How to print badges using the Reception module?

Printing badges or adhesive labels for badges while working at reception stations using the Reception module is one of the more useful functions of the CONREGO system. 

To begin, prepare a document template using the PDF Creator module, which you can find in the Tools menu.

The Creator offers plenty of customization options for the document based on:

• Your prepared project (your own PDF file),
• A blank template where you need to specify the dimensions before entering the wizard.

In the case of printing adhesive labels using thermal printers, we generally base it on a blank template. Make sure to ascertain the label format your printer uses. Examples of print formats for Brother QL-570 and QL-700 printers are 100x62 mm and 90x38 mm.

In the template area, add the desired number of fields that will be used for personalizing badges (such as first and last name, QR code, and others).

In the next step, go to the Tools > On-site service. Don't forget to select the data fields that should be visible on the module screen and the registration statuses of participants authorized to enter the event area. Scroll down to the PRINT DURING CHECK-IN. When you activate printing, you'll gain access to additional options that will allow you to assign different PDF document templates to various ticket types. This is extremely useful if templates for different participant categories need to differ in any way (e.g., layout or data scope).

Enabling printing will make the 'Print Badge' button available on the Reception module screen.

However, another function will allow you to select situations in which printing will start automatically:

• After marking attendance (regardless of whether the participant's QR code was scanned or manually searched for),
• After updating attendee data (following editing and saving data changes),
• After assigning a new QR code (changing the code is usually done when a participant loses their badge, and there is suspicion that someone else may be using the lost badge).

All the settings mentioned above depend on your preferences and event requirements. The most commonly used configuration involves automating printing after marking attendance. This significantly speeds up the process of assisting attendees who want to collect their badges.

However, here arises a certain issue stemming from the operation of operating systems. When CONREGO triggers the printing process, the operating system displays the printer driver window with a preview of the document. In the bottom right corner, the PRINT button will be visible, which needs to be clicked each time. This takes up a lot of time and constitutes a weak link in the process. Fortunately, we can eliminate this by using the so-called 'silent printing'.

Silent printing (also known as kiosk printing) is a printing mode that bypasses the printer driver window. In reality, the window appears, but the printing process is automatically confirmed, so it disappears after 1-2 seconds.

Unfortunately, this is not a mode that can be activated using CONREGO because our software does not have control over the operation of the operating system or web browser.

The only known (and extensively tested) solution for us is to utilize the Google Chrome or Chromium browser.

1. Make sure you have Google Chrome installed. If not, visit http://www.google.com/chrome, download, and install it.
2. Ensure that your printer is set as the default printer for your computer (we also suggest checking the printing settings in Google Chrome and disabling any margins, headers, and footers).
3. In Google Chrome, type about:flags in the address bar and check if the 'Disable Print Preview' flag is NOT enabled (print preview must be enabled for kiosk printing to work).
4. Then, log in to your CONREGO subscription, go to the Reception module, and copy the URL displayed in the browser's address bar, which will look something like: https://your-subscription.conrego.app/admin/guest-service/reception/
5. Navigate to your desktop (Windows or Linux system) and copy the original shortcut for Google Chrome. Right-click on the shortcut, select 'Properties' to start editing the shortcut.
6. In the Target field of the shortcut, add after the path to the chrome.exe file something similar to: --kiosk-printing "https://your-subscription.conrego.app/admin/guest-service/reception/"

It's crucial for the additional command to be placed after the closing quotation mark of the application path, and the URL should also be enclosed within quotation marks.

Once you've completed all the steps, close the Google Chrome browser and launch it using the modified shortcut, then test the printing functionality.