Badges (in Badges V2)

Badges (in Badges V2)

Introduction

The page described here is available if the Badges V 2 module is enabled for the event (in Plan > Configure > Options).

To print attendee badges (or labels) in Certain, you first need to set up a badge layout on this page. You can have multiple badge layouts per event. For example, you can use different layouts for different attendee types.

Videos: All Certain University videos about Badges and Barcodes

A badge can include the following, all formatted and precisely placed:

• your choice of fields from the attendee's record, formatted as required
• a logo or other image(s)
• one or more barcodes (of different types)
• formatted text
• the attendee's profile picture

Note: The older Badges V 1 module remains available for use instead of Badges V 2 in an event for backward compatibility. Badges V 1 provides much less flexibility. For example, Badges V 1 provides only one badge layout per event. Badges V 1 provides no support for multibyte character sets such as Japanese or Chinese. Badges V 1 provides no more than one barcode per badge. Badges V 1 provides only two barcode types. Badges V 1 provides no profile pictures.

See the Badges Quick Guide for an illustrated PDF guide explaining the process in detail.

Printing Badges

Once you have saved a badge layout, you can:

• Print multiple badges from a report by selecting the records on the Report Results screen. You can then select a badge layout on that screen. You can then click either PDF to create a PDF file, or Print to print directly to a printer immediately.
• Print an individual badge from a registration record by clicking Print Name Badge on the Attendee Overview page.
• Attach a PDF of a badge to an email. For example, attach a PDF in Plan > Communication > Email Templates.

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

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

Configuring Badge Layouts

Badge Layout(s)

This section lists any existing badge layouts in the current event. This section shows the following details for each one.

• Badge Layout Name – The name given to the layout when first creating it. For example, “Exhibitor” or “Exhibitor Badge”.
• Template – The Avery (or other) template selected when the badge layout was created. For example, “Avery 5384”. See List of templates.
• Last Modified – The date and time the layout was last edited. This field is blank if the layout has not been edited since first saved.
• Action – With these three icons:
• ✏️ – Edit the badge layout in the Badge Designer section described below.
• 📄 – Copy the badge layout. When prompted for “Badge Layout Name”, type the name of the new badge layout.
• ✖️ – Delete the badge layout.

Adding a Badge Layout

Video: Name Badge (3 min.)

To add a new badge layout: 1. Click Add New. 2. Enter a unique Name for the layout. Note: You cannot change the name of a badge layout once it has been saved. 3. The full-page-width layout design section opens. In this section, you can configure your new badge layout.

The design section consists of three columns. From left to right, these columns are: 1. Add Fields to Badge Layouts 2. Layout Editor – the unlabeled white box with toolbar 3. Barcodes and Banners – with tabs for Barcodes, Logo (any graphics), and Pic (the attendee's profile picture).

Add Fields to Badge Layout

In the Add Fields to Badge Layout column on the left, click one of the listed data fields. For example, click First Name or Last Name. This action adds the field to the layout. The field is placed in the first empty spot on the layout. The field placement uses the first empty spot unless you first click the spot where you want the field to be placed.

The fields available include:

• Profile Fields: First Name, Last Name, Badge Name, Position, Mobile Phone, Email, Organization, Prefix, Suffix, Profile PIN (Unique ID), Weblink, Address Line1/2/City/State/Country/PostalCode, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter.
• Registration Fields: Registration Code, Attendee Type, Agenda Sessions.
• 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 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).

> Caution: If you include custom questions, be sure that the answers will be short enough to fit onto the badge. Long answers will be truncated.

You can limit the fields shown in either or both of these two ways: 1. Type part of a field name in the box at the top. 2. Select a filter in the “-- Select fields --” drop-down list. The filters are Profile, Registration, Event, Profile Questions, or Event Questions.

If Profile Questions, Custom Registration Questions, or Event Questions are not included as filter options, then none have been set up.

For example, typing “nam” limits the list to four fields: Event Name, First Name, Last Name, and Badge Name. Selecting Event as the set of fields restricts the list further. The restricted list contains only Event Name. This restriction happens because Event Name is the only “event field” with “nam” in its name.

Another example involves typing “profile” in the text box. Leaving the filter set to Select Fields makes the list consist of all the Profile fields plus any Custom Profile Questions.

Layout Editor

When creating a new badge layout, first select an Avery (or other) Template from the drop-down list at the top of the central column. See the separate list of the Avery (and other) Templates available.

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

> Important Note: You cannot change the template you have selected after you have saved a badge layout. You can change the template while editing a new badge until the moment you first click Save.

In the Layout Editor, the unlabeled white box in the central column adds text. You add text by typing or copying/pasting. You format the dynamic data fields you have added above. You format the custom text you add. You use the usual controls for font family and size, color, bold, italic, alignment, etc.

• Enable Auto Sizing – If this check box is selected, a data field shrinks to fit if the selected font size makes the text too large to fit the width of the badge. If this check box is left clear, the text wraps onto the next line. The text remains at the selected font size.

Click Live Preview to open a pop-up window showing an example of a badge as it will look when printed.

Double-Sided Badges

By default, you are designing the Front of a badge. The page shows this default by the Front tab label at the top of the section.

Appropriate Avery templates include a Back tab. These templates support double-sided badges. So you can:

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

Barcodes and Banners

There are three tabs within the Barcodes and Banners section on the right:

• Barcodes
• Logo
• Pic

From each tab, you can drag an item onto the badge layout. You can then drag the item's corners to resize it.

Barcodes

> Note: Barcodes must first be set up on Manage > Badges and Barcodes > Barcodes.

To add a barcode: 1. Select Barcode. Select the barcode in the drop-down list of those set up on the Barcodes page. 2. An illustration of that barcode type is shown on the right. 3. Drag that barcode image from the Barcodes and Banners column onto the Layout Editor. Resize the barcode by dragging its corners.

> Note: The barcode shown in the Layout Editor and in the Live Preview is only the same illustrative one shown in the Barcode and Banners column. The barcode shown in the Layout Editor is not “live” data.

Logo

To upload a Logo or other image, click Upload Image. Then find the file on your computer.

To use a logo on a badge, drag the logo from the Logo tab of the Barcodes and Banners column onto the Layout Editor.

If multiple images are uploaded, only one image is visible at a time. Click the < and > buttons to display other images in turn. Drag the required image onto the badge layout when it is visible.

Pic

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. Resize the picture by dragging its corners.

Badge layouts belong to an event

Badge layouts are part of an event. You can copy layouts within an event. You cannot copy layouts from one event to another. Badge layouts are not included when you copy an event.

Registration custom questions differ from one event to another. Registration custom questions can be included on badges.