Bulk ID Card Maker

How bulk ID card generation actually works

Bulk generation sounds complex, but it is really one idea: you design a single card, then point it at a list of people and let the tool fill in the blanks. Each row in your spreadsheet becomes one finished card. The design stays fixed, only the name, photo, ID number and other fields change from card to card. Get the data right and the rest is a couple of clicks. Here is exactly how the pieces fit together.

Step 1: Prepare your CSV

A CSV is just a plain spreadsheet saved as comma-separated values, which you can export from Google Sheets, Excel, Numbers or your HR system. Put one person per row and one field per column. Give every column a short, clear header so it is easy to recognise later: Name, Role, Department, Employee ID, Photo, QR. Keep the sheet flat. No merged cells, no title banner above the header row, no totals along the bottom. Those extras confuse the importer because they are not real people. If a value is blank for one person, leave the cell empty rather than deleting the column, and that card simply renders without that field.

The values you put in each cell are the exact text that prints on the card, so tidy them now. Consistent capitalisation, no stray spaces, and ID numbers formatted the way you want them to appear. For a deeper walkthrough with a worked example sheet, see our bulk ID cards from a spreadsheet guide.

Step 2: Photos matched by filename

This is the part people overthink. You do not host the photos anywhere. Instead, add a column that holds each person's photo filename, for example alice.jpg or 1042.png, then upload the actual photo files when you generate. StencilID matches each row to its file by that filename, so alice.jpg lands on Alice's card and nobody else's. Name the files to match the column and you are done. If your photos already live online, a column of public image URLs works too, but for most people the filename approach is faster and keeps everything private. Crop your photos to the same shape and background first so the finished batch looks like it came from one place.

Step 3: Map columns to the card

With your card designed and your CSV uploaded, you tell StencilID which column feeds which field: Name to the name text, Photo to the photo frame, Employee ID to the ID line, and so on. Mapping happens once per batch. Before you commit, preview the first row so you can catch a misaligned field or a truncated name while it is still cheap to fix. When the preview looks right, every other row will follow the same rules.

Step 4: Front, back and duplex

Many cards carry information on the back too: a barcode, a terms line, an emergency contact, or a return address. Design both a front and a back once, and bulk generation produces both sides for every row. The PDF is imposed for duplex printing, which means each back is positioned so it prints directly behind its own front when you run the sheet through the printer twice or use an automatic double-sided setting. You do not have to manually pair fronts and backs, the layout already does it.

Step 5: The print-ready output

When you generate, you get two things. A ZIP of individual images at 300 DPI, one per person, useful for a PVC card printer or for handing a single card to someone. And a print-ready A4 PDF that lays the cards out in a grid with cut lines, so a print shop or your office printer can run a full sheet and you trim along the marks. Cards use the standard CR80 size, the same as a credit card, so they fit every lanyard, wallet and badge reel. If you want the exact dimensions and bleed, the ID card size guide covers it, and the printing guide compares an office printer, a card printer and a print shop.

You can also choose how many cards sit on each page, 1, 4, 6 or 9 up, with a live grid preview, so the layout suits your stock and printer. More cards per page means fewer sheets and less trimming.

Batch sizes and how often you will run it

A single batch can run from around fifty cards up to several hundred, depending on your plan, which comfortably covers a class, a department, a whole company, or an event attendee list. If you only need to produce one big batch once, a one-off credit lets you generate that batch without an ongoing commitment. If you reprint regularly, onboard new hires every month, or run events through the year, a subscription works out better because your template stays saved and each new run is just a fresh CSV. Either way the design is reusable, so the second batch is far faster than the first.

Where teams use this

The same workflow powers our employee ID card maker for staff badges and the school ID card maker for student cards. Pick whichever fits your case, or start from a clean layout in the template library and customise it once before you upload your list.

Ready to start? Try bulk generation free, browse templates, or read the full CSV walkthrough.