The badge printers that Webex Events Onsite supports can only print in black or gray text and elements. So what do you do if you want to add your logo to the badge or dazzle attendees with a full-color background? You create a custom badge design and have badge stock pre-printed! When attendees check in with Webex Events Onsite, attendee information prints on your awesome custom design. ✨

This article explains how to work with Webex Events to order custom badge stock, and it offers helpful tips for designing the badge image file for pre-printing. Let's go!

If you've decided that a custom badge is right for you, reach out to your Webex Events Customer Success Manager at least 8 weeks before your event. We'll send you a custom badge questionnaire to fill out. At the end of the form, you'll download a badge design template based on your answers. From that point, start designing your badge, keeping the following best practices in mind. ⬇️

To design your badge correctly, you have to know which size you'll use. Refer to our Onsite Badge Types article for information about each size and type. We generally recommend double-sided tear-resistant badges unless you have badge holders or plan to purchase them.

Before you start designing the badge, make sure you know exactly what information you want to include and where you want it on the badge. Since printers only print in black or gray, the parts of the badge that will have attendee information should have a lighter background. As an example, the badge from our friends at Sakura-Con (pictured above) has a large light patch for the attendee information.

If you create your badge file in RGB, your proof will be deceptively vibrant. Because of printing limitations, the final printed product won’t appear the same as the proof unless you design in CMYK.

When you fill out the custom badge request form, you receive a .ai template you'll use to design your badge. Templates include a blue “safe zone” around the edge of the template. If a design element goes outside that line, elements may be cut off in printing.

We require that badge images use the .ai format. So your badge prints at the best possible resolution, make sure to embed images and objects in the file. This also ensures that component images aren't lost. Images should be at least 300dpi for the best results.

If there are small lines of a light color surrounded by a dark color, it's very likely the dark color will bleed into that light color, obscuring the design.

After you submit your design to your Webex Events contact, we'll send you a proof of the design before we submit it for printing. Examine the proof carefully to ensure the design is just right. 🏆

Now you have our best advice for creating a stellar badge design! 🚀 Read our Onsite Badge Printing Overview and Timeline for even more helpful tips, links to more resources, and best practices.