Overview
The Ticketbud app pairs with Zebra bluetooth thermal printers, model 420 and 421. The printer can be rented from the Ticketbud shop (https://shop.ticketbud.com/collections/all) or you can purchase your own to use. The printer allows you to print the name and QR code from each ticket onto a sticker that can be worn like a name tag or placed on a badge. You can also print responses to custom questions on the badge. Printing can be done at the time of check-in, when the attendee arrives, or you can pre-print all badges ahead of time, to be picked up at check-in. You can see examples of printed badges below, one standard badge, and one with more customization.
A downloadable pdf version of this guide can be found at the bottom of this help article, if you would like to download and print these instructions to have onsite at your event.
Enable Settings
- The badge printing function must be enabled on your Ticketbud account by a Ticketbud employee. If you have a direct contact, check with them to make sure that the function is enabled on your account. Otherwise, contact customer support at cs@ticketbud.com to ensure that you have printing enabled. You will need to log out and back into your Ticketbud account once the function has been enabled.
- Next, you must turn Badge Printing on for the event from the Event Settings tab. Scroll down to the Badge Stickers Printing section, check the box next to “Enable badge stickers printing” and select “Badge Tag - 3x4” from the dropdown. This is the standard sticker size for the printer.
- If you need additional information from custom questions, printed on the badges, you can check the box next to “Print responses to custom questions” and then select the questions you want printed from the dropdown options.
- If you need more information on the badges, we will use the “Custom” option from the dropdown and our team can provide you with the correct code for the badge format that you would like. Please note, you must get in contact with our team at cs@ticketbud.com ahead of the event so that we can take care of this before event day! Below is an example of a custom badge layout.
Connecting Printer
- If the printer roll is not inside the printer or is not loaded properly, open the printer and make sure that the roll is loaded as in the image to the right, and then close the printer.
- Plug the printer in and turn it on by clicking the power button once. Give it 5 minutes to start up.
- When the printer is ready, the status indicator will be green as in the image below.
- It is okay if the network indicator on the very right is red, that is because we do not have the printer connected to a network or wifi. It is not necessary to have the printer connected to a network, because we are connecting it to the Ticketbud app on a device via bluetooth.
- Open the iPhone bluetooth settings on your device and make sure bluetooth is on, but do not connect to the printer from here quite yet.
- Open Ticketbud app, login and click on the event.
- Click on All Tickets
- Click on the button in the upper right hand corner of the screen, which looks like a printer with a slash through it.
- A window will pop up that says “Please connect to a label printer” and there should be a list of all nearby bluetooth devices.
- Click on the one that matches the device number labeled on the top of your printer.
- A green check mark should appear next to the number and the window will close.
- Now, the printer icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen should no longer have a slash through it.
- Please note, a printer can only be connected to one device at a time. In order to remove the printer from one device and connect it to another, you must close the Ticketbud app completely by swiping the app up off of the iPhone screen.
Printing a Badge
- Now that the printer is connected to your device you can begin printing badges!
- Click on All Tickets if you are not already there.
- You can search for a specific ticket by name or email in the search bar at the top.
- Click on the name that you would like to print and then click Print Badge from the options that appear.
- The badge should print from the printer.
- Please note, printing the badge does not check the attendee into the event. Therefore, you can print all badges ahead of time and then scan the badge for check-in once the attendee arrives on the day of the event. The QR code printed on the badge is the same exact QR code that is on the attendees ticket that they were emailed.
Printing Badge At Time of Check-In
If you have a large event, we do not recommend waiting until attendees arrive to print badges, as it can slow down the check-in process. However, these are the steps if you have a small event and this check-in process makes sense in your case.
- Follow the steps above to connect the printer to the device you are using for check-in.
- Scan the attendee ticket to check them into the event.
- Once you see the green Valid Ticket screen, click the Print Badge Sticker button at the bottom of the screen.
- The badge should print.
Notes
- The printer can only be connected to one device at a time. In order to remove the printer from one device and connect it to another, you must close the Ticketbud app completely by swiping the app up off of the iPhone screen. Then you can follow the steps above to connect it to a new device.
- You turn the printer off by holding the power button down for a few seconds, once all of the icons light up, you can release the power button and the icons will turn off one by one. Once they are all black, the printer is off.
- There is a QR code inside the printer which you can scan to get to user guides and videos from the printer manufacturer.
Troubleshooting
- Connection Timed Out.
If the connected device and printer have been sitting idly for a long period of time, they might have disconnected. If the normal connection steps do not work, follow these steps.
- Close the Ticketbud app completely by swiping the app up and off of the iPhone home screen.
- Turn the printer off by holding the power button down for a few seconds, once all of the icons light up, you can release the power button and the icons will turn off one by one. Once they are all black, the printer is off.
- Wait a moment and then turn the printer back on. Give it a couple of minutes to get started.
- Re-open the Ticketbud app and follow the normal connection steps listed above.
- Won’t connect to the printer
If you are clicking on the device number for the printer and it won’t seem to connect, follow these steps.
- Close the Ticketbud app completely by swiping the app up and off of the iPhone home screen.
- Open the bluetooth settings on the device.
- Find where the printer is listed and click on the “i” next to it.
- Click Forget This Device
- Turn the printer off by holding the power button down for a few seconds, once all of the icons light up, you can release the power button and the icons will turn off one by one. Once they are all black, the printer is off.
- Wait a moment and then turn the printer back on. Give it a couple of minutes to reboot.
- Re-open the Ticketbud app and follow the normal connection steps listed above.
- General Troubleshooting Steps for All Issues
- Turn the printer off by holding the power button down for a few seconds, once all of the icons light up, you can release the power button and the icons will turn off one by one. Once they are all black, the printer is off.
- Log out of Ticketbud app and then close app completely by swiping it up and off of the iPhone home page.
- Turn phone off and back on
- Open the iPhone bluetooth settings and make sure bluetooth is on, but do not connect to the printer from here quite yet.
- Open Ticketbud app and log in.
- Plug the printer in and turn it on by clicking the power button. Give it 5 minutes to boot up.
- Make sure printer power icon is solid green
- Follow the normal connection steps listed above.
- Printing not aligned with stickers
- The printer should be powered on
- Open the top of the printer with buttons on the side.
- Ensure the label roll is properly loaded as in the image below.
- Close the printer cover
- Click the pause button, the printer will feed a few labels out. The alignment issue should be resolved.
- If the alignment is not resolved, press and hold the PAUSE and CANCEL (X) buttons for two seconds.
- The printer will feed and measure several labels. When done, the status indicator will be solid green.
More information regarding the printer, indicator lights, and troubleshooting can be found in the manual from the printer manufacturer at the link below.