Printing Visitor Badges

Once you have designed your badge templates, the next step is connecting a printer and configuring how badges are printed. KyberAccess supports automatic printing on check-in, manual reprints, and multi-location printer configurations to ensure every visitor receives a badge seamlessly.

Connecting a Label Printer

KyberAccess works with popular label printers from Dymo and Brother. Follow these steps to connect your printer:

Supported Printers

• Dymo LabelWriter 450 — USB connection, widely used for visitor badges.
• Dymo LabelWriter 550 — USB connection, newer model with improved print quality.
• Dymo LabelWriter Wireless — Wi-Fi or USB connection.
• Brother QL-820NWB — USB, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Recommended for wireless setups.
• Brother QL-1110NWB — Wide-format labels, USB, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
• Brother QL-800 — USB connection, two-color printing (black and red).

Installation Steps

1. Install the printer's driver software on the computer or device connected to your kiosk:
   • Dymo: Download DYMO Connect from dymo.com.
   • Brother: Download P-touch Editor and printer driver from brother.com.
2. Connect the printer via USB or configure Wi-Fi/Bluetooth per the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Print a test page from your computer's print dialog to confirm the printer is working.

Configuring the Printer in KyberAccess

1. Navigate to Settings > Badges > Printers from the main sidebar.
2. Click Add Printer.
3. The system will scan for available printers. Select your printer from the detected list.
   • If the printer is not detected automatically, click Add Manually and enter:
     • Printer Name — A friendly name (e.g., "Lobby Printer", "Reception Badge Printer").
     • Connection Type — USB, Network (IP address), or Cloud.
     • IP Address/Port — For network-connected printers.
4. Click Test Print to send a sample badge to the printer. Verify the output.
5. Click Save Printer.

The printer now appears in your printer list and is available for badge printing.

Print-on-Check-In (Auto-Print)

The most common setup is automatic badge printing whenever a visitor completes the check-in process:

Enabling Auto-Print

1. Go to Settings > Badges > Print Settings.
2. Toggle Auto-Print on Check-In to On.
3. Configure the auto-print options:
   • Printer Selection — Choose which printer to use for auto-printing. If you have multiple printers, select the one connected to the check-in location.
   • Template Selection — Choose Auto (by Visitor Type) to use the template assigned to each visitor type, or select a specific template for all prints.
   • Print Delay — Set a delay in seconds between check-in completion and print (default: 2 seconds). This allows time for the visitor's photo to process.
   • Number of Copies — Usually 1. Set to 2 if you need a duplicate (e.g., one for the visitor, one for records).
4. Click Save Settings.

How Auto-Print Works

When a visitor completes check-in on the kiosk:

1. The system captures all visitor data (name, company, host, photo, etc.).
2. The badge template is populated with the visitor's information.
3. After the configured delay, the badge is sent to the designated printer.
4. The badge prints automatically. The kiosk displays a message: "Your badge is printing. Please collect it from the printer."

If the printer is offline or encounters an error, the kiosk displays: "Badge printing is temporarily unavailable. Please see the receptionist." The failed print job is queued and can be retried manually.

Manual Badge Printing and Reprints

Sometimes you need to print a badge manually — for example, if a visitor lost their badge, the printer jammed, or auto-print was not enabled:

Printing from the Visitor Log

1. Navigate to Visitors > Visitor Log from the main sidebar.
2. Find the visitor using the search bar or filters.
3. Click the visitor's name to open their visit details.
4. Click the Print Badge button.
5. Select the printer and template (defaults to the assigned template for their visitor type).
6. Click Print.

Reprinting a Badge

If a badge needs to be reprinted:

1. Follow the same steps as above — navigate to the visitor's entry in the Visitor Log.
2. Click Reprint Badge.
3. The system uses the same data from the original check-in. If information has changed (e.g., the visitor checked out and back in), the reprint reflects the current data.
4. Select the printer and click Print.

Batch Printing

For events or large groups of pre-registered visitors, print badges in bulk:

1. Go to Visitors > Pre-Registered.
2. Use the checkboxes to select the visitors you want to print badges for.
3. Click Batch Print Badges in the toolbar.
4. Select the printer and template.
5. Click Print All.

The system queues all badges and prints them sequentially. A progress bar shows the printing status.

Printer Selection Per Location

If your organization has multiple locations or lobbies, each with its own kiosk and printer, configure location-specific printer assignments:

1. Navigate to Settings > Badges > Printers.
2. Click on a printer in the list to edit it.
3. In the Assigned Locations section, select which locations (lobbies, floors, buildings) this printer serves.
4. Click Save.

Repeat for each printer. When auto-print is enabled, the system automatically selects the correct printer based on which kiosk the visitor checked in at.

Fallback Printer

1. On the Printers page, click Set Fallback Printer.
2. Select a printer to use when the primary assigned printer is offline or unavailable.
3. Click Save.

If the primary printer fails, the badge is automatically routed to the fallback printer. An alert notification is sent to administrators about the primary printer issue.

Label Stock Recommendations

Choosing the right label stock ensures your badges look professional and adhere properly:

For Dymo Printers

For Brother Printers

Tips for Label Stock

• Use genuine labels from Dymo or Brother for best print quality and reliable feeding.
• Store labels in a cool, dry place — thermal labels are heat-sensitive and can darken or fade in warm environments.
• Adhesive vs. non-adhesive — Adhesive labels stick directly to clothing. Non-adhesive labels require a lanyard or badge holder.
• Order in bulk for cost savings. A roll of Dymo 30256 contains 300 labels and typically lasts 2-3 months at moderate visitor volume.

Print Preview

Before enabling auto-print or printing a batch, preview how badges will look:

1. Go to Settings > Badges > Badge Templates.
2. Click the Preview button next to any template.
3. The system generates a preview using sample data ("Jane Smith", "Acme Corp", etc.) and displays it on screen.
4. Check for:
   • Text alignment — Is all text properly positioned and readable?
   • Photo placement — Does the photo frame fit correctly?
   • QR code — Is it large enough to scan?
   • Color coding — Preview different visitor types to verify color application.
   • Margins — Ensure nothing is cut off at the edges.
5. Click Print Preview to send the sample badge to your connected printer and verify the physical output.

Adjusting After Preview

If the preview reveals issues:

• Text cut off: Reduce font size or increase the field's max width in the Badge Template Editor.
• Misalignment: Adjust margins in Badge Size settings or reposition elements on the canvas.
• QR code too small: Increase the QR code element size to at least 20mm x 20mm.
• Faded print: Check label stock quality and printer head cleanliness. Run the printer's built-in cleaning cycle.

Troubleshooting Common Print Issues

Badge Not Printing

• Verify the printer is powered on and connected.
• Check the printer status in Settings > Badges > Printers — a green indicator means connected; red means offline.
• Ensure labels are loaded correctly and not jammed.
• Try clicking Test Print to rule out a software issue.

Poor Print Quality

• Clean the print head using the manufacturer's recommended process.
• Replace the label roll — old or improperly stored thermal labels produce faded prints.
• Ensure the correct label size is selected in the badge template.

Wrong Printer Selected

• Check the location-to-printer assignment in Settings > Badges > Printers.
• Verify that the kiosk is assigned to the correct location under Settings > Kiosks.

Best Practices

• Always run a test print after setting up a new printer or changing label stock.
• Keep spare label rolls on hand to avoid running out during busy periods.
• Assign printers to locations for multi-site deployments so the right printer is always used.
• Configure a fallback printer to handle hardware failures gracefully.
• Enable the print delay (2-3 seconds) when using photo badges to ensure the image is fully processed before printing.
• Clean your print head monthly for consistent print quality.