Visitor badges are an important part of Visitor Management, allowing guests to be easily identified and providing a quick way to confirm check-in using QR codes, barcodes, or logos. With badge printing enabled, visitors receive a physical pass when they arrive on site, making the check-in process more secure and streamlined.
This article provides step-by-step instructions for setting up a badge printer within Visitor Management, along with detailed troubleshooting tips to help resolve the most common issues.
In this article:
- Setting Up Your Badge Printer
- Visitor Management Check-in, Badge, and Photo Settings
- Troubleshooting Badge Printing Issues
- When to Involve Your Building/Tenant IT Team
Setting Up Your Badge Printer
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Connect and install the printer
- Plug in your badge printer and connect it to your workstation.
- Install the correct printer drivers. (Note: Your building/tenant IT team may need to be involved here if installation permissions are restricted.)
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Enable badge printing in Visitor Management
- Go to Visitor Settings > Check-in, Badge, and Photo Settings.
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Toggle Enable visitor badge printing at this site to Yes.
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Select a badge format
Badge formats determine what appears visually on each printed badge:- QR Code – prints a scannable code for quick check-in and access (recommended).
- Barcode – prints a linear barcode, often used with legacy scanning systems (code 39 or code 128).
- Logo Only – prints only the building or property logo. (Note: requires the property logo to be uploaded under Property Info.)
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Choose a visitor pass method
This setting controls how visitor passes are generated in the system:- Random – the system generates a unique random code for each visitor.
- Linear – a sequential number is assigned, one per day.
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Range – allows you to set a specific range of codes that badges will pull from.
👉 In most cases, “Random” is the best choice for security and consistency.
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Adjust badge format and size
- Measure your physical badge using a ruler.
- Example: standard badges are often 4.00 in (width) x 2.30 in (height).
- Enter these dimensions into the Badge Width and Badge Height fields.
- Save your settings and run a test print.
- Measure your physical badge using a ruler.
⚡ Fine-tuning badge layout
If the badge elements (photo, QR code, logo, text) don’t look aligned, you can fine-tune placement:
- Spacing between photo and QR code – In some cases, the image and QR code may appear too far apart. Try narrowing the overall badge width slightly (e.g., from 4.00 in → 3.95 in) to pull elements closer together.
- Cut-off edges – If text or images are cut off, adjust custom margins in the printer settings (especially the left margin).
- Centered layout – Make sure the badge orientation is landscape, not portrait, so all elements appear in the intended layout.
- Scaling – Leave scaling at default. If you’re tempted to shrink/enlarge via scaling, double-check badge dimensions and paper type first, as scaling usually introduces inconsistencies.
Visitor Management Check-in, Badge, and Photo Settings
In the same panel (Visitor Settings > Check-in, Badge, and Photo Settings), you’ll find additional options that affect how visitor credentials and badges behave. These are important to review when setting up your badge printer:
Activate Visitor Credential on Check-in
- Yes: A visitor’s pass only activates when they check in on-site.
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No: Passes are active immediately when created.
👉 Best practice: set to Yes for tighter security.
Treat a Multi-day Visit as a Single Pass
- Yes: One pass covers the entire duration of a multi-day visit.
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No: The visitor must check in daily.
👉 Recommended: choose No unless you need continuous access for long-term visitors.
Take Visitor Photo on Check-in
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Yes: The system will prompt staff to capture a photo when the visitor checks in.
- This photo will automatically be printed onto the visitor badge alongside the QR code, barcode, or logo.
- Once enabled, this is not optional — all badges will include a photo.
- No: No photo is taken, and the badge will only display the selected format (QR code, barcode, or logo).
Use Check Out Feature
- Check-in only: Visitors are logged on arrival but not departure.
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Check-in and Check-out: Tracks both entry and exit, creating a more detailed visitor log.
👉 Use for compliance-heavy or high-security environments.
Enable Visitor Badge Printing at this Site
- Must be Yes for badge printing to function.
- Unlocks Badge Format, Width/Height, and Visitor Pass Method fields described above.
Troubleshooting Badge Printing Issues
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Badge prints, but size is incorrect
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Paper type
- Most issues are caused by the wrong paper type being selected.
- In printer settings, confirm the paper type. Look for a name that includes Badge Printing.
- Note: This may differ from the “recommended” paper size found online for your printer model.
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Margins
- Use custom margins to pull in the left margin so badge text isn’t cut off.
- Adjust the right margin if needed, but usually the left side is the main issue.
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Orientation
- Make sure the printer is set to landscape, not portrait.
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Scaling
- Keep scaling at default. If the correct paper type is selected, scaling changes should not be necessary.
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Badge Settings
- If a badge is printing across two pages, re-check height and width in Visitor Management settings. Ensure values are not swapped.
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Paper type
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Badge is not printing at all
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Printer selection
- Confirm the correct badge printer is selected. Some stations have multiple printers—try each available option.
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Paper check
- If the printer is making noise but not printing, ensure it has paper loaded.
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Printer hardware
- Open the printer and check for debris or badge fragments that may cause smudges or jams.
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Printer selection
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Additional troubleshooting notes
- Brother badge printers do not work well with Safari. Use Google Chrome for best results.
- Having a photo on the badge vs. only a QR code does not affect badge size or printing.
- If scaling appears to help but the badge looks inconsistent, re-check that the correct paper type is selected instead of relying on scaling adjustments.
When to Involve Your Building/Tenant IT Team
- During initial installation (driver downloads and setup may require admin access).
- If you cannot adjust printer settings or device settings due to security restrictions.