When It Comes To Choosing ID Card Software, Knowledge is Power
With dozens of different ID Card Software packages on the market, it’s easy to see
why business owners find themselves facing uncertainty over which ID Card software
application is right for them.
“It’s not as complicated as it may seem,” says Billy Kim, sales manager for ID Card
Group. “ID Card Software companies have divided their products into distinct categories
that make choosing the right package easy once you understand these distinctions.”
The Players
Synercard, for example, produces the Asure line of software products for ID Card
production. The three basic products are Asure ID Express, Asure ID Enterprise,
and Asure ID Server. Asure ID Express is a user friendly standalone software program
that includes all the powerful functions that small-to-medium sized organizations
need to produce professional cards using their computer and their ID Card Printer.
Asure ID Enterprise offers the same powerful user friendliness and functionality
in a package designed for user over dedicated network environments as used by larger
organizations. Asure ID Enterprise also includes advanced database functions that
give the user the ability to integrate employee and customer data into the card
producing process, while still maintaining user friendliness.
Asure ID Server is designed for even larger, decentralized organizations. This powerful
package incorporates all of Asure ID Enterprises functionality while allowing users
to print Identification Cards to remote locations using the internet. It is ideal
for service bureaus and similar businesses with multiple locations.
Asure Solo is the younger brother of these three packages, designed to support ID
Card Production for small companies with 25 to 100 card holders. Asure Solo provides
an easy to learn yet powerful interface that makes it possible to print professional
identification cards on a single side.
NFive products follow a similar progression, from the CardFive C1700 Classic package
that allows smaller businesses to discover how easy it is to create professional
ID Cards using their computer and ID Card printer, to CardFive Elite C1500, a program
that offers the same ease of use along with powerful database functions for larger
corporations with hundreds of cardholders.
In between these two extremes, NFive offers CardFive Lite Plus C1100, a package
that offers the basics of CardFive Classic along with simple database functions
for smaller companies that need more functionality.
Printer and Software Combos: A Winning Move
The fact that some manufacturers of ID Card Printers also produce card creation
software can make the selection process easier. “A majority of our customers choose
to purchase software created by the manufacturer of their ID Card printer,” Kim
says.
Datacard® is one such example, with a range of ID Card software products from
Datacard ID Works® Basic, with plenty of bells and whistles not found in other
start-up Identification Card issuance programs. Like the other Datacard® applications,
it also supports production of forms and reports that integrate with database functions.
On the high end of the scale, Datacard® offers ID Works® Enterprise, one
of the most powerful ID card creation programs available, featuring the entire range
of functions—from the creation of one or two sided cards, database functions, magnetic
stripe and smart card encoding, as well as biometric templates that allow users
to include fingerprint data in their security databases.
Datacard® ID Works® Standard is the mid level program that offers powerful
functions and an easy to learn interface that allows the design of professional
cards suitable for government, corporate and healthcare industries, to name a few.
Photo industry leader Polaroid offers some very powerful ID Card Programs, incorporating
their knack for innovation into popular software packages. Their entry level program,
ID Card Maker I packs a full range of card creation functions in a turnkey ID Card
issuance application that is surprisingly affordable. Card Maker II includes these
same great features and user friendly interface along with powerful network functionality,
database functions, and biometrics templates.
Sometimes names can be deceiving – take EPISuite Lite ID Card Software for example.
Despite its name, this powerful Identification Card creation program – manufactured
by Fargo -- is no lightweight. The application incorporates a full range of
features for a single workstation, along with advanced database features and magnetic
stripe encoding --and even microprinting.
Fargo ups the ante a bit with EPISuite Classic ID Card Software – a program that
packs the same power and user friendliness as EPISuite Lite along with the addition
of network capabilities and even more powerful database functions.
EPISuite Professional is the absolute top dog of the EPI Suite lineup, with enough
power and functionality to satisfy the stringent requirements of governments and
organizations worldwide. On the opposite end of the spectrum, EPISuite also makes
an entry-level program that offers surprising power for small businesses – EPISuite
Build A Badge.
Evolis eMedia Card Software is Evolis’ sole offering – yet it features everything
a small or large business need to create professional, secure cards over a network.
Relative newcomer Jolly Technologies has made quite an impact on the ID Card Industry
since their inception in 2000 with a range of superior and flexible ID Card creation
applications. The flagship product by Jolly, Print Studio, comes in three configurations
that offer many of the same powerful features and functionalities of the big boys
at a fraction of the price.
Powerful Feature and Ease of Use
All of the ID Card Packages on the market today offer ease-of-use and a WYSIWIG
(What You See is What You Get) interface that takes the hassle out of designing
cards. Also, these software products allow importation of popular graphic formats
that allow organizations to import logos and images easily.
This increase in user-friendliness allows organizations to harness to the power
of intelligent engineering by simply turning on their personal computer and launching
their ID Card Software.
“What the ID Card industry has seen in the last few years is a promising increase
in the power and functionality of ID Card software that has made it possible for
just about anyone to create professional cards with little or no training,” Kim
says.
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