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Scanner App FAQs

Learn important information about the scanner app to improve your experience.

Stefanie Ediger avatar
Written by Stefanie Ediger
Updated over a week ago

Click each link to review frequently asked questions about the scanner app.


Do you have any ideas for organizing or sorting ID cards?

Yes. We've been collecting a few pictures from schools we visit. Check out ideas here.


What are the best ways to scan ID cards?

Train your students and in time it becomes quick and easy.

Teach kids to look for their names on the screen or hear the "bing" notification from the app.

Reverse Facing Camera

  • Students need to be still then the scanner app quickly scans the QR code.

  • The scanner app works faster if you give it something to focus on like your body. (i.e. hold the ID card to your chest)

Forward Facing Camera

  • Coaches can hold the phone to scan ID cards or place the device on a surface for students to scan.


My kids are backed up at the scanner app, how can I prevent this?

You can have multiple devices helping you scan.

  • The Join a Live Session feature can help you have multiple devices to scan.

    • This works great for substitutes, additional devices, and other sporadic helpers who don't have an official Marathon Kids log in.

  • You can officially invite co-workers and/or volunteers to your account to help you scan. We call these Supporters.

    • Supporters with Coach or Assistant Coach permission can scan all participant's ID cards in your club.

  • Other ideas:

    • Assign kids to scan at certain devices to divide up a large number of kids.

      • "Mrs. Wilson's class you always scan at this iPad. Mr. Martinez class you go to this iPad."

    • Divide larger groups into two.

      • One group is doing laps and scanning while the other group is inside the track area completing an activity or practicing a skill. Then switch groups after a set time. Example: Everybody Moves

    • Small or Indoor Tracks

      • If your track is small, like 10 laps to a mile, with large groups of students or you are indoors completing laps in a small space;

        • Instead of scanning individual ID cards every time a lap is completed, scan their ID card one time at the end of the run time as a minute-based activity.

          • For example: select the 20-minute heart-pumping activity if they were given 20 minutes to do as many laps as they can.

            • 20 minutes to Marathon Kids equals 1 mile.

How do I sync my failed scans?

This failed session can be resubmitted and those scans can be synced if your device has cellular data or WiFi.

Is there a way to prevent my students from double-scanning or cheating?

  • One Device: If a participant attempts to scan their card on the same device within 15 seconds that additional scan will not sync. There is a 15-second buffer to prevent double scans.

  • Multiple Device: If a participant goes from one volunteer to another (or device) and those devices use the Join a Live Session feature then only one scan within that 15-second window will sync.

  • Multiple Device: If you are using multiple devices to scan and each device starts its own live scanning session, a participant could go from one device to the next and get additional scans and essentially be successful at cheating.

Do I have to scan ID cards?

There are three ways participants receive mileage.

    • Scan for laps and heart-pumping physical activities minutes completed.

      • Tracks: You set the lap distance for the space where kids complete laps.

      • Activities: Every 5 minutes equals .25 of a mile.

    • This allows you to manually give participants credit for laps and/or minutes of heart-pumping activity.

    • If you included parent information when you added participants and the parents created their accounts to follow their child's progress, they can also submit miles completed at home to you through the platform for you to approve. We call those submissions.

What steps do I need to take to use the Scanner App?

  1. Customize your Tracks and Activities in your account.

    1. All effort is assigned and credited to each participant through the tracks and activities in your account.

      1. Once you SAVE your tracks and activities those will show up in the scanner app.

      2. Your tracks and activities play a role when you add minutes/miles manually, pull a report, and scan participant ID cards.

    1. You must add participants before using the scanner app.

    1. ID cards with personalized OR codes auto-generate once you add participants to your account.

How does the Scanner App work with my account and give the correct effort to each student?

Can I use multiple devices to scan ID cards?

  • You can use multiple devices at one time.

    • Option 1: Log into several devices yourself to start a live session

    • Option 2: You can have other devices or volunteers use the Join a Live session to help you scan.

    • Option 3: You can officially invite co-workers or volunteers as Supporters in your account to be able to log into the Scanner App to help you scan.

  • Participants can go to any device to be scanned.

    • In order for participants to see their total number of laps and the distance add up during the session, they need to go to the same device to be scanned.

Do I need WiFi or cell service to scan ID cards?

  • You do not need WiFi or cell to scan ID cards.

  • You must log in to the device with WiFi or cell service and if other devices will use the Join Live or Join an Ongoing Activity feature those actions must have WiFi or cell service.

  • If you are outside with no WiFi or cell service, we recommend you click STOP LIVE SCANNING and the FINISH and SYNC buttons!

    • This stores the scans on your device so they don't get lost on the way back to the building.

    • You will get a "No Internet" failed message but that's okay!

How can I keep my device awake so the screen doesn't go to sleep?

Set your device to stay awake by adjusting your auto-lock setting. This will keep your screen awake and prevent participants from accidentally closing the scanning screen.

  1. iOS Instructions

    1. Go to Settings

    2. Scroll down and tap Display & Brightness.

    3. Select Auto-Lock.

    4. Select Never

  2. Android Instructions

    1. Open Settings

    2. Tap Display

    3. Select Sleep (or Settings > Display > Screen timeout, depending on the version of Android you're using) to delay the Android Sleep timer by up to 30 minutes.

What devices are compatible with the Scanner App?

The Marathon Kids Connect mobile scanner app is compatible with:

  • iOS phones and iPads

  • Android mobile devices and tablets; including Chromebooks.

iOS

  1. Go to the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.

  2. Search for Marathon Kids Connect to find our app.

Android

  1. Go to the Google Play store on your smartphone or tablet.

  2. Type in Marathon Kids Connect to find our app.

Chromebooks

  1. Go to the Google Play store on your computer

  2. Type in Marathon Kids Connect to find our app.


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