Badge Printing

What You’ll Need

For Brother Thermal Printing:

• Brother QL-820NWB thermal printer (only supported Brother model)
• Compatible paper rolls (Brother DK2205 Labels recommended)
• iPhone or iPad with the Gatsby mobile app installed

For Zebra Ribbon Printing:

• Zebra printer with full Bluetooth support
• Pre-printed card stock with your design
• iPhone or iPad with the Gatsby mobile app installed

Download the mobile app (iOS/iPad only) from the App Store.

Printer Options

Gatsby supports two types of badge printers, each suited for different events.

Brother Thermal Printers

The Brother QL-820NWB prints black-and-white sticky-back labels. Fast, affordable, and good for most events where a clean, readable badge is the goal.

Best for: Executive dinners, roadshows, internal meetings, and events where the badge needs to look professional but doesn’t need to be a keepsake.

What it prints: Name (first, last, or both), company, custom fields, seating chart assignments, and QR codes on continuous label stock.

Cost: Printer runs around $200-$300. Labels are inexpensive. No rental required.

Zebra Ribbon Printers

Zebra printers use ribbon technology to print on pre-designed card stock. The result looks like a conference badge from a Fortune 500 company.

Best for: Conferences, investor summits, branded experiences, and events where the badge is a branding moment.

How it works: Design your badge background with colors, logos, and branding. Print blanks on card stock before the event. On event day, the Zebra printer adds guest-specific information (name, company, session assignments) on top.

Rental options: You can rent Zebra printers from vendors who ship to your venue and handle pre-printed stock production. Contact Gatsby for vendor recommendations.

Setting Up Your Printer

TLDR: Enable Bluetooth on the printer, connect to the printer from your iPhone/iPad, open the Gatsby app, Settings » Printers » Connect New Printer.

1. Turn on the printer

   Make sure your printer is powered on and has labels or card stock loaded.

2. Enable Bluetooth on the printer

   Ensure Bluetooth has been enabled on the printer. For Brother printers, optionally enable “Automatic Reconnection” (under Bluetooth menu) and disable “Auto Power Off” (under Settings menu).

   Brother printer settings

3. Connect your device to the printer via Bluetooth

   Check that Bluetooth is turned on in your iPhone or iPad settings, and connect to the printer.

4. Open the Gatsby mobile app

   Launch the app and navigate to “Settings” (the cog wheel at the bottom).

5. Access printer settings

   Under the “Check-In” settings tap the “Printers” option.

6. Connect your printer

   Tap “Connect New Printer.” Select your printer from the list and give it a name you’ll recognize.

Previously connected printers appear in the Printers menu for easy reconnection.

Test before the event

In the app, go to Settings > Printers and enable Test Printer. This lets you preview and print test badges without checking in real guests.

Verify layout and alignment before guests arrive. Much easier to fix paper alignment the day before than with a line forming.

Designing Badge Templates

Badge templates let you design once and reuse across events. Swap templates on the fly during check-in if you need more or less information.

Templates are designed in the Gatsby web interface and sync to the mobile app.

What you can include:

• Name: First, last, or both
• Company: Organization name
• Custom fields: Any data you collect during registration
• Table assignment: From your seating chart
• QR code: Unique to each guest for scanning

Simple vs. detailed templates

Minimal: First name in large type. Perfect for intimate dinners where everyone knows everyone.

Detailed: Full name, company, title, table number, and QR code. Right for large conferences where networking is the point.

Setting default templates

In the app Settings, set a default badge template. This template prints automatically unless you select a different one during check-in.

Good for consistency across your team. Everyone prints the same badge format.

Creative uses

Some teams use badge printing for non-obvious purposes:

• Golf tournaments: Print starting hole and foursome assignments using seating chart data for groupings.
• Conferences: Print session schedules using custom fields for track assignments.

Printing Badges During Check-In

Badge printing integrates with check-in. When a printer is connected, the print option appears automatically after you check someone in.

Concierge Check-In

1. Go to your event

   Open the Gatsby mobile app and select your event.

2. Go to Check In

   Tap the “Go to Check In” option to see all attendees.

3. Check in a guest

   Find a guest and tap their name, confirm by tapping “Check In”.

4. Choose badge template (optional)

   Select which badge template you want to use. Swipe the screen to select different badge templates.

5. Print the badge

   Tap “Print” to print their badge. The dialog will close when printing is complete.

Kiosk Mode

Guests check themselves in using kiosk mode. After confirming their identity, the badge prints automatically. The guest takes their badge and walks in. The screen resets for the next person.

No staff required at the check-in station—just a device, a printer, and clear signage.

Editing badge details in kiosk

Guest says “Actually, I go by Mike, not Michael.”

In kiosk mode, they can edit the badge name before printing. Useful for nicknames and preferred names you didn’t capture during registration.

The guest gets the badge they want. Your contact record stays accurate.

Walk-In Badges

Walk-in guest arrives with no registration? No problem.

1. Add them in the app, or have them self-register via QR code.
2. Check them in.
3. Print their badge.

Same process as registered guests. Same quality badge.

Event Day Setup

A few decisions make badge printing run smoothly. Plan your setup before guests arrive.

Internet required: The Gatsby app needs internet to sync. Confirm WiFi at your venue and test it before the event. There is no offline mode for badge printing. If venue WiFi is unreliable, consider a mobile hotspot as backup.

How many printers?

At least two. One as backup, or both active for parallel check-in lanes.

For events over 200 guests, consider three or more. More printers mean shorter lines.

Check-in lanes

Multiple lanes prevent bottlenecks. Each lane needs a device (iPad) and a printer. Staff can check in guests simultaneously.

For large events, consider alphabetical splits. A through M at one station, N through Z at another.

Help desk station

Set up a laptop with access to the full Gatsby web interface. This is where you handle exceptions: wrong names, missing guests, registration edits.

Keep the check-in line moving by routing problems to the help desk.

Pre-event testing checklist

Day before or morning of, run through the full flow:

1. Connect printer
2. Print test badge
3. Verify alignment and quality
4. Replace supplies if needed

Five minutes of testing prevents twenty minutes of troubleshooting with guests waiting.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

Print Error - Roll Type

If you see a “Roll Type” error when printing, try changing the Black/White settings when prompted to print a badge. Some printers have difficulty detecting the paper roll type.

Printer won't connect?

Make sure both devices have Bluetooth enabled and the printer is in pairing mode. Try turning the printer off and on again.

If previously connected, go to app Settings > Printers. Your printer should appear—tap to reconnect. If it doesn’t appear, re-pair via Bluetooth in your device settings, then reconnect in the app.

Poor print quality?

Check that you’re using genuine Brother DK2205 labels and that the printer’s print head is clean.

Blank fields on badges?

If a contact is missing data for a mapped field, that section prints blank. Check contact profiles to ensure information is complete before the event.

What if I run out of labels mid-event?

Swap in a new roll. The printer should resume where it left off.

Brother DK2205 continuous labels are widely available. Keep extras on hand.

Is there an Android app?

No. Badge printing requires the iOS Gatsby organizer app on iPhone or iPad.

Can I print badges for all guests at once?

No. Badges print one at a time as guests check in.

This is intentional. It avoids the pre-printing problem. No badges for no-shows. No sorting through tubs. No wasted materials.

Can I use badge printing without check-in?

Badge printing is part of the check-in flow. You print a badge when you check someone in. You can undo check-in for a guest if testing.