Procurement
Visitor management software
Compare visitor management software by checking arrivals, host routing, site records, privacy controls and plan limits.
Judge visitor management software by following a visit from arrival to sign-out. Reception must identify the visitor, contact the right host and keep a reliable record of who is signed in. Check those outcomes in the plan and configuration you would buy.
Process for handling a visitor visit: from arrival to sign-out
- Arrival Check-inVisitor signs in via kiosk, smartphone or staff assistance. For invited guests, verify name and email against invitation.
- Host NotificationSystem sends notification to host if they are named and their details are in the directory. If unavailable, reception is alerted.
- Site Record UpdateVisitor appears as signed in. Reception tracks presence and manages wait times.
- Exit or Sign-outVisitor signs out manually or via geofence (if enabled). Missed sign-outs can be corrected by staff.
- Data Retention & DisposalPersonal information retained only as long as needed. Follow APP 11: destroy or de-identify when no longer required.
Define the visits you handle
List expected guests, walk-ins, contractors and delivery drivers. Decide what reception needs to know for each, who can approve an arrival, and how staff will help someone who cannot use the kiosk or a smartphone. Keep questions proportionate to the visit.
If your organisation is covered by the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), collection, notice, security and eventual disposal all need attention. Set out your organisation's purposes and other records obligations before choosing a software setting.
| Decision | What to ask a supplier to show |
|---|---|
| Arrival | Invited, walk-in and assisted check-in in the proposed account |
| Routing | Who is notified and what reception does when the host is unavailable |
| Site record | Who appears as signed in and how a missed sign-out is corrected |
| Information | What each visitor type is asked and who can see the answers |
| Retention | Which fields, media and copies follow the disposal rule |
| Capacity | What happens when the site exceeds its plan’s check-in allowance |
Apply Australian privacy checks
For an organisation covered by the APPs, APP 3 limits collection of personal information to what is reasonably necessary for its functions or activities. Collection must be by lawful and fair means and, unless an exception applies, from the individual concerned. Sensitive information has additional requirements: it may only be collected where the conditions are met and the individual consents, unless an exception applies.
APP 5 requires reasonable steps to tell people, or ensure they are aware of, matters such as the organisation's identity, why information is collected, usual disclosures and whether information may go overseas. Give this information before or when collecting it, or as soon as practicable afterwards. Ask the supplier to show how your notice can be presented at the point of collection.
APP 11 requires reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. When information is no longer needed for a permitted purpose, reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it are required, except where a Commonwealth record or an Australian law or court or tribunal order requires retention. Check that the proposed service supports the organisation's security and disposal measures.
Key data points for visitor management in Australia
- APP 3: Collection LimitationOnly collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for your function.
- APP 5: Notification RequirementMust inform visitors about identity, purpose, disclosure, and overseas transfer of data.
- APP 11: Security ObligationsProtect data from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
- Disposal RuleDestroy or de-identify data when no longer needed, unless required by law or recordkeeping obligation.
Two documented starting points
Envoy Visitors centres its documented reception route on an iPad kiosk. Basic and Standard provide one sign-in flow; Premium and Enterprise allow separate flows for visitor types. Reception can create a new visitor entry from the dashboard on Premium and Enterprise; the documented route includes the chance to send a host notification and print the visitor badge.
Sine by Honeywell documents check-in through its iPad kiosk, a visitor's phone and a staff computer. Access control is shown as a paid add-on, while Sine Workflows requires a Core plan. Ask which routes are included in the Australian offer you receive.
For exceptions, agree who can take over host contact and how reception records a visitor who is waiting.
Envoy's sign-in flow can include fields such as email address or phone number, host and company name. Premium and Enterprise support QR-code sign-in for visitors registered before their visit. Returning visitors may have information filled in based on their full name, but invitations match only when name and email match exactly and the visit is on the expected arrival date.
Envoy host notifications rely on the visitor naming an employee in the host field and the employee's contact details being in the directory. Confirm that your organisation can maintain that directory and the host details before relying on notifications as part of the chosen configuration.
Sine's Small plan lists self-serve kiosks, digital invitations with FastTrack QR codes, host notifications, roll calls and geofence auto check-in and out. Medium adds native Entra ID synchronisation and single sign-on with SAML; Large adds a public API and real-time visitor screening.
The Sine plans page describes Enterprise as preferred pricing for large portfolios, with tailored packaging for organisations onboarding 20 or more buildings. Ask for the offer that applies to your Australian deployment.
Compare key features of Envoy Visitors and Sine by Honeywell
- Check-in MethodsEnvoy: iPad kiosk, smartphone; Sine: iPad kiosk, visitor phone, staff computer
- Host NotificationsEnvoy: Requires host in directory with contact details; Sine: Available on all plans
- QR Code Sign-inEnvoy: Premium and Enterprise only; Sine: FastTrack QR codes on Small plan
- Integration OptionsSine: Medium plan includes Entra ID sync and SAML SSO; Large adds public API and real-time screening
- Access ControlSine: Paid add-on; Envoy: Not mentioned as standard
- Plan Tiers for AustraliaSine: Enterprise plan tailored for portfolios of 20+ buildings; Envoy: No specific Australian tier mentioned
Compare an ordinary visit and a failed hand-off
Use fictional visitors and the same written expectations for each supplier. Invite a guest, check them in, confirm what the host receives and sign them out. Repeat with a walk-in, a wrong host and someone who needs staff assistance. Ask what reception sees during a device or network interruption.
Have the privacy and records owners review the questions, notice, access roles, exports and disposal controls. Include copies sent by email or saved outside the platform. Then ask a staff member unfamiliar with the setup to identify who is recorded on site and who is responsible for someone waiting at reception.
Pre-purchase checklist for visitor management software in Australia
- Can the system handle walk-ins, contractors, and delivery drivers?Yes – confirm supported visitor types and how they are tracked.
- Is there a fallback when the host is unavailable?Yes – reception must be notified and able to manage the visit.
- How is a missed sign-out corrected?Staff can manually update records; check if audit trail is maintained.
- Does the software support privacy notices at check-in?Yes – ensure notice can be shown before or immediately after collection.
- Are access roles and exports controlled?Yes – verify who can view, export or share visitor data.
- Can staff unfamiliar with the system identify who is on site?Yes – test with a user not trained on the system to assess clarity of records.
In this guide
- Comparing reception check-in workflows: Envoy and SineCompare invited, walk-in and assisted visitor arrivals by following the reception hand-off and departure record.
- Testing visitor notifications and host routingPlan a controlled check of host selection, notification receipt, failure visibility and reception fallback.
- Reviewing visitor data retention settingsReview visitor-log retention by mapping invitations, answers, media, messages and exports to the organisation’s records rule.
- Checking accessibility at a self-service check-inCheck the full visitor kiosk journey, including input, errors, physical placement and an assisted reception route.
