Creating Digital Versions of ID Cards with Digital ID

Having to carry and show a physical ID card for identity verification or access control can be inconvenient at times. It can be particularly annoying or inconvenient if you have to find it in a wallet or purse, you forget to bring it with you, or you don’t want to wear a lanyard all the time. 

However, there weren’t many good alternatives to physical ID cards. Fortunately, that’s changing rapidly with the recent introduction Digital ID, which allows businesses and organizations to create digital versions of ID cards that users can store and use on their smartphones. 

Digital ID is a new feature that’s available in Zebra’s CardStudio 2.0 software for use with Zebra ID card printers, including large-format card and badge printers, like the ZC10L. 

Digitalizing Your Workforce’s ID
With CardStudio 2.0, you can create a digital representation of an individual’s ID card, including a photo, an employee ID or member number, and a scannable 1D or 2D barcode to encode information and verify identity. 

For low-security applications such as controlling access to certain buildings, locations or events, or for membership, loyalty or hospitality cards, Digital ID is a convenient extra format or even an alternative to physical cards or badges. 

All you need to do is download and install CardStudio 2.0 software and make sure you’ve purchased a software license key, or you can simply open your CardStudio 2.0 application if you’re already using the software. 

Designing Your Physical and Digital IDs

CardStudio makes it easy to design both physical and digital ID cards and securely manage all the variable data you use on your cards, such as names, departments, titles, photos, ID numbers, account numbers, and much more. 

By using CardStudio 2.0’s DesignStudio, you can create a digital representation of any ID card, and you can securely email it to the user who can import the digital ID to their mobile device. Once they have their Digital ID on their device, they can display it whenever they need to present a photo ID and verify their identity. 

If you’ve already created a physical card design in DesignStudio, you can take its basic elements and create a digital version that includes many of the same variable data and features. For example, a digital ID can include someone’s photo, name, title and department or company name, an account or ID number, an ID expiration date, and a scannable 2D barcode to retrieve and verify more information electronically. 

How to Issue an ID
Once you’ve created a Digital ID, you can issue it from CardStudio 2.0’s PrintStudio. With the click of a button, PrintStudio forwards the request to install the digital ID. It also tracks everyone from your database, whether they’ve been issued a Digital ID, and that ID’s status. 

Here’s how the secure Digital ID issuing process works: 

When you issue a Digital ID, the CardStudio software sends it to them with a secure link that they can use to accept it.
If the user clicks or taps the secure link and requests to retrieve the Digital ID, a secure confirmation link is sent to their mailbox.
The confirmation link is sent via secure email and allows the user to download their card to their smartphone as a PDF or as a WalletPass Card, depending on the mobile device they use.

Once they’ve downloaded their Digital ID, they can access it anytime from their device.
PrintStudio tracks every Digital ID issuance and acceptance, so you can view the status of any person’s ID. You can see if it’s accepted and now valid, or you can see if acceptance is still pending. As with physical as well as Digital IDs, you can also easily revoke an ID’s validity whenever needed. 

The Bottom Line: Why You Should Use Digital IDs
Using Digital IDs is a great way to avoid the headaches of having to carry around a physical ID in a wallet, purse or lanyard. Instead, users can access and use an ID that’s stored and easily accessible on their smartphone. And chances are they won’t be leaving their device behind as easily as they tend to forget their ID card. 

Digital IDs are already gaining widespread popularity for low-security applications where the added security of physical cards with encoding, protective layers, water marks, color-shifting graphics and other effects aren’t needed.  

Digital IDs work well for controlling access to minimum security facilities or for event management and retail membership programs. 


Next Steps
If having a convenient alternative to physical IDs and using digital IDs sounds like an attractive proposition for your ID card application, feel free to reach out to us at AB&R for more information. 

We have spec sheets, videos and more details on how Zebra’s Digital ID works and how you can get started quickly and easily. Just contact us below. 

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