ⓘ This article is for Event Organizers
When designing badges in Expo Pass, the Shell Layer is your creative canvas — it serves as the background artwork on your badge shell.
Let's start with the basics and walk you through how to navigate the Expo Pass Badge Designer on the Shell Layer.
These key terms below will help you better understand the lingo as we walk through the Badge Designer and ensure you get the best out of your Badge!
🔑 Key Terms to Know
Shell Layer: The fixed background design used on all badges (e.g., logos, colors, borders). It does not change from attendee to attendee.
Print Layer: The layer that overlays attendee-specific information like names, titles, and QR codes. This content is added through the Expo Pass platform, not your uploaded design.
Full Bleed: A printing term that refers to background designs extending all the way to the edge of the badge (BLUE LINE) without white borders. This ensures a polished, professional look.
Bonus Terms:
CMYK colors: used in print designs.
It is essential to ensure your designs are in the CMYK color scale to ensure accurate color reproduction when badges are printed.
RGB colors: used in digital display designs
If you are using RGB for designing, it is essential to convert to CMYK before submitting for print to ensure accurate color production
Select Your Badge Shell
💡 Tip: Before you get started, take a look at our best practices and suggestions for designing a high-quality, crisp badge design.
1. Log in to Expo Pass and choose your event.
2. Click on Onsite ➜ Design Badges. The Badge Manager will pop up. Click on Get Started.
NOTE: If you have already created a badge shell, the Badge Manager will no longer pop up. To create a second badge shell, click Create next to the badge OR hover over the badge to select Edit.
3. Select the badge size and notch you would like to use and click Next:
4x6" Standard (no notch - requires a sleeve)
4x6" Double Notch
4x6 Single Notch
4x3" Mini (no notch - requires a sleeve)
4. Once you have selected the size and notches for your badge, name your shell -- something short & sweet like "Default". Select if your shell will have a design on the Front Side or Double-Sided (front and back).
Design Your Badge Shell - The Basics
Now that you've picked the badge size and notches, it's time to start designing!
Before we get started, let's go through a few best practices to make sure you get the best design possible.
❗Safe-to-Print Area Around the Notch
Most Expo Pass badges are printed with a notch or hole at the top for a lanyard. Designing around this area is critical to avoid printing issues.
Key Guidelines:
Leave at least 0.25” (1/4") of clear space around the notch — no text, logos, images, or shapes.
Solid background colors are okay, but avoid detailed graphics or any critical design elements near this area.
Overlapping this zone may trigger printer sensor errors, which can result in:
Misaligned badges
Double prints
Badge jams or reprints
⚠️ Why This Matters: The notch area is where the printer senses each badge. If your design interferes with this space, it may cause your printer to malfunction.
✂️ What Is Full Bleed and Why Is It Important?
Full Bleed means that your background artwork extends all the way past the edges of the printed badge to ensure there are not white borders.
Why It Matters:
Prevents unintended white edges due to slight trimming misalignments.
Delivers a clean, professional finish with edge-to-edge color.
Meets industry-standard print specs.
How to Design for Full Bleed:
If your badge size is 4" x 6", you should create your artwork at 4.25" x 6.25" to include 0.125” bleed on each side of the badge (left, right and top, bottom). Think of it as a buffer.
When adding your images, these should extend to the BLUE bleed line.
The extra 0.125" is an extension of the design.
It should NOT include any images or logos you want included on your badge.
The printer will cut through this extension ensuring the color extends to all edges of the badge
Use the safe zone (aka the dotted line within the badge) to ensure important content (like logos or text) remains at least 0.25” away from all edges.
4x6" Badges
Bleed Area 4.25” x 6.25” (Blue Box around the badge)
Trim 4” x 6” (the edge of the badge)
Safe Zone 3.75” x 5.34” (the dotted grey line)
4x3" Badges
Bleed Area 4.25" x 3.25" (Blue Box around the badge)
Trim 4" x 3" (the edge of the badge)
Safe Zone 3.75” x 2.34” (the dotted grey line)
Start Your Badge Shell Design
1. Click the green + at the bottom of the badge to start the design process.
2. Select if you would like to:
Add Text
Upload an Image - we support JPEG, PNG, SVG, PDF
Create a shape
Uploading a PDF? No problem!
Make sure your file has a bleed on the design to ensure a clean cut
What's bleed? An extra 0.125" of design extended around the edge of the badge to ensure a clean cut for print with no white space).
The PDF should NOT include crop marks.
If your file has crop marks, no worries— you can remove them using our cropping tool.
![5th Annual Art + Tech Expo (Demo) - Badges - 27 February 2025 (1).mp4 [video-to-gif output image]](https://downloads.intercomcdn.com/i/o/ij3yrbte/1524489390/7d5f62e3e8f23afad11182c1be62/ezgif-200c5c6695e86c.gif?expires=1747396800&signature=21888b1ca2eecf1f44bc4972bb1e4f8265e16801b72b1ca278eda68e4044e950&req=dSUlEs12lIJWWfMW3nq%2BgRyHDnMTNPYHM%2B9liHzYA1%2BatDBBZyBd9teskFy3%0AUdWG0YONXzNcbOS4rghdFxDte5I%3D%0A)
3. For double-sided badge shell designs, click on Front to toggle to the back of the badge, and vice versa:
❗ Important: DON'T FORGET TO DESIGN THE BACK OF YOUR BADGE if you are looking for a double-sided shell. Click on Front to toggle to the back of the badge.
4. Once you have completed your shell design, save your design and select "Done
Edit Your Badge Shell
If you need to go back and edit your Badge Shell after it's been saved.
Click on Onsite ➜ Design Badges.
Hover over the badge that you want to edit. Click on Edit.
Edit the design elements of your badge.
Easily Adjust Badge Size & Notch Settings
Do you need to change the badge size or notch? No need to start over from scratch! You can change the badge size and notch placement directly within the Badge Shell settings
This gives you more flexibility and control, making badge adjustments quicker and easier than ever.
Once you have clicked edit on the badge, click on the pencil icon by the Shell Layer Name.
Click on Type ➜ select new badge size and notch
Click Next. Adjust badge name and how many sides you want to design if applicable.
Click Save.
![5th Annual Art + Tech Expo (Demo) - Badges - 21 February 2025.mp4 [video-to-gif output image]](https://downloads.intercomcdn.com/i/o/ij3yrbte/1524457772/9c9a170bdda07a6e8627fcffd9fb/ezgif-7427580e3e08a2.gif?expires=1747396800&signature=b27b81cf101e3ad37fe5b73182a0038298411c7d723e119cdd771f440fe6cf6d&req=dSUlEs17moZYW%2FMW3nq%2Bgaz%2BfG3UafvLcsZTDDEa3bWcV4rB2ssGniY9zMb4%0A3SIoYGfsijbEVDKTgRN7KPbK%2FHI%3D%0A)
Badge Shell Design Details
Congratulations!! Now you've gotten comfortable with designing your Badge Shell. What's next? Let's get a little more into the details:
Badge Print Layer Basics
If you'd like to skip through the details, feel free to go to the Print Layer below to add in your Attendee Field Data that will be printed onsite by our thermal printers.