A school ID card maker for every class, every year

You export your class list from the system you already use, upload it to CardDeck, map each column to a field on your ID template, and generate the whole batch at once. Problem rows are flagged before anything is printed.

Step by step

1. Export students from your school management system as CSV or XLSX: name, admission number, class, section, roll number, house and academic year.
2. Upload the file to the student ID card maker and choose your template.
3. Map columns to fields. CardDeck suggests a mapping from your headers; save it for next year.
4. Upload a ZIP of photos named by admission number, for example GIS-2291.jpg.
5. Review flagged rows: missing photos, duplicate roll numbers, empty fields and names too long for the layout.
6. Export print-ready PDFs or issue digital IDs.

How big a batch can you run?

Business plans support up to 25,000 rows per job, which covers most schools in a single upload. Student IDs are a Business plan feature.

It works alongside your ERP

CardDeck is not a school management system. It does not handle attendance, fees, timetables or academic records. It reads a list you export and produces identity cards from it, so your records stay where they are. The batch generator explains the import options in more detail, including how to update existing cards by re-importing with the same admission number.

Put only what staff need to identify a student and contact the school. Keep sensitive personal details off the visible front, and leave them off entirely unless there is a clear reason to include them.

Usually on the front

• Student photo
• Full name
• Class and section, or year group
• Admission or roll number
• Academic year, such as 2026–27
• School crest and name
• Verification QR code

Usually on the back

• School address and main phone number
• "If found, please return to" text
• Validity dates and a signatory
• Optional barcode for library or canteen systems

Think twice before adding

• Date of birth: rarely needed for identification and useful to anyone who finds the card.
• Home address: do not print it. A lost card should never show where a child lives.
• Blood group or medical notes: if your school requires this, keep it on the back and confirm the policy with parents first.
• Parent phone numbers: a school phone number on the back is usually safer than a personal one.

The principle is data minimization: collect and display the least information that does the job. Fewer fields also means fewer errors in the import and a cleaner, more readable card. You can add custom fields in the card designer and choose exactly which appear on the front, the back or only in the record behind the QR code.

Collect recent, front-facing photos on a plain background, name each file by admission number, upload them as a ZIP and CardDeck matches each photo to its row automatically.

Photo guidelines to send to class teachers

• Head and shoulders, facing the camera
• Plain, light background
• Even lighting with no strong shadows
• No caps or sunglasses, unless for religious or medical reasons
• At least 600 pixels on the short side, in JPG or PNG

Naming files

Name every photo exactly as the admission number appears in your spreadsheet: GIS-2291.jpg, not "Arjun M class 9.jpg". Avoid spaces and be consistent with upper and lower case. Keep all photos in one folder and zip it.

Handling gaps

The importer lists every row without a matching photo. Common causes are a typo in the filename, a student who joined late or a file saved in a different format. Fix the filename and re-upload just the missing photos.

Photo day tips

If you take photos at school, set up one station per section with a sheet listing admission numbers in order. Photograph students in that order and rename files in a batch afterward. Schools that run photo day this way usually finish matching in minutes, not hours.

Store photos only as long as you need them for the cards, and delete the working folder once the batch is printed.

Each ID carries a QR code that opens a verification page showing whether the card is current. When a card is lost, you deactivate it, regenerate one card from the student's record and print it, without touching the rest of the batch.

Verification at the gate

Staff scan the QR code with any phone camera. The page confirms the student, class and academic year, and shows whether the card is active. Last year's cards and cards of students who have left show as inactive once you update or deactivate them.

Reissuing a lost card

1. Find the student by name or admission number.
2. Deactivate the old card so it no longer verifies.
3. Regenerate the card and export a single CR80 PDF.
4. Print it on your ID printer or send it to your print shop.

Rolling over to next year

At the end of the year, re-import your updated class list with the same admission numbers. CardDeck updates class, section and academic year on existing records instead of creating duplicates. Then print the new batch.

Staff and visitor cards

Use the same template system for teachers, support staff and visitors. Employee-style staff IDs can include a Code 128 barcode from the barcode generator for library or attendance readers. Visitor passes can be printed on the day with a validity date.

Printing

Export CR80 cards (85.6 × 54 mm) with bleed for standard ID card printers, or A4 sheets for a print shop to cut. Print five samples first and check spelling and alignment before running the full batch.

Treat student ID data as children's personal data: collect only what you need, limit who can access it, tell parents what you collect and why, and check the laws that apply to your school.

Laws to check

Rules depend on where your school is. In the United States, FERPA governs access to and disclosure of student education records. In the EU and UK, the GDPR applies to personal data, with extra care expected for children. In India, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 sets rules for processing personal data, including that of children. These summaries are not legal advice; check your own obligations with your data protection lead or counsel.

Practical steps

• Minimize fields: only import columns the card actually uses.
• Limit access: give admin rights in CardDeck only to the staff who issue IDs.
• Control digital links: each student ID has a private link; share it with families, not publicly.
• Delete working files: remove photo folders and exports once the batch is done.
• Deactivate leavers: make it part of your withdrawal process.

What to tell parents

Send a short note before photo day covering what appears on the card, what the QR code shows when scanned, who can see the digital ID and how to request a correction. Parents can receive a private link to their child's digital ID, which also helps when a card is lost on a school trip.

Questions to ask any vendor

Where is data stored? Who can access it? How do we export or delete it? CardDeck's answers are on the security and privacy page.

Start two to three weeks before term: confirm fields, collect photos, export the class list, proof a sample and then print. Measure how many students have a correct card by day one.

Timeline checklist

1. Three weeks out: agree fields and design; update the template.
2. Two to three weeks out: collect photos named by admission number.
3. Two weeks out: export the class list and run the import.
4. Ten days out: fix flagged rows; print five samples and proof them.
5. One week out: print the full batch, sorted by class and section.
6. Day one: hand out cards; record missing or incorrect ones.
7. Week one: reissue corrections and late joiners individually.

Metrics to track

• Cards ready on day one as a share of enrolled students.
• Flagged rows at import, which shows how clean your records are.
• Reprints in the first month, and their causes.
• Time to reissue a lost card.

Pricing for schools

Student IDs are part of the Business plan, which starts at $149 per month billed yearly ($199 monthly, from ₹9,999). Education pricing per academic year is available on request, with batch import and roll-over included. For multi-campus groups and colleges, see college ID cards.