Most people now opt to print their own ID cards with the wide availability of printers and software designed for this purpose. Whether you are making an HID proximity card or any other type, making your own identification card should no longer be difficult. If you own a business, you can even layout and design the identification cards of your employees. This is to ensure not only security but also proper representation of your company. Here are the things that you need to know about layout and design of these cards whether HID proximity cards or not so you will be able to do this project the right way.
Company Elements First, you have to determine what particular company elements must be present on the card. Remember, the card should be able to represent the company well and reflect it the positive way. You may include the company logo, business name, company colors, standard fonts, tagline or motto to make the ID card look professional. Of course, you do not have to squeeze in all these elements in one tiny card, just choose which of these would give your company the best representation.
Text Information Next, check what specific text information are to be included on the card. Of course, each ID cards would bear distinct information that depends on the cardholder. General information would give you a guide on specific details to obtain. For example, you can put in the layout design the following text: employee's name, position, employee number, date of hiring, department, address, phone number, who to contact in case of emergency, and so on. Again, you do not have to put all these in the card, just choose those that will be relevant to the nature of your company and you think will be important for the employee.
Photo Most ID cards today bear the employee's photo. This is very important for security purposes. This is used to check if the owner of the ID and the cardholder are the same, as there are sometimes cases of identification card theft, which are commonly done to gain access to some parts of the company that are exclusive to employees. By including a photograph on the card, you will be better assured of security. Be sure that the photographs to be put on the card are clear and without complicated background to serve as a distraction. The person should also look directly into the camera, with the chin slightly titled upwards so that you will be able to see the employee's face clearly.
Orientation Another concern for laying out this type of card is the orientation. Basically, you have the option between landscape and portrait orientation. In landscape, the card will lie down horizontally while in portrait, the card will be in vertical position. Traditionally, landscape orientations were commonly used but today, portrait has become the norm. Try laying out the company elements, photo, and text information in both portrait and landscape orientations so you can see which one offers a better layout and look.