Can other printer models be used?

[John Dykema]

running Windows 10 pro.
I have much grief with the Dymo 450 label writers. I've spent hours cleaning gum off rollers, labels jamming, and what have you. My current printer just blinks on the one side and I am ready to recycle the thing.
Our secty ordered a new Dymo 550, touted to be jam free. The problem is that it's only one label size at a time. I don't believe it's compatible with the Check In system because it can only use the 450 two side model. Can you affirm that?

If we only wanted name labels and not labels for Bags, would the 550 model work for us?

Another question is that one of our people are saying the 450's may not even work anymore after Oct 2025. I don't think that's true. What say you about that?
Thanks for your input. John

[Zorak]

Since you have Check In Version 11, that originally shipped being only able to work with Dymo 400 and 450 series printers. Dymo changed their whole software interface with the 550 series, so we weren't able to print to them once they released.

We issued a Maintenance Release update for Check In 11 that now offers a third printer option, using an external label printer app that now allows Check In to work with basically any label printer. We have tested it with Dymo, Epson, Brother, Zebra, and no-name printers from Amazon.

https://www.powerchurch.com/news/361/ch ... ce-release

We have also since released Check In Version 14 which has that printing functionality built-in and doesn't require running the separate label printer app.

https://www.powerchurch.com/products/checkin/whatsnew/

[John Dykema]

We are using PowerChurch v12, Check In v11
How much would it cost to go to Check in v14?
You stated that Check In 11 MR lets us go with any label printer. Doesn't the system want a side by side printing device? How else would we be able to get 2 sizes of labels for the same child (person)? Or does all that information come out on the same label now instead of two?

Also is there a way to check if we already have that MR already? We always say yes when an update comes through.
Thanks, John

[Zorak]

Check In v14 would also require an upgrade to PowerChurch Plus v14. Those prices are: PC+ Upgrade $159, CK Upgrade $99

Using the Dymo programming API, the software could talk directly to the two different print heads in the Twin Turbo model printers. The new way of printing would work just like if you had the single head Dymo printer all along, printing everything on the same size labels. The Twin Turbo in CK11 functionality just printed Bag Tag labels on the second print head. Those labels are optional anyway, so you don't necessarily have to waste name badge size labels on those moving forward if you don't want to.

Check In v11 Maintenance Releases work differently than PowerChurch Plus Maintenance Releases, in that what needs updating is the "Check In Server" which is a service running in the background on the computer where PowerChurch is installed. The user isn't ever interacting with that service in a UI, so there isn't anything to alert you that a new Maintenance Release is available, other than our email notifications and posts on the News page and here on the Forum.

One of the new features in CK14 is that the Server/service updates itself without any user interaction and the kiosk app updates itself with a "toast" notification popping up letting you know a new kiosk update is available that will be installed.

[John Dykema]

Thank you for that.
So, if I'd run the CheckIn 11 MR I could use various brands of printers, right?
But, to get Name labels and small Bag labels I'd need to buy either two different printers OR using our Dymo 450 Twin Turbo with its two built in heads.
Do I understand that right?

[Zorak]

The only way to get the separate label printing for bag tags would be specifically with a Dymo 450 Twin Turbo. It wouldn't be possible to print labels to two different printers from the same check in process.