Counting people at multiple entrances

Set the counting rule

A single shared counter is risky when observers cannot see one another's taps. Separate streams also reveal which doorway contributed to a sudden change.

Put the rule into practice

Steps for a reliable tally

1. Write the entrance name on each counter.
2. Agree whether side doors, re-entry and staff count.
3. Have each observer submit a timestamped total at the same checkpoint.
4. For a checkpoint, ask each entrance lead to report arrivals and departures separately, with the same cutoff time.
5. Keep the individual figures so a later correction has a trail.

Why this detail matters

When observers use phones, ask them to avoid sharing one login or one mutable counter. Each doorway's own tally is easier to audit. The coordinator can sum counts at scheduled times and note which door was closed, reopened or used for staff. That context matters when a total changes abruptly.

At the venue

Keep the aggregation sheet separate from the observer counters. The sheet can list door A, door B and staff entrance side by side with each checkpoint time. If one door closes early, mark its final total rather than assuming it stayed at zero. This makes the combined figure explainable to a colleague who was not present.

What can go wrong?

Combining counts taken at different times produces a false occupancy figure.

Common questions