Why using ID Card design software for photo ID cards is a bad idea

Here at InstantCard we are occasionally asked whether we offer a card layout tool to allow our clients to design their own ID card templates.  We have long resisted the temptation to release such a tool, as we think that our clients are not well-served by having to learn a new graphic tool just for a single function, designing an ID badge.  Our viewpoint contrasts with that of most of our online competitors, and all of the ID card software suppliers, who have built their business model around customer-designed layouts generated exclusively by their proprietary design tools.  I’m pleased to say that, more than ever, technology’s constant evolution continues to reinforce our point of view.

There are two kinds of clients:  those that have advanced graphic design skills, and those that don’t (the majority!).  For the former, while they could master a new tool, they are already familiar with PhotoShop or Adobe Illustrator.  So we allow them to submit their print-ready designs from those familiar tools as-is.  This is much easier than making them learn a new, inferior, layout tool.

The vast majority of users, when required to use an online graphic design program, typically do a poor job, and spend much too much time figuring out alignment, layers, colors, etc.  We have always felt it’s a great service to take over this task from them, and we’ve never charged a penny for our professional design services.

We have always offered free card design services for clients who are not graphic artists.  Our clients that aren’t skilled in these programs just send us their requirements, filling out a highly effective, advanced form on our website that we’ve developed and refined over the years.  If they want us to visualize their thoughts, they can attach their ideas in any form whatsoever to help us see what they have in mind, just as they would to an in-house graphic designer.  We’ve received sketches, PowerPoint slides, word documents, or simple text descriptions.

We also encourage clients to look through the vast gallery of templates on our website to gain inspiration.

Recently, a new option has arisen, available to both those who are graphic designers, and those who are not.  A new online alternative has become extremely popular: Canva.  This design layout tool is extremely powerful, yet accessible to those without advanced graphic design skills.  We have begun seeing many card designs submitted to us from Canva, and thus we have developed capabilities to automatically import Canva designs directly into our system.

Using a tool like Canva to design a photo ID card offers several advantages over the simplistic layout tools provided by online ID card companies and downloadable card management software:

• Ease of Use and Accessibility: Canva provides a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, making it accessible to users with a minimal level of design experience. Yet it offers capabilities that even an experienced graphic designer will appreciate.
• Customization Options: Canva offers a wide range of customization options, including various templates, fonts, colors, and graphics. Users create professional-looking ID cards tailored to their specific needs, branding guidelines, and style preferences.
• Design Flexibility: Unlike some online ID card companies that offer limited design options or pre-defined templates, Canva allows for complete design flexibility. Users can either create ID cards from scratch, or modify existing templates to suit their requirements.
• Integration with External Assets: Canva allows users to easily import external assets such as logos, images, and graphics into their ID card designs.
• Collaboration Features: Canva offers collaboration features that enable multiple team members to work on the same ID card design simultaneously.
• Cloud-Based Platform: Like InstantCard, Canva is a cloud-based platform, meaning users can access their ID card designs from any device, anywhere. Typical ID card programs must be downloaded to a PC, and only work on that specific machine.
• Cost-Effectiveness: While Canva offers both free and paid subscription plans, its basic features are available at no cost. Users can create professional-quality designs without the need for expensive software or design services.

Overall, Canva provides a user-friendly, customizable, and cost-effective solution for designing photo ID cards, offering advantages over simple layout tools provided by online ID card companies and downloadable card management software.

The absolutely simplest way to design your own templates is to use Canva.  But don’t forget that you always have an even simpler option: just open an account with InstantCard, and a professional graphic designer will create your custom templates for free!

In conclusion, I hope that this review has opened you up to the wide range of options you have to design your employee badge templates.  I also hope you’ve realized that using ID card design tools offered by an online ID card service, or downloadable ID card software, is probably the worst option that you have!