Admission

In hroot, you can configure how participants are admitted and checked into experiment sessions. This behavior is defined at the experiment or session level using the Admission Type (admission_type) setting.

Depending on whether your study is conducted in a physical laboratory, asynchronously online, or synchronously online with high concurrent traffic, you can select the most appropriate admission procedure.

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1. Overview of the Four Admission Types

hroot differentiates between four admission modes, each tailored to specific experimental setups and participant check-in workflows:

Admission Mode	Purpose & Procedure	Relevant Settings in Wizard	Sub-Guide
Classic / Manual (classic)	On-site laboratory with manual checklist or signature check-in. Once participants arrive, seats / cubicles are assigned in batch via seat draw.	• 1. Cabins & Seats: Define available lab cabin numbers. • 2. Timings & Limits: Maximum & minimum participant limits. • 3. Participant Status & Reminders: Communication status & live broadcast. (Irrelevant fields such as consent preview, profile verification checkboxes, and direct instant draw are hidden).	—
QR-Code Scanner (qr_code)	Rapid check-in via camera or handheld scanner at the lab door. Seats can be assigned instantly on scan or in batch.	• 1. QR Admission & Seats: Seat assignment mode & cabin layout. • 2. Timings & Limits: Participant limits & time buffers. • 3. Verification Fields: Profile data displayed on the scanning screen for verification. • 4. Link Dispatch & Reminders: QR code invitation and reminder status.	QR Code Admission
Online Waiting Room (waiting_room)	Synchronous online experiments with live lottery, automated overbooking compensation, and routing.	• 1. Tokens & Links: URL substitution & token generation. • 2. Timings & Schedule: Buffer times, lottery duration, waiting queue compensation. • 3. Verification Fields: Mandatory profile verification before entry. • 4. Live Broadcast & Reminders: Messages to waiting participants.	Online Waiting Room
Online Survey (survey)	Asynchronous questionnaire studies with collection time window, external redirection, and automated completion payout.	• 1. Target URLs & Tokens: Single, rotation, or pool link mode. • 2. Survey Time Window & Payout: Start/end time, duration limit & payout. • 3. Participant Status: Live monitoring & reminders.	Online Surveys and Completion Links

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2. Cockpit Master Header

The cockpit header at the top of the session admission dashboard provides a clean, left-aligned status bar and toolbar:

• Title & Admission Type: Displays the active admission mode (e.g. Classic Admission, QR Code Admission, Online Waiting Room, or Online Survey).
• Status Badge: Real-time status badge (Active/Open, Inactive/Closed, or Scheduled/Live Active for surveys).
• Action Toolbar:
  • Message (All / Group): Quick access to live broadcasts or individual chats with participants.
  • Participant Preview: Pre-flight simulation view from the participant's perspective.
  • Adjust Admission Configuration: Opens the step-by-step configuration wizard modal.
  • Open / Close Admission: Distinctly color-coded toggle (btn-success / btn-warning) with state icons (glyphicon-play / glyphicon-lock) to enable or halt participant check-in.

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3. Configuration Parameters & Tooltips (Wizard)

All variables in the admission wizard feature explanatory tooltips (i-buttons) and dynamically render with the experiment's active currency symbol:

• Minimum Privacy Reading Buffer (wizard_reading_puffer): Minimum duration in seconds that participants must spend reviewing the consent/privacy notice before becoming eligible for the seat lottery draw.
• Seat Draw Time Window (wizard_draw_duration): Duration in seconds of the animated lottery countdown phase in the waiting room.
• Queue Compensation per Minute (wizard_queue_compensation): Compensation per minute of waiting time in the online waiting room until the draw or release (displayed in the session's active currency, e.g. €/min or CHF/min).
• Waiting Room Opens Before Start (wizard_wr_opens_before): Lead time in minutes before scheduled session start when participants can enter the waiting room lounge.
• Waiting Room Closes After Start / No-Show Deadline (wizard_wr_closes_after): Grace period in minutes after session start, after which latecomers are locked out and recorded as no-shows.
• Draw Delay After Start (wizard_wr_draw_delay): Delay in minutes after official session start time before the automated lottery begins, allowing late-connecting participants to complete check-in.
• Show-Up Fee for Non-Drawn Participants (wizard_wr_showup_fee): Fixed compensation credited to on-time participants who could not be accommodated with an active seat (overbooking reserve).

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4. Communication & Reminder Actions (Tab 4)

In the Link Dispatch & Reminders tab, administrators can:

• Review the total number of invited, dispatched, and checked-in participants.
• Use Compose Message (Broadcast / Chat) to dispatch direct announcements, links, or instructions to all or selected session participants.
• Inspect the automated session email reminder status (active/inactive and lead hours) with a direct link to configure reminder email templates.

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5. Sub-Guides & Detailed Setup

For detailed step-by-step setup and operational guides for specific modes, see:

• QR Code Admission: Hardware scanner setup, badge printing, kiosk verification, and door check-in.
• Online Waiting Room: Synchronous online session handling, lottery draw modes, overbooking handling, and oTree token passing.
• Online Surveys and Completion Links: External survey tools (Qualtrics, LimeSurvey), token routing, and automated payout upon completion.