Let's set the scene: It was the kind of Friday afternoon every pet-care business knows well—rain drizzled outside, the phones were ringing, and your front-desk team was trying to manage a string of pickups before the weekend rush. A parent shows up early for Mei, the Shiba Inu. No problem—they know the drill. Staff steps away for a moment, hands over Mei, and gives a quick update on her stay.
But behind the scenes, something gets missed.
Mei’s towel is still in the dryer, her bag of treats is waiting in a bin, and your kennel technician is now hunting through cubbies trying to figure out why a pet that’s no longer there still appears on the checkout list.
What if that confusion could be avoided altogether?
With Gingr’s Digital Whiteboard and our newly enhanced opt-in control for checkouts, you can create more clarity, reduce end-of-day bottlenecks, and give your team the power to display the right information at the right time. No more mystery pups, no more missed towels—just alignment and optimized operations at a glance.
The Digital Whiteboard is a real-time visual dashboard designed for in-facility use. Displayed on a monitor or TV, it gives your staff an instant view of the day’s check-ins and check-outs, along with other critical details about the pets in your care.
Rather than toggling between tabs, asking coworkers for updates, or printing out daily checklists, staff can glance at the board to see what’s happening—right now—in your facility.
Each reservation entry on the Digital Whiteboard includes:
Beyond a screen, it’s a live operational hub that connects your front-desk team with your back-of-house staff, bathers, groomers, and kennel techs.
The Digital Whiteboard is highly versatile and can be used in many ways depending on your pet-care business model. Some examples include:
Quickly see which pups are in group play, who’s getting picked up early, or which dogs need a rinse before going home.
Track check-out times and identify guests whose parents have yet to retrieve them—without having to call up reservation details.
Coordinate grooming, bathing, training, and daycare workflows across departments with fewer communication gaps.
While the Digital Whiteboard already gives your team excellent visibility, our latest update gives them even more control. With the new Digital Whiteboard Opt-In feature, front-desk staff can now choose—during the checkout process—whether or not a pet’s information appears on the board.
This is especially useful during peak traffic hours when pets are being picked up faster than your staff can process formal checkouts in the system.
Let’s say five pets are picked up between 5:00–5:30 PM, but your front-desk team doesn’t get a chance to finalize checkouts in Gingr until after the rush. Without the opt-in feature, all five pets would still appear on the Digital Whiteboard—even though they’re no longer in your facility.
This creates confusion for bathers or kennel techs trying to locate animals who are already gone.
By allowing staff to opt out of sending a reservation to the board, you keep the Whiteboard accurate, up-to-date, and focused.
Ready to try the new opt-in functionality? Here’s how to get started.
1. Navigate to Digital Whiteboard Settings
In your Gingr admin dashboard, head to the Location Settings and scroll to the Digital Whiteboard section.
2. Enable the Opt-In Feature
You’ll see a toggle option to activate the Display on Digital Whiteboard checkbox. Enable it.
3. Train Your Front Desk Team
When staff begin the checkout process, they’ll now see a checkbox asking whether to send the reservation to the Digital Whiteboard. By default, this box is checked. If a pet has already gone home or doesn’t need to appear on the board, they can uncheck it.
4. Confirm Your Display Setup
Ensure your in-facility monitors or TVs are positioned in a way that makes this information easily accessible to back-of-house staff. You want to maximize visibility and utility!
The most powerful tool is only as effective as the setup that supports it. If you want your Digital Whiteboard to truly serve as a command center, invest in the right hardware for visibility, performance, and daily durability.
Recommended hardware Includes:
Want our full list of hardware recommendations? Check out our official support guide: Recommended Hardware for Digital Whiteboard
Rolling out the Digital Whiteboard with opt-in controls doesn’t require a huge process overhaul—but a little planning goes a long way. Here are some best practices from facilities already seeing success:
Even a 15-minute walkthrough during a team huddle can help staff understand when to use the checkbox, how to keep the board clean, and what to look for throughout their shift.
Set up custom animal icons or color-coded lodging assignments to make the board even easier to scan. This will help staff spot key info instantly.
Encourage team leads or managers to glance at the Whiteboard throughout the day. It can become a shared source of truth to guide handoffs and transitions between shifts.
Whether your staff are veterans or seasonal hires, simplifying and controlling what’s seen on your shared screens can make a major difference in their confidence and performance. Groomers, boarders, trainers, and pet caregivers of all varieties can benefit from using Digital Whiteboards and our latest feature. Examples:
Q: Can I still see all reservation details in Gingr if a pet isn’t displayed on the board?
Yes. Opting out of the Whiteboard view does not affect the reservation itself—just whether it appears on the public dashboard.
Q: Can I set the checkbox to be unchecked by default?
Currently, the checkbox is enabled by default to reduce risk of missed pets. Staff can manually uncheck it as needed.
Q: Can I customize what fields appear on the board?
While the Whiteboard displays a set list of data points, you can customize your custom icons and lodging labels for added clarity.
Q: What’s the best way to handle mid-shift changes to the Whiteboard?
Assign a staff member each shift to monitor and maintain the board—especially during busy times. You can also refresh the display or reload the browser to ensure everything is current.
Give Your Facility the Visibility It Deserves
Just as we designed Gingr PreCheck to be similar to checking in to a flight before arriving at the airport — it’s all about saving time and smoothing out the experience before the action begins — think of the Digital Whiteboard as the airport’s arrivals and departures monitor. It’s your team’s real-time, centralized view of who’s coming, who’s going, and what’s happening in between.
With Gingr’s opt-in feature, you gain control over that view, ensuring that only the most relevant reservations show up when they’re actually needed. The result is a calmer lobby, a more informed team, and a smoother, more professional checkout experience for every pet and pet parent.
Whether you’re navigating a Friday afternoon rush or simply aiming to reduce noise in your daily workflows, this enhancement brings flexibility and precision to your operations.
Want to set up the Digital Whiteboard in your facilities? Check out our step-by-step guide! Ready to try Gingr for your pet-care business? Get your demo on the books today.