Advanced Functionality Walkthroughs

Creating Templates for Multiple Users

Most organizations require all users or employees to have matching photo ID badges. With ID Creator creating design templates is simple and will allow you to easily create matching cards for all members of your organization.

1)      Launch the IDcreator application.

2)      Select and open one of your existing card designs , or create a new card from scratch.

3)      We will begin by identifying which fields will contain the variable information (e.g. Name, Picture, etc). To get started selecting the variables, click the TURN VARIABLES ON button.

4)      The screen will then display the Add New variable dropdown menus.

5)      First, identify the Text Variables you will require (e.g. First Name, Last Name, ID Number) by selecting them from the Text Variable dropdown menu. Once each is selected, they show up as buttons to the right.

6)      Next, identify the Image Variables you will require (e.g. Headshot) by selecting it from the Image Variable dropdown menu.

7)      You will be prompted to locate a picture on your hard drive to act as a placeholder for this Variable Image. It will automatically be placed on your card design workspace. You can move and adjust the image as you like.

8)      To display the Text Variables on the workspace, simply add a regular text element by clicking the TEXT TOOL button on the main toolbar. Then click  your cursor on the workspace to place the text element.

9)      On the Edit Text properties panel, highlight and then delete the default placeholder word “text”.

While your cursor is still in the empty text box, click the variable text button corresponding to the field you’d like to display  (e.g. Above the workspace, click the FIRST NAME Variable Text button).

10)   The Text Variable’s name now appears in brackets in the Edit Text box.
Tip: You can quickly reference your variables by typing brackets around their name without having to click on their respective buttons. For instance, typing  {First Name} {Last Name}  into a text field will pull both of the user’s name into that text field.

11)   Text Variables can also be inserted anywhere you can type text. For instance, insert your variable information into barcodes or magnetic stripes. It’s easy:

Inserting variables into barcodes
A) On the Tools menu, click the BARCODE TOOL button.

B) Then click  your cursor on the workspace to place the barcode.

C) Once placed, the barcode is automatically selected and you can make changes to the barcode on the Edit Barcode properties panel.

D) Highlight and delete the default barcode text  1234567890  and replace it with text that includes your variable data. For instance, type  {ID Number]  into the Input data textbox.

E) When you finish entering your input data you must click the large APPLY button.

F) When you are finished designing your card, be sure you click the SAVE BUTTON.

Inserting variables into magnetic stripes
A) Select the card you wish to add a barcode to and open it, or create a new card from scratch

                B) Make sure no elements of your design are currently selected. If they are, you can unselect all elements by clicking in the grey area off the workspace

                C) On the Badge Card Properties panel,  click the BACK SIDE OPTIONS tab. It slides open displaying options.

D) If it is currently unchecked, select the INCLUDE MAGSTRIPE checkbox.
        E) This will allow you to edit the three available magnetic stripe data tracks.  

F) When you are finished designing your card, be sure you click the SAVE BUTTON.

12)   After saving your design you will automatically be brought to the MY DESIGNS tab.

13)   Now, you can quickly create cards for multiple users. Making sure the correct design template is highlighted, click the ADD NEW IDENTITY button.

14)   A window will display showing a thumbnail of your design template as well as textboxes for each of the variable fields for your card.

15)   Replace the default textboxes with the text for the first user. As you change the text, you can view a preview of the user’s card to the right. Since the barcode data is based on the ID Number variable text field, as you change that field you will actually see the barcode in the preview image change as you type.

16)   For each of your Image Variables, click the UPLOAD button to select the picture for that user. Once selected, the image will replace the placeholder image in the preview thumbnail.

17)   Click the OK button and you will be prompted for a name for this Identity.

18)   A new list now appears on the My Designs tab when the design template is selected. This new list shows all of the associated identities (user’s information) for that design template.

19)   Create as many user Identities that you require by repeating steps 13-18 above for each member of your organization.