezone for the location. This ensures that visitor check-in times, scheduled reports, and notifications all reflect the local time. For organisations operating across multiple timezones, each location maintains its own timezone independently.

If your organisation has multiple sites, simply repeat this process for each one. There is no limit to the number of locations you can add. Each location operates independently with its own kiosk URL, visitor data, and host assignments, while still being managed from a single Porter dashboard.

• Each location gets its own unique kiosk URL
• Addresses are included in visitor pre-registration emails
• Timezones are set per-location for accurate time tracking
• No limit on the number of locations per organisation
• All locations are managed from a single dashboard

Opening the Kiosk

The kiosk is the visitor-facing interface where guests check in when they arrive at your premises. Each location has a unique kiosk URL that you can open on any device with a modern web browser, such as an iPad, Android tablet, or even a desktop computer.

To find your kiosk URL, navigate to Locations in the sidebar and select the location you want to set up. On the location detail page, you will see the kiosk URL displayed prominently along with a "Copy Link" button. Click this button to copy the URL to your clipboard.

Open the kiosk URL on your chosen device. For the best experience, we recommend using an iPad in guided access mode or an Android tablet in kiosk mode. This prevents visitors from accidentally navigating away from the check-in screen. See our Setting Up Your Visitor Kiosk article for detailed device setup guides.

You can also generate a QR code for the kiosk URL from the location settings page. This QR code can be printed and displayed at your reception desk, allowing visitors to check in using their own mobile devices rather than a shared tablet.

• Each location has a unique kiosk URL in the format /kiosk/[locationId]
• Works on any device with a modern web browser
• Use guided access or kiosk mode to lock the device to Porter
• QR codes available for mobile check-in at reception

Checking In Your First Visitor

Now that your kiosk is set up, it is time to walk through the visitor check-in flow. When a visitor arrives and taps the kiosk screen, they are guided through a simple, step-by-step process to sign in. The entire process typically takes less than 60 seconds.

The visitor begins by entering their full name using the on-screen keyboard. They then provide the name of their company or organisation. These fields are required by default but can be customised in your kiosk settings if you want to add, remove, or reorder fields.

Next, the visitor selects their host from a searchable list of team members. As the visitor types, Porter filters the list to show matching names. Once a host is selected, that person will receive a notification (via email, SMS, Slack, or Teams depending on your configuration) that their visitor has arrived.

If photo capture is enabled, the visitor is prompted to take a photo using the device camera. This photo appears in the host notification and on the visitor dashboard, making it easy to identify guests. Visitors can retake the photo if they are not satisfied with the first attempt.

If you have configured an NDA or visitor agreement, it is displayed next. The visitor reads the agreement and signs by drawing their signature on the screen. Once all steps are complete, the visitor sees a confirmation screen thanking them and letting them know their host has been notified.

• Step 1: Enter full name
• Step 2: Enter company name
• Step 3: Select host from searchable list
• Step 4: Take photo (if enabled)
• Step 5: Sign NDA or agreement (if configured)
• Step 6: Confirmation screen displayed

Next Steps

Congratulations on completing the basic setup of Porter! You now have a functional visitor management system ready to use at your location. There are several additional features you can configure to get the most out of Porter.

Start by inviting your team members to Porter. Navigate to Settings and then Team to add colleagues by email. Each team member can be set as a host (receives visitor notifications) or an admin (full access to settings and reporting). Team members receive an invitation email with a link to create their account.

Customise your kiosk experience by adjusting the check-in flow. You can add custom form fields, enable or disable photo capture, upload your NDA or visitor agreement, and configure the welcome message. These settings are found under the Kiosk tab in your location settings.

Set up notifications to ensure hosts are promptly alerted when their visitors arrive. Porter supports email notifications out of the box, with additional options for SMS (via Twilio), Slack, and Microsoft Teams integrations. See our host notifications guide for setup instructions.

• Invite team members as hosts or admins from Settings > Team
• Customise the kiosk check-in flow and branding
• Set up host notification channels (email, SMS, Slack, Teams)
• Explore pre-registration for expected visitors
• Review the analytics dashboard for visitor insights