Badges Guide

This document is a guide to configuring and generating badges in Certain. It describes the Badges V2 module.

1. Introduction

Badges V2 versus V1

Badges V2 provides much more than the older Badges V1 module which it replaced. Multiple badge layouts per event exist in Badges V2. Multiple barcodes per badge layout exist in Badges V2. More barcode formats exist in Badges V2, including QR codes. Badges V2 supports using those barcode formats in email templates. Badges V2 supports profile pictures. Badges V2 supports emailing badges to attendees. Badges V2 supports generating PDF. Badges V2 supports printing to an attached printer. Badges V2 also includes more capabilities.

(Badges V1 does remain available for use instead of Badges V2 in an event. For full details, see the Badges V1 topic in the online Help.)

Enabling Badges V2 for an Event

Follow these steps to enable the Badges V2 module for an event.

1. Go to Plan > Configure > Options. 2. Scroll down to Functional Areas Needed by This Event and select Badges Module. 3. Below that, select Badges V2.

(If the Badges module is not available, an administrator can check that it is enabled at the account level by going to Account Settings > Implementation > Products. If it is not, please contact Certain for more information about whether it should be included.)

2. Configuring Barcodes

If your badges are going to include barcodes, you first need to configure those barcodes, as described here.

(If your badges won’t include any barcodes, skip ahead to Configuring Badge Layouts.)

> Note: The barcodes you use here can also be used in Email Templates, 100% independent of badges.

To configure a barcode, follow these steps:

1. Go to the event, click Manage on the Top Navigation Bar, and select Badges and Barcodes.

2. Click Barcodes in the left navigation panel to open the Barcodes page.

3. Click Add New to add a barcode.

4. Select a Barcode Data Format:

• Simple Format – A delimited string
• Advanced Format – This default format uses a key-value pair to encode the fields in the barcode. If you’ll be scanning for more than Registration ID, use this format.

5. Give the barcode a unique Barcode Name.

6. Select the Barcode Format Option. (For example, QR Code. ) The format must match the barcode scanners to be used.

7. Select the Fields to include in the barcode.

8. If you are using Certain Check-In to scan barcodes, you must include Registration Code or Profile External Id.

• For Simple Format barcodes, include Registration Code as the first field.
• For Advanced Format barcodes, include Registration Code or External Id in any position.

9. Click Use Selections.

10. The selected fields are shown in a list.

11. Drag to reorder the fields, if necessary.

12. Select a Barcode Delimiter if the barcode type requires one, and you want to use a character such as $ instead of the default comma.

13. Click Save when the barcode is complete.

The Barcode List is displayed, including the new barcode. Repeat the process for any more barcodes required.

Barcodes in Email Templates

The barcodes you configure here can be used in email templates, quite independently of badges. To do so, when you’ve configure at least one barcode, as described above:

1. Go to Promote > Communication > Email Templates. 2. Add or edit an email template. 3. Select the relevant barcode under Barcode Fields in the list of dynamic data fields. 4. Click Append to add it to the message.

3. Configuring Badge Layouts

To configure a badge layout, start as you did for barcodes: go to the event, click Manage on the Top Navigation Bar, and select Badges and Barcodes.

By default you are on the Badges page.

Initially, the page shows a list of any badges already configured for the event.

To add a new badge layout, Add New, give the badge a unique Name, and then configure the layout as described below under Editing a Badge Layout.

To edit an existing badge layout, click and edit it as described below.

To copy a badge layout, click. Type the name of the new badge layout when prompted to "Enter Badge Name", and edit the copy as described below.

When you are adding or editing a badge layout, you do so in the design section illustrated and described below.

Editing a Badge Layout

As illustrated above, the design section consists of three columns:

1. Add Fields to Badge Layout – a list of dynamic data fields you can add to a layout. 2. Layout Editor – the unlabeled white box, with toolbar (and above that, a template selector). 3. Barcodes and Banners – with tabs for Barcodes, Logo (i.e., any images), and Pic (the attendee's profile picture).

As you select a template, the layout editor below it resizes to match the template size.

> Important Note: You cannot change the template you have selected after you have saved the badge layout.

You can, however, change it while editing a new badge, up until the moment you first click Save.

Add Fields to Badge Layout

To add a dynamic data field to the layout, click the spot at which you want to place it, and then click the field in the list on the left.

The fields available include:

• Registration Fields Registration Code, Attendee Type, Agenda Sessions
• Profile Fields such as First Name, Last Name, Organization, etc.
• Event Fields: Event Name, Event Code
• Profile Questions: Any custom profile questions set up for your account by an Administrator (on Account Settings > Registration > Profile Data)
• Custom Registration Questions: Any custom registration questions you have set up for the event (on Plan > Event Setup > Questions)
• Event Questions: Any custom event questions set up for your account by an Administrator (on Account Settings > Management > Event Data)

You can limit the fields shown in either or both of these two ways:

1. Type part of a field name in the Search text box at the top. 2. Select a filter in the –Select fields– drop-down list: e.g. Profile, Registration, Event, Profile Questions, or Event Questions. (If Profile Questions, Custom Registration Questions or Event Questions are not included as filter options, that's because none have been set up.)

As illustrated above, typing "name" would limit the list to four fields: Profile First Name, Profile Last Name, Badge Name and Event Name. But then selecting Event as the set of fields would restrict the list further to just Event Name (because that is the only "event field" with "nam" in its name).

Another example: Typing "profile" in the text box, and leaving the filter set to Select Fields, would make the list consist of all the Profile fields plus any Custom Profile Questions.

A note about custom questions: If you include custom questions, be sure that the answers will be short enough to fit onto the badge, because answers will be truncated if they are too long to fit.

Layout Editor

In the WYSIWYG Layout Editor, the unlabeled white box in the central column, where you have added data fields, you can format those fields, add and format text, and add barcodes and images.

At any point, you can click Live Preview to see an example of the badge as it will look when printed.

Double-Sided Badges

By default, you are designing the front of a badge, as shown by the Front tab label at the top of the section.

But for appropriate Avery templates, i.e. those for double-sided badges, there is also a Back tab in the layout designer.

So when you have finished designing the front, you can:

• click Back to design the back of the badge
• click Front to switch back to designing the front
• design only the Front, and select the Make front and back the same check box.

Auto-Sizing Data Fields

If you select the Enable Auto Sizing check box, then a data field shrinks to fit if the selected font size makes the text too large to fit the width of the badge. If the check box is left clear, the text wraps onto the next line, remaining at the selected font size.

Adding Text

Add text to your badge layout by typing or copying and pasting it.

Formatting Data Fields and Text

Format the dynamic data fields you have added above, and the custom text you type or paste, using the usual controls for font family and size, color, bold, italic, alignment, etc.

Barcodes and Banners

There are three tabs within the Barcodes and Banners section on the right: Barcodes, Logo, and Pic, as described below.

From each one you can drag an item on to the badge layout, where you can drag its corners to resize it.

Adding Barcodes

To add a barcode (using the Barcodes tab of the Barcodes and Banners section):

1. Select the barcode in the drop-down list of those configured on Manage > Barcodes and Banners >Barcodes – see Configuring Barcodes. 2. Drag it onto the Layout Editor, where you can resize it by dragging its corners. 3. TIP: Print a badge to check you can scan it successfully with the scanners to be used at the event.

Adding Logos / Images

To upload a Logo, or other image, to use, click Choose File (in the Logo tab of the Barcodes and Banners section ), and find the file on your computer. Then click Upload Image.

To use it on a badge, drag it from the Logo tab onto the Layout Editor.

If you have uploaded multiple images, only one is visible at a time in the Logo tab. Click the < and > buttons to display the others in turn, and drag each one onto the badge layout when it’s visible.

Adding a Profile Picture

To include the attendee's profile picture on the badge layout, drag the abstract "headshot" placeholder image from the Pic tab of the Barcodes and Banners column onto the Layout Editor, where you can resize it by dragging its corners.

4. Providing Badges to Attendees

Once you have saved a badge layout, you can:

1. Output badges to PDF (for multiple or individual attendees). 2. Print badges directly to a printer (also for multiple or individual attendees). 3. Attach badges (as PDF files) to emails so that attendees can use them on their mobile devices, or even print them out themselves.

Printing Badges

To print badges for multiple attendees:

• Run a suitable report, and then on the Report Results screen, once you’ve selected the attendees for whom you want badges:
• Select a badge layout under Print Badges & Labels, and either:
• click Go (to create a PDF), or
• click Print Badge (to print directly to a printer, immediately).

To print an individual badge from a registration record:

• Go to the attendee’s Registration > Overview page (for example by searching for them, or by clicking their link on a report).
• Click the Print Name Badge button, and then:
• Select a badge layout, and either:
• click Generate PDF or
• click Print (to print directly to a printer, immediately).

> Note: When a badge is printed, the attendee's Badge Printed status is set to Yes, and the Badge Print Date is recorded and can be used in a report as a data column or as an advanced filter.

> Caution: Select “100% fit” in your printer settings when printing badges. Scaling to "fit to size" (or similar) will misalign badges on stationery.

Emailing Badges

To attach a PDF of a badge to an email, so that an attendee can use it on their mobile device (or print it themselves):

1. Go to Communication > Email Templates. 2. Create or edit an email template. 3. Select Attach Badge PDF under Attachment. 4. Select the badge layout to use. 5. Any emails sent using that template will have a PDF attachment of the attendee’s badge.

5. On-Demand Badges

In addition to the standard badges described above, you can configure On-Demand Badges, which you can print from Certain Check-In (or via a Mass Action for selected registrations in a Report Results Window).

Note that you can only set up one on-demand badge per attendee type (so that Certain Check-In will know which badge to print for an attendee).

To add your first on-demand badge:

1. In the event, go to Manage > Badges and Barcodes > On-Demand Badges. 2. Click Add New. 3. Give the badge a name, for example "Buyer Badge" or "Exhibitor Badge". 4. Select the Attendee Type. 5. Click Save.

The Badge Layout screen opens for you to design the badge.

Note that if you create a custom size, it is then available for use on other badges.

Under Basic Elements, click dynamic data fields (DDFs) to add them to the layout. There you can drag them into position, resize them, and format the text.

Under Barcode you can select a barcode from the list of those set up on Manage > Badges and Barcodes >Barcodes (see Configuring Barcodes). That adds the barcode to the layout where you can move and resize it.

To add an image, such as a logo, click under Image to select an image from your PC and add it to the badge, where you can move and resize it.

To add free text, such as an event slogan, click Static Text to add a text box to the badge. Type in the text box, drag and resize it, and format the text, just as you can for the data fields in Basic Elements above.

While you configure the badge, the Layout shows the badge layout as it changes.

Click Preview to display a pop-up preview with the field names (such as "[Profile Badge Name]") replaced by the values (such as "John Citizen") from the first attendee record.

Click Save to save the layout and return to the Badges List.