Using a Card Printer
If your organization uses a Fargo DTC1250e card printer with CardPresso Beginner Edition, you can quickly create and print membership cards using a CSV export from Cogran.
Before You Begin
Design your membership card in CardPresso one time. Your card can include items such as:
- Member Name
- Membership ID
- Barcode
- Organization logo or branding
Once the template is created, it can be reused whenever you need to print new cards.
Step 1: Export Member Data from Cogran
- Navigate to Front Page>Registration>Member Detail Report
- Open the Member Detail report.
- Select the members you wish to print cards for by clicking on the hamburger menu and choosing fields to show/hide
- Include the fields you want on the card, such as:
- Name
- Barcode ID (or Member ID)–note that barcodes will be generated by the printer and appear in numeric form for export
- Membership Expiration Date (optional)
- Click Export.
- Save the file as a CSV (.csv).
Example:
| Name | BarcodeID |
|---|---|
| John Smith | 10002345 |
| Mary Johnson | 10002346 |
| Robert Brown | 10002347 |
Step 2: Open CardPresso
- Launch CardPresso.
- Open your existing membership card template, or create a new one.
- Select your Fargo DTC1250e printer.
Step 3: Connect Your CSV File
- From the menu, select Database > Connect.
- Choose Text File / CSV as the data source.
- Browse to and select your exported CSV file.
- CardPresso will display the available fields from your
- ExpirationDate (if included)
Step 4: Map the Fields
Each object on your card template must be linked to a field in the CSV.
Name
- Select the Name text object on the card.
- Set the data source to the Name field.
Barcode
- Select the barcode object.
- Choose Code 128 (recommended).
- Set the data source to the BarcodeID field.
Optional Fields
If your export includes additional information, map those fields as well:
- Photo → Photo object
- Expiration Date → Text object
Step 5: Preview the Cards
CardPresso will display one card for each row in your CSV file.
Example:
Record 1
- John Smith
- 10002345
Record 2
- Mary Johnson
- 10002346
Review the preview to ensure names, barcodes, and photos appear correctly.
Step 6: Print Membership Cards
- Click Print.
- Select Print All Records or choose specific records.
- The Fargo printer will print one membership card for each member in the CSV.
Recommended Export Fields
For the most flexible membership card design, include these fields whenever possible:
- Name
- Barcode ID (or Member ID)
- Photo
- Membership Expiration Date
These fields allow your organization to produce professional-looking cards while supporting future enhancements without redesigning the template.
How the Workflow Fits Together
Cogran
↓
Member Detail Report
↓
Export CSV
↓
Open CardPresso
↓
Connect CSV
↓
Map Fields
↓
Preview Cards
↓
Print Membership Cards
Note: The Fargo DTC1250e is a card printer only. It does not scan barcodes or QR codes. To check members in using their printed cards, you’ll need a separate USB barcode scanner, QR scanner, or a mobile device running your check-in application.