Everything a school or college office should have ready before ordering ID cards, so that the quote is accurate and the order is not delayed.
Start with a list of groups. Most schools need cards for students, teachers, non-teaching staff and bus or van staff. Some also need visitor, parent pick-up or contractor cards.
For each group, decide the card design (a different colour band is enough), the lanyard colour and whether the group needs RFID. A card for a parent who picks up a child is different from a card for a teacher who marks attendance.
Settle the layout before you collect data. Choose vertical or horizontal; our guide to card holders explains why that matters. Decide what appears on the front (photo, name, class and section, roll number, house, school logo) and on the back (address, emergency contact, bus route, blood group if you want it, return instructions).
Prepare your logo as a high-resolution file, preferably a vector file. Low-resolution logos copied from a website look blurred when printed.
Choose single-sided or double-sided printing. Double-sided costs more but gives you room for the back-of-card information.
Use one spreadsheet with one row per person, and photos named by roll number. Decide the spelling and case for names and apply it throughout. Our guide on collecting student data explains the format in detail, and IDGen Studio can collect photos and details online if you prefer.
Check photos before sending: a clear face, a plain light background, no cropped heads, and a consistent look. Reject blurred or tilted photos at the source.
Send ten rows first as a test. It catches format problems while they are cheap to fix.
Decide whether you want only cards, cards with lanyards, or a full set with holders and hooks. A full set is the most convenient and the least likely to lose cards; our holder guide explains V-1, H-1 and V-2.
Choose the lanyard width and colour, and whether it carries the school name. Choose a hook type and whether a breakaway is needed for labs, sports or younger children.
Order spares: a few holders, lanyards and blank cards for new admissions.
• School name and city.
• Quantity per group (students, teachers, staff, others).
• Card type: plain PVC or RFID, single or double sided.
• Accessories: lanyard width and print, holder model, hook type.
• Your logo file and any design you already have.
• A target date for the cards to be in your hands.
Use the quote form on the website, or WhatsApp the details. We reply with a price and the data format we need.
Work back from the date you need the cards. Allow time for the quote and decisions, collecting and checking the data, the proof and its approval, production, and courier shipping.
At IDGen, an order is dispatched within 72 hours of approval from our facility in Guwahati and shipped by courier. Courier time depends on the route, so for towns far from Guwahati allow more. As a rule of thumb, start two to three weeks before you need the cards for a standard order, and earlier for large batches or for the start of a session.
These are the mistakes we see most often.
• Collecting data before the card design is final.
• Forgetting transport and non-teaching staff when counting quantities.
• Sending a low-resolution logo copied from a web page.
• Not ordering spares for new admissions.
• Starting too late for the start of the session.
What is the minimum order? Small orders are possible, though per-card cost is higher on small runs. Ask for a quote on your quantity.
Do you need all the data at once? No. Send a ten-row test first, then the full file once the format is confirmed.
Can we use our existing design? Yes. Send the artwork and we will prepare a proof.
What if names are in more than one language? Share the exact wording at the proof stage so the layout can be checked.
How soon can we get the cards? Orders are dispatched within 72 hours of approval, plus courier time. Plan two to three weeks for a standard order.
Oversees cleanroom variable-data production, ultrasonic lanyard fabrication, and automated RFID access testing for schools, universities, and enterprise workforces across Northeast India.
A practical guide to ID card security for schools, colleges and offices: card body, print and lamination, visual deterrents, RFID chip choice and the data and replacement process behind the card.
Compare IDGen's V-1, H-1 and V-2 card holders, plus the crystal acrylic option, and learn how to match holder, card layout and lanyard slot.
A practical guide to collecting student photos and details for ID cards: common failures, a clean spreadsheet and photo format, an online collection workflow with IDGen Studio, and data protection basics.
From student ID cards and ultrasonic lanyards to 13.56 MHz RFID turnstiles, get direct factory quotes and custom digital proofs tailored to your roster.
