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. Different layouts can apply to 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, but provides much less flexibility. For example, only one badge layout per event, no support for multibyte character sets (such as Japanese or Chinese), no more than one barcode per badge, only two barcode types, no profile pictures, etc. See the Badges V1 help topic.)
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
- selecting a badge layout on that screen
- clicking 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 (e.g., in Plan > Communication > Email Templates).
When a badge is printed, the attendee's Badge Printed status is set to Yes. The Badge Print Date is recorded. The Badge Print Date 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) may misalign badges on stationery.
Configuring Badge Layouts
Badge Layout(s)
This section lists any existing badge layouts in the current event. It shows the following details for each one.
- Badge Layout Name – The name you gave the layout when first creating it, e.g. "Exhibitor" or "Exhibitor Badge".
- Template – The Avery (or other) template selected when the badge layout was created, e.g. "Avery 5384".
See List of templates.
- Last Modified – The date and time the layout was last edited. (Blank if not 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 the name of a badge layout once it has been saved. 3. The full-page-width layout design section described below is opened. You can configure your new badge layout in that section.
The design section consists of three columns. From left to right these 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 (i.e. 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 (First Name, Last Name, etc.) to add it to the layout. The field is placed in the first empty spot on the layout. The field placement changes if you first click the spot in which you want it 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. (See also the Profile Questions described below.)
- Registration Fields: Registration Code, Attendee Type, Agenda Sessions. (See also the Registration Questions described below.)
- Event Fields: Event Name, Event Code. (See also the Event Questions described below.)
- 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 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 Search box at the top. 2. Select a filter in the -- Select fields -- drop-down list: 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.)
For example, typing "nam" limits the list to four fields: Event Name, First Name, Last Name, and Badge Name. Selecting Event further restricts the list to just Event Name. Event Name 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 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 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, however, change it while editing a new badge, up until the moment you first click Save.
- 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 the check box is left clear, the text wraps onto the next line, remaining at the selected font size.
In the WYSIWYG Layout Editor, the unlabeled white box in the central column adds text by typing or copying/pasting. Format the dynamic data fields you have added above, and the custom text you add, using the usual controls for font family and size, color, bold, italic, alignment, etc.
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 By Front tab label at the top of the section indicates the Front design.
But for appropriate Avery templates, i.e. those for double-sided badges, there is also a Back tab. 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
Barcodes and Banners
There are three tabs within the Barcodes and Banners section on the right:
From each tab you can drag an item onto the badge layout. You can drag its 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 it 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. It is not "live" data.
Logo
To upload a Logo, or other image, to use, click Upload Image. Then find the file on your computer.
To use it on a badge, drag it from the Logo tab of the Barcodes and Banners column onto the Layout Editor.
If you have uploaded multiple images, only one is visible at a time. Click the < and > buttons to display the others in turn. Then drag the required one 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 it 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.