Preparing name badges involves more than placing a logo beside a participant’s name. Conference teams need readable names, space for roles, a usable QR code, and a layout that suits their chosen paper. Starting from an appropriate design makes those decisions easier to review before printing begins.
Dryfta’s Badge Builder now provides Summit as the starting layout for eligible standard badge sizes and an A4 four-fold starter for A4. Both starters remain fully editable drafts until you save. Existing customized designs are preserved, giving organizers a practical starting point without automatically replacing badges they have already prepared for their event.
Two starting points for different badge formats
Summit puts the participant’s first name and last name at the center of the design, with an event-name band, a role line, and an attendee QR code. It is a useful starting point when the main job of a badge is to help people recognize each other across a registration desk or during a conversation.
The layout adapts to the supported standard sizes offered in Badge Builder. Select the physical badge size before adjusting text or placing additional fields. A design that looks balanced on one size should still be reviewed at the size you intend to print.
The A4 four-fold starter uses one A4 sheet with four defined panels. Its example layout includes front and reverse identification faces, a personal-program area, and folding instructions. It suits teams considering a folded badge that participants can prepare from an A4 printout. The instructions and example content can be edited to match your actual event process.
| Starter | Format | Useful starting point for |
|---|---|---|
| Summit | Supported standard badge sizes | Readable participant names, role and QR code |
| A4 four-fold | One folded A4 sheet | Identification faces, a program area and folding guidance |
A starting draft, with your saved work protected
The new defaults apply to empty designs and recognized factory layouts that are eligible for the update. A customized saved design is not silently exchanged for Summit or A4 four-fold. This matters when a team has already reviewed its artwork, chosen a supplier, or agreed on a layout for an upcoming congress.
When an eligible default is loaded, the editor identifies it as an unsaved draft and asks you to save if you want to keep it. Loading the starter is therefore a chance to review the design. It is not proof that a new layout has already been stored or sent to a printer.
Undo lets you step back through draft changes. The template chooser also offers a route to available starting layouts when you deliberately want a different design. Review the current badge and any unsaved changes before choosing another template. Save only after you are satisfied with the result.
How to prepare a badge with the new starters
- Open Modules, choose Badges & Certificates, and open Badge Builder.
- Check the relevant role or user type and choose the badge size you intend to produce. A4 is required for the A4 four-fold layout.
- Review the starter shown in the editor. Where a customized design is already saved, keep it or deliberately choose another available template.
- Edit the text, colors and elements. Use attendee fields for information that should change for each participant, rather than typing one person’s details into the shared design.
- Check name lengths, QR-code space, the safe area and the paper or stock selection. Replace the demonstration folding text or program content where your event needs different instructions.
- Save the design when ready, then use the existing preview and badge-generation workflow to review the intended output before producing the full batch.
Three practical uses for event teams
A research conference with many different name lengths
Summit gives the team a clear name-first design to review. Test a short name, a long family name, a multi-line affiliation and the roles you plan to display. This helps identify where a font size or text box needs adjustment before a badge batch is prepared. The sample names in the screenshots illustrate the starter; actual attendee fields are populated through the normal printing workflow.
An association meeting using folded A4 badges
The A4 four-fold design brings identification, a program area and folding guidance into one editable sheet. An association can adapt the instructions to its venue and lanyard collection process. Review the actual program output and fold a sample printed sheet before asking participants or onsite colleagues to follow the instructions.
An event team preparing several participant roles
A congress may need a common visual style while distinguishing attendees, speakers and moderators. The starter provides a shared foundation for those decisions. Check the role selected in Badge Builder and preview representative records so that the design and the data agree. Keep role-specific artwork and the default design clearly organized within your normal event setup.
What to check before printing
The editor’s safe-area guide helps you keep important content away from the cut edge. A QR code also needs clear surrounding space and a readable printed size. Avoid placing long text or decorative artwork so close to it that the code becomes difficult to scan.
- Check a short name, a long name and a long affiliation at the intended badge size.
- Keep QR codes clear of text, artwork and the cut edge.
- Match the paper or stock selection and print scale to your actual output.
- Print and fold a physical sample before producing the full badge batch.
Common questions
Will my existing custom badge be replaced?
Customized saved designs are preserved. Automatic starter selection is restricted to designs eligible for the new defaults. If your event already has a finished custom design, inspect it before deliberately switching templates.
Does viewing a starter save it?
No. The editor shows an explicit notice when a default layout is loaded as a draft. Use Save when you want to store that design.
Can I use the four-fold layout at another size?
The A4 four-fold starter is for A4. Use an appropriate standard-size layout for other badge formats and review its physical dimensions before printing.
Prepare the design before the registration desk opens
Start with the format that matches your event, personalize only the information you need, and review a sample output with the colleagues handling registration. For help with Badge Builder and your event’s printing setup, visit the Dryfta support knowledge base.