Venue & Settings
Set Up and Use a Shared Workstation
A shared workstation gives staff restricted schedule, Inbox, Clients, booking, waitlist, time clock and checkout access without sharing an account password.
Last updated 18 July 2026
Set Up and Use a Shared Workstation
TL;DR
- A shared workstation opens a restricted, redacted calendar without keeping an Owner or Manager signed in.
- An Owner or Manager approves the device once, then each active team member uses their own four-digit PIN.
- The operator claim locks after 15 minutes of inactivity, while the calendar stays visible.
- Use personal account temporarily pauses the workstation without removing its approval. Signing out or 15 minutes of personal inactivity returns the device to its original locked calendar.
- Use Reconnect this shared workstation after a remote disconnect or lost local credential. Do not enter or share an account password on the workstation.
A shared workstation gives front-desk staff the operational tools they need without access to reports, settings, billing or the full customer database. The device proves that it is an approved workstation, while the personal PIN identifies the team member carrying out each action. Shared workstations are available on all plans for active team profiles, including non-bookable staff and staff without personal account access.
What is a shared workstation?
A shared workstation is a venue-approved web browser, iPad or Android tablet with a restricted device credential of its own. It does not depend on an Owner's or Manager's personal session remaining signed in.
The locked workstation shows the canonical time-grid schedule. Claiming keeps the same date and schedule position while revealing these contextual tools:
| Tool | Available actions |
|---|---|
| Calendar | View the redacted schedule, create a booking, open an eligible booking, and start checkout |
| Waitlist | View basic requests, add a request, and remove a pending request |
| Time clock | View the acting operator's status, clock in, and clock out with break minutes |
Reports, settings, billing, marketing, the full customer list, team management and unrestricted personal-account pages are not part of the workstation.
Note
A shared workstation is for staff operations. The customer-facing counter iPad link for walk-in self check-in is a different feature. See Walk-In Check-In.
Prepare team member PINs
Each person who uses the workstation needs an active team profile and a personal four-digit Shared-device PIN. Bookability and personal account access do not determine workstation eligibility.
To set a PIN on web:
- Go to Team.
- Open the team member.
- Find Shared-device PIN in their settings.
- Select Set PIN or Change.
- Enter the four-digit PIN in New PIN.
- Enter it again in Confirm PIN.
- Select Save PIN.
An Owner or Manager can also select Reset cooldown after repeated failed attempts, or Remove to stop that team member claiming a workstation. Changing or removing a PIN ends that person's active workstation claims and pending one-action approvals.
Tip
Set PINs before enrolling the front-desk device. There is no automatic claim, even when only one team member has a PIN.
Set up the browser or device you are using
An Owner or Manager can convert their current signed-in browser or native app without logging out first or using another device.
- Go to Settings > Shared workstations.
- In Shared workstations, select Set up this browser on web. In the native app's Shared workstations options, select Set up this device.
- Check that at least one active team member has a four-digit Shared-device PIN.
- Enter a recognisable Device name.
- Review the access change. The current browser profile or app will lose personal management access, while the Owner's other signed-in devices remain signed in.
- Select Set up this browser or Set up this device.
- Open the locked calendar after the secure workstation connection is ready.
OpenChair does not show an approval code during this journey. Your personal access is cleared only after the shared workstation is ready.
On web, use a normal dedicated browser profile. Private browsing and clearing OpenChair site data remove the local workstation connection. When someone needs personal management access on the same computer, select Use personal account so OpenChair can pause and later restore the workstation safely.
Set up another device
Assisted setup starts on the device that will become the workstation and finishes in an Owner's or Manager's separate signed-in session.
- Open the OpenChair sign-in screen on the new workstation.
- Select Set up a shared workstation.
- Enter a recognisable Device name.
- Select Create approval code.
- On an Owner's or Manager's signed-in device, scan the QR code or open Settings > Shared workstations and select Approve another device.
- Select the correct Venue.
- Enter the eight-character Approval code if it was not filled from the QR code.
- Check the displayed device name and platform.
- Select Approve device.
- Return to the workstation and select Open locked calendar after it connects.
The approval code expires after 10 minutes. Select Regenerate on the workstation if the request is unavailable or expires.
No account password is entered on the workstation. Approval gives the named device restricted workstation access only.
Claim, switch or lock the workstation
A team member must claim the workstation before any write action. The locked calendar remains visible without a claim.
Claim the workstation
- Select Claim workstation on web or Claim in the mobile app.
- Choose your team profile.
- Enter your Personal PIN.
- Select Claim workstation.
The header changes to Shared workstation in use and shows Acting as [name].
Switch operator
- Select Switch operator on web or Switch in the mobile app.
- Choose the next team profile.
- Enter that person's Personal PIN.
- Select Switch operator.
The previous claim ends when the new operator is verified. A team member must never use another person's PIN.
Lock immediately
Select Lock now on web or Lock in the mobile app when leaving the workstation. The acting operator is removed, write actions stop, and the calendar remains visible.
How the 15-minute inactivity lock works
The workstation locks the acting operator after 15 minutes without deliberate interaction. Selecting controls, typing and other intentional input extend the claim. Calendar polling, payment-provider updates, timers and background refresh do not.
When the claim expires:
- the calendar remains visible;
- protected tabs and write actions require a new claim;
- safe drafts remain available where supported;
- an in-progress provider payment keeps its original operator and workstation attribution.
Completing a checkout does not automatically lock the workstation. Select Lock now when handing over or walking away.
Calendar and client privacy
The locked calendar reveals only the information needed to identify appointments. Customer surnames are reduced to an initial, contact details are not shown, and unavailable details remain hidden.
The calendar allows navigation from seven days before today through 31 days after today. It remains visible when writes are locked or when a connected workstation is temporarily placed in a read-only holding state.
After claiming, Clients search returns only a client's name, phone, email and bounded upcoming/recent booking context. Staff can create a minimal client or correct those three basic contact fields. Notes, care or consultation records, forms, photos, saved cards, balances, spend, insights, communication settings, blocking, VIP controls, archive, merge, bulk actions and export require a personal account with the appropriate role.
Restricted Inbox and Clients
After a personal PIN claim, the workstation can show Schedule, Inbox and Clients when the server grants those fixed workstation capabilities. Locking, switching operator, claim expiry or choosing Use personal account removes protected lists and details and clears message or contact drafts.
The restricted Inbox contains the venue's operational conversations only. Staff can read and mark conversations, resolve or reopen them, and manually reply to eligible SMS or email conversations. Existing opt-out, identity, channel and provider rules still apply. Instagram is read-only on a workstation. Assignment, identity linking, AI configuration or drafts, campaigns, bulk actions, export and channel settings remain in the personal app.
If OpenChair cannot confirm whether a reply was sent, the workstation keeps that attempt locked and does not send it again automatically. Check the conversation and select Use personal account to investigate when stronger access is needed.
The restricted Clients destination supports name, phone or email search; minimal create; basic name/phone/email correction; and up to ten upcoming plus ten recent bookings. Duplicate or stale details do not merge automatically. Correct the form, open a safely identified existing client, refresh the current record, or use a personal account.
Inbox and Clients show only task-scoped history for the selected conversation or client. There is no venue-wide workstation Activity feed.
Booking and waitlist actions
Claimed operators can create bookings using current venue services, eligible staff and venue-local times. Choosing the automatic staff option lets OpenChair assign any eligible team member.
Selecting a booking opens its contextual inspector. Checkout stays inside that inspector, and configured booking cancellation is available after OpenChair refreshes the booking and confirms it has not changed. Rescheduling and broader booking management remain in the signed-in app.
The Waitlist panel stays adjacent to the schedule on larger screens and opens as an adaptive sheet on compact screens. It supports basic requests. Operators can:
- view basic waitlist entries;
- select Add request and enter the client, contact method and service;
- remove a request while it is still pending.
Offers, fulfilment, priority changes and advanced Smart Waitlist management remain in the signed-in app.
Checkout and payment safety
Shared-workstation checkout records both the workstation and the acting operator. Web workstations can record cash or use a registered physical card reader. Native iOS and Android workstations can also use Tap to Pay when it is enabled and supported for the venue and device.
If consent, form, age or identity checks block checkout, an eligible Owner or Manager can approve that exact exception with their own personal PIN. Approve this checkout only applies to the named booking and reason. It does not open reports, settings or any other management action.
An external payment remains bound to the operator and workstation that started it. If the claim expires during the provider hand-off, OpenChair continues checking the same attempt and prevents another tender. The initiating operator can reclaim the workstation to resume. After five minutes, an Owner or Manager may be offered Release unstarted payment for an unstarted hand-off after provider verification.
Warning
If the workstation says the payment outcome is unknown or that status could not be refreshed, do not take another payment. Use Retry payment status or Resume payment check so OpenChair reconciles the original attempt.
Manage connected workstations and activity
Owners and Managers manage workstations on web under Settings > Shared workstations. Mobile venue settings also provide the workstation activity view.
The Shared workstations section shows:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Device | Editable device name, platform and app version |
| Access | Shared workstation, or Signed in as [name] when a team member's account provides the access |
| Last active | The most recent server contact from that device |
| Actions | Disconnect for a workstation or Sign out for a signed-in device |
Select the device name to rename it. Select Disconnect to revoke a workstation. The device loses its calendar and action access on its next server contact and needs fresh Owner or Manager approval before it can reconnect.
Select View device activity to open Audit log with Workstation activity applied. It includes workstation setup, operator, booking, waitlist, Inbox reply/state, limited client create/contact update, Time clock, checkout and payment activity where available. Owners can copy or export the filtered investigation trail; Managers can view it.
Reconnect, use a personal account or remove the workstation
Reconnect creates a fresh workstation approval. It does not ask staff for an Owner's password.
- Select Reconnect this shared workstation on the disconnected screen or sign-in screen.
- Confirm or change the Device name.
- Select Create approval code.
- Ask an Owner or Manager to approve the code from their signed-in device.
- Select Open locked calendar after the workstation connects.
Select Use personal account when someone needs temporary personal management access on the same browser or device. OpenChair pauses the workstation credential instead of deleting it, clears workstation-only protected state, and opens strong personal sign-in. Cancelling sign-in, signing out, or reaching 15 minutes of personal inactivity clears the personal session and returns to the original locked workstation without a new approval.
If the browser cannot pause or restore the saved workstation, use Clear this browser and reconnect. This clears only the unusable workstation authority held by that browser and then opens the normal reconnect flow. A fresh Owner or Manager approval is required before the browser can become a workstation again.
While a temporary personal session is active, select Return to workstation to clear the personal session immediately and restore the locked calendar. The workstation cannot be paused, returned, switched or removed while an external payment is pending, processing or has an unknown outcome; reconcile that original payment first.
Remove workstation is the permanent alternative. It requires a fresh Owner or Manager sign-in for the same original venue, revokes the workstation once, and removes its local credential and device key. Use it only when the browser or device should stop being a workstation. If local key cleanup fails after server revocation, use the displayed retry action; do not assume the workstation is still connected.
Settings
| Setting | Options | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Device name | Any recognisable name up to 80 characters | Platform-specific front-desk name |
| Shared-device PIN | Four numeric digits per active team profile | Not set |
| Operator inactivity lock | Fixed at 15 minutes | 15 minutes |
| Card reader and Tap to Pay availability | Controlled by the venue's Card payments settings and device support | Venue configuration |
Who can use this
| Role | Access |
|---|---|
| Owner | Approve, rename and disconnect workstations; manage team PINs; claim operations; approve supported one-action exceptions; view activity |
| Manager | Approve, rename and disconnect workstations; manage eligible staff PINs; claim operations; approve supported one-action exceptions; view activity |
| Team | Claim the workstation with their own PIN and use the fixed operational tools; no personal account or bookable status is required |
Platform differences
| Capability | Web workstation | Native iOS or Android workstation |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and reconnect | Sign-in links, QR or manual approval code | Sign-in links, QR or manual approval code |
| Same-device setup | Set up this browser | Set up this device |
| Locked calendar and operator claim | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted Inbox | Yes, after a claim | Yes, after a claim |
| Limited Clients | Yes, after a claim | Yes, after a claim |
| Temporary personal account use | Pauses and restores the browser workstation | Pauses and restores the native workstation |
| Cash and physical reader checkout | Yes | Yes |
| Tap to Pay checkout | No | Yes, when supported and enabled |
| Workstation key storage | Browser-protected device key | iOS Keychain or Android Keystore-backed device key |
Common mistakes
Asking staff to use an Owner's password
Staff do not need an Owner or Manager present after the workstation has been approved. They claim the connected workstation with their own personal PIN.
Using private browsing for a web workstation
Private browsing clears the device-bound workstation connection when the private session closes. Use a normal dedicated browser profile and do not clear OpenChair site data while the workstation should remain connected. Use Use personal account for a reversible personal session.
Treating the shared-device PIN as a shared venue PIN
Every operator needs their own PIN. A shared or borrowed PIN makes the audit trail name the wrong person.
Expecting the claimed operator's full account permissions
The workstation always uses its fixed restricted capability set. Claiming as an Owner or Manager does not open the full app.
Retrying an uncertain payment as a new tender
An uncertain provider attempt keeps ownership of checkout. Reconcile or resume that attempt instead of charging again.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| No active team members have a workstation PIN | On web, go to Team, open each required team member and set their Shared-device PIN. |
| The approval request is unavailable | Check the venue and eight-character code. If the 10-minute request expired, select Regenerate on the workstation. |
| The PIN is correct but claiming is temporarily locked | Wait until the displayed retry time, or ask an Owner or Manager to select Reset cooldown in that team member's settings. |
| The workstation says it has been disconnected | Select Reconnect this shared workstation and complete a fresh Owner or Manager approval. |
| Personal sign-in keeps returning to the workstation | Select Clear this browser and reconnect, then complete a fresh Owner or Manager approval. Do not clear unrelated browser data or reuse the old approval code. |
| The calendar temporarily cannot refresh | Check the network and select Try again. If a last available schedule is shown, writes remain unavailable until fresh data is confirmed. |
| A payment was interrupted | Claim as the initiating operator and use the displayed resume action. Do not start another tender. An Owner or Manager can review release only when OpenChair offers that recovery path. |
| I need reports, settings or the full client profile | Select Use personal account and sign in with an account that has the required role. Sign out or select Return to workstation when finished. |
FAQ
What is a shared workstation?
A shared workstation is a venue-approved web browser, iPad or Android tablet with its own restricted credential. It opens a redacted calendar without a personal account and requires a team member's four-digit PIN before any operational action.
How can staff open the workstation if the owner is not there?
After an Owner or Manager approves the workstation once, it reopens its locked calendar without that person or their password. Staff select their team profile and enter their personal four-digit PIN.
When does a shared workstation lock?
The acting operator is locked after 15 minutes without deliberate interaction. The calendar remains visible, but booking, waitlist, time clock and checkout actions require a fresh claim.
How do I reconnect a disconnected workstation?
Choose Reconnect this shared workstation, create a new approval code, then ask an Owner or Manager to approve it from their signed-in device. A personal sign-in does not restore a disconnected workstation.