Meals & supplies
Record hot meals, blankets, socks and hygiene kits handed out, on forms built around your programs.
Warming center check-in software · for cold-weather shelters too
Simple warming center check-in with a live headcount
Find the guest by card or name, tap Check in, and they’re on tonight’s board. Simple enough for someone on their first shift, quick enough with a line at the door.
$30/month per location · unlimited users · no credit card required
How Boswell works at a warming center
The problem: There’s a line at the door on a freezing night, and whoever came to help has never done check-in before.
Three steps: find the guest, tap Check in, save
Scan a membership card or search a name, tap Check in, answer your own questions and save. Someone on their first shift learns the basics in 5–10 minutes, and a returning guest takes under 30 seconds.
- Unlimited logins, so occasional volunteers have their own.
- Your own check-in questions, like “Bag checked.”
- Household members are ticked by default, so a family checks in together.
The problem: The headcount is a clipboard that’s out of date as soon as it’s written.
A live headcount on every device your team uses
The board shows how many spaces are in use and open, in your own word for them (beds, cots or rooms), and everyone checked in. It updates on every computer, tablet or phone your team uses, so the count is on the screen whenever anyone asks.
- If you’re full, Boswell warns you but still saves the check-in. The decision stays with you.
- In the morning, Check everyone out closes the night in one tap.
The problem: Nobody’s sure who stepped out into the cold, or how long they’ve been gone.
Overdue breaks jump to the top, in red
Tap Start when a guest steps out for the bathroom, a smoke or fresh air, and Finish when they’re back. Give each kind a time limit, like 15 minutes for the bathroom, and anyone past it moves to the top in red.
The problem: Your city or funder wants nightly counts and season totals, and someone tallies sign-in sheets after every opening.
Season totals for any dates, like November 1 to March 31
Pick the dates and the dashboard shows stays per day, unduplicated guests and nights stayed.
- Next winter, search a name and last season’s guest is already there.
Also included
Warns you about likely duplicates
When a new guest may already be in Boswell, it shows the likely match, so you can open the existing record instead.
Your data is yours. We never sell or share it. Export your guest list anytime as CSV.
Backed by
Warming center FAQ
Do we need an HMIS to use Boswell?
No. Boswell works on its own. If you receive HUD funding, keep your HMIS for HUD reporting.
How much does it cost?
$30/month per location, with unlimited users and all features included. Start with a 30-day free trial — no credit card required.
Set up before your next opening
Free for 30 days, no credit card. You can be set up in under an hour.
Run a year-round shelter? See Boswell for shelters.