All you need to know about ID Card Software

A leading provider in ID card printing solution, IDSecurityOnline applies technology knowledge and experience in ID card printing to help you select ID card printing software that best fit to customer needs. The main purpose of ID card software is to design and manage printing process of customized ID cards. The software offers multi-purpose usage and unique features that you can use to increase the security levels of your business. These include managing the data of cardholders, connecting to your existing database, and much more.

There are different types of ID software available. You can choose entry-level software or fully-featured ones depending on the needs of your business. Most ID software is specially designed to make ID card creation simpler and easier while still ensuring professional results. The industry's leading brands sell and support ID software. Each of these providers provides different versions of the software to cater to the needs of varying businesses and companies.

What is an ID Card Software?

By definition, this is the major component of an ID card program. It's very useful for businesses and corporations of different sizes. You can use this ID software to design your own ID cards and print out customized badges.

Most types of software will permit you to import your own images, add barcodes and text, and even make use of pre-defined templates to design your cards and badges. These are the basic functions of such software, and they're usually enough for businesses. Of course, you may also need more advanced functionalities. If so, you need to search for ID Card Software which supports more options and features. The different types of ID software are:

Entry-level

This type of software is ideal for small businesses and companies who need to print a couple of hundreds of cards a year. The software would typically come with limited functionality in terms of its database. Also, each card will have a set number of fields, but it does work well for applications with low volume.

Advanced

This type of software usually includes a connectivity option for an external database. It may also allow you to add as many fields as you need for each card. Advanced software is designed for printing batches of cards. Such programs will also permit you to save the data of your cardholders for easier reprints. This is ideal for small to medium companies searching for a more flexible solution to their ID card printing needs.

Fully-featured

Finally, this type of software is also available for bigger businesses who need print a lot of ID cards, badges, and more. Those who have huge encoding needs and databases. Also, such software usually comes with support for Ethernet connectivity so you can connect to a network when needed.

How do you select the right ID software?

If you want to make your company's ID card program more effective, you need to select the right ID Card Software. This means that you need to put a lot of care into your choice. To do this, consider the main features of such software:

Database functionality

Some types of software come with their own internal database. This is very convenient because it would permit you to save the card designs along with the data of the cardholders for easier reprinting. Entry-level software doesn't have this particular option. That's why it's important to read the software specs carefully first.

It's also important to note that not all software supports connectivity to an external database. If you want to import from an external database, Excel, for instance, you should make sure that the software will permit it. A simple way to find out if you will need this feature is to establish how many cards you need to print on average. If your company prints more than a hundred ID cards each year, then you may need a software which has this feature.

Encoding options

Your business may need to encode and print contactless, smart contact or magnetic cards. In such cases, you need a program which will fully support the encoding option. It's possible to add barcodes with versions of the software. However, the entry-level type may not have compatibility with 2D barcodes.

Network connectivity

This is an option which permits multiple workstations who work in a network to share a single database. This feature is usually available in fully-featured types of software because they're network-compatible. Besides, this feature is needed by bigger organizations.

Operating systems

If you have the Microsoft Windows OS, you have more options. This is because there's limited software completely compatible with Mac. So, if you're a Mac user, then this is something to think about.

Advanced security features

There are different ways to add security features to your ID cards. Some software will permit you to add a watermark to your card's design. There are also some advanced versions of software which include user permissions and password protection.

What types of cards can you design and print with ID software?

ID card software is very useful because it permits you to create any type of cards and badges as needed. Here are some other cards you can design and print on such software:

• Access-control badges
• Attendance and time badges
• ID cards
• Event passes
• Loyalty cards
• Membership cards
• Payment cards

ID Security Software Comparisons