Visitor Notifications
Meeting Room 365 separates who needs a live stream of lobby activity from who is being visited. Configure both per kiosk on the Visitors portal or in Settings → Notifications on the native iPad app.
Two notification paths
| Path | Who it reaches | When it fires |
|---|---|---|
| Area / central channels | A shared Teams channel, Slack channel, or area email your facilities, reception, HR, or security team monitors | Every visitor check-in at that kiosk |
| Host notification | The employee being visited — direct email to the host resolved at check-in | When their guest finishes check-in |
Area channels are for visibility — a running log of arrivals for the lobby or building. Host notification is for action — telling one person their guest is here. They are intentionally separate; posting every arrival to a central channel does not replace pinging the host.
Design principle: area notifications always go to a channel (or shared inbox your team watches together) — never a private DM to random staff. Add facilities, receptionists, HR, security, or other appropriate people as members of that Teams or Slack channel, or as readers of a shared mailbox / distribution list. Host email is the one individual notification — and only to the person selected as host.
Central notification channels (area stream)
Point each kiosk at the channels that should see all check-ins for that location — for example #lobby-visitors in Slack, a Visitors Teams channel, or [email protected].
| Channel | Setup |
|---|---|
| Contact email on the kiosk — receives a message on every check-in. Use a shared inbox or distribution list your front-desk team monitors. | |
| Slack | Incoming webhook URL tied to a channel (optional channel name for your records). Each check-in posts a short message to that channel. |
| Microsoft Teams | Channel email address (email-to-channel). Each check-in sends a message that appears in that Teams channel. |
Every message includes visitor and host context (who arrived, who they are visiting). This is the stream reception, facilities, or security staff watch — not a ping to the host's personal inbox.
Slack and Teams integrations are channel posts only — there is no Meeting Room 365 bot to install and no Slack DM workflow. They do not replace your chat platform's guest access or calling features. In-room video is Meeting Room TV, a separate product.
Host arrival notification
When Notify host when a guest checks in is enabled (native iPad Settings → Notifications, or equivalent kiosk setting), the host on the visit record receives a direct email — for example "A Visitor is Waiting to See You".
- The host address comes from directory lookup or manual entry on the invite / walk-in form.
- This is a one-to-one email to the person being visited — separate from the area channel stream above.
- Host notification fires on successful check-in, not when an invite is merely created.
- You can disable host email while keeping area channels active — useful when reception owns the arrival stream and walks guests to hosts.
There is no Webex or Zoom join link in visitor alerts.
Package delivery (separate button)
Package notifications are intentionally separate from both area channels and host alerts.
When configured, the kiosk splash screen shows a Package Delivery button. A courier or employee taps it, enters package details, and notifies the contacts you list — without going through a full visitor check-in flow.
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Package notification emails | Recipients for delivery alerts |
| Package SMS | Optional text alerts for packages |
Package delivery can optionally capture a security photo on the kiosk tablet when that feature is enabled — the image stays on the device. This path is for mailroom and front-desk routing, not for visitor arrival streams or host paging.
Guest-facing email workflows
Invited visitors receive automated emails independent of staff notification channels:
| When it sends | |
|---|---|
| Invitation | Invite created — includes invite code, QR, address and directions (when configured), wallet links |
| Pre-check-in | Requirements exist and are not yet complete — link to web wizard |
| Reminder | Short interval before visit if requirements still incomplete |
| Calendar invite (ICS) | After requirements satisfied, or immediately when none required |
| Agreement signed | After NDA signature — signed PDF attached |
| Sign-out | After visit end time — one-tap sign-out link |
| Cancellation | Invite deleted — calendar cancel |
These emails use your email logo, directions, and brand color from kiosk settings. See Customization.
What Visitor Management does not notify
| Not applicable | Why |
|---|---|
| Webex / Zoom / Teams meeting join | Visitor product handles lobby check-in, not conference-room video |
| Manual join links | No in-room join automation on visitor kiosks |
| Room display booking | Instant reserve and extend live on room displays |
| Slack or Teams DMs | Area notifications are channel posts — add staff to the channel, do not route arrivals as private messages |
| Exchange calendar free/busy | Visitor hosts are people in M365/Google directory, not Exchange room mailboxes |
Supported / not supported
| Supported | Not supported |
|---|---|
| Area channels: contact email, Slack webhook (channel), Teams channel email — every check-in | Slack or Teams DM routing for arrival streams |
| Host notification: direct email to the person being visited | Native Microsoft Teams bot or Slack app install — use webhook / channel email |
| Separate package delivery button with its own email/SMS recipients | Using package contacts as the area arrival stream |
| Guest invite, pre-check-in, reminder, sign-out, cancel emails | Webex or Zoom host paging |
| Host email from M365 / Google directory on invite | Push notifications to arbitrary mobile apps |
| Toggle host email on or off independently of area channels | Meeting Room TV sign-in-lost alerts |
| Exchange directory for host resolution |
Best fit for
- Lobbies that want a Teams or Slack channel with every arrival — facilities, reception, and security on the same feed
- Split responsibilities — central channel for visibility, host email so the person being visited knows to come down
- Invite-heavy workflows — automated pre-check-in and reminder emails reduce incomplete NDAs at arrival
- Mailrooms that need package alerts on a separate splash-screen button
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between area channels and host notification?
Area channels (Teams, Slack, or contact email) broadcast every check-in to a shared channel your team watches. Host notification sends one email to the employee being visited. Configure both, either, or neither.
How do I notify a Microsoft Teams channel?
Create a channel email address in Teams and paste it into Teams channel email on the kiosk. Add facilities, reception, HR, or other staff as members of that channel — arrivals post to the channel, not as DMs.
How do I set up Slack?
Create an Incoming Webhook for a channel (for example #lobby-visitors) and paste the URL into kiosk settings. Invite the people who should see arrivals to that channel.
Who should be on the area channel?
Whoever needs a live stream of lobby activity — reception, facilities, security, HR, or building operations. It is appropriate to add multiple roles; they participate as channel members, not as individual DM targets.
Who receives host email when someone checks in?
The host on the visit — the person the guest selected or was invited to see. This is separate from the area channel list.
Is SMS included for check-ins?
SMS on check-in is not a central channel type today. Package SMS is available for the separate Package Delivery button. Host and area paths use email, Slack, and Teams.
Are package alerts the same as visitor alerts?
No. Package delivery uses its own button and recipient list. A courier does not need to complete visitor check-in, and package alerts do not go to the area arrival stream unless you deliberately use the same address.
Do hosts get notified when I create an invite?
Host arrival notifications fire at check-in. The guest receives invite and pre-check-in emails separately.
Can I turn off host email but keep Teams/Slack?
Yes. Disable Notify host when a guest checks in and leave your area channels configured — reception sees every arrival in the channel without emailing each host automatically.
Related
- Visitor Management overview
- Check-in flows — when check-in completes and alerts fire
- Invites and hosts — host email on invites
- Customization — notification fields on the kiosk