QR code generation, issuance, and revocation

How QR codes work in School Vault

Each enrolled student gets a unique QR code that is cryptographically signed by School Vault. When the code is scanned at the school gate, the system decodes it, verifies the signature, looks up the student, and marks them as Present with the current timestamp. The code never changes, the same code works from enrolment to graduation, unless you manually revoke it.

Viewing and downloading QR codes

QR codes are generated automatically when a student is enrolled. The QR column in the Students list shows "Active" for every student who has a code.

1. Go to Students from the sidebar.
2. Find the student and click the Actions (⋯) button at the end of their row.
3. Click View Details to open the student profile panel.
4. Click the QR Code tab.
5. The QR code is displayed on screen. Click Download to save it as an image, or Print to send it directly to your printer.

Printing and issuing QR cards

1. After generating, click Print QR Cards.
2. School Vault produces a print-ready PDF with one card per student. Each card shows: the QR code, the student's name, class section, and school logo.
3. Print the PDF on standard A4 paper and cut along the card borders. Laminate if possible, a laminated card lasts the whole school year.
4. Distribute cards to parents on or before the first day of term. Include a brief note explaining how to use it: "Show this card to the scanner when you drop off your child."

Revoking a QR code

Revoke a code if:

• A QR card is lost and you are concerned about misuse
• A student is withdrawn from the school
• A parent reports that someone else has photographed their child's card

1. Go to Students from the sidebar.
2. Find the student and click the Actions (⋯) button at the end of their row.
3. Click Revoke QR Code.
4. Confirm the revocation. The old code is invalidated immediately, it will show as "Invalid" on the scanner from the next scan attempt.

Common mistakes

• Generating QR codes before students are fully enrolled, a student without a photo will produce a QR card without a photo, which looks unprofessional and makes gate verification harder.
• Not telling parents how to use the card, some parents will try to scan it themselves on their phone instead of showing it to the gate scanner. Include clear instructions when issuing.
• Forgetting to revoke a code when a student leaves, the old code will not work if the student is archived, but it is good practice to explicitly revoke it when you archive the student record.