Customizing Label Templates

TimelyChurch includes a visual label designer that lets you create fully custom name tags, security receipts, and volunteer badges. This article covers how to create, edit, and manage label templates.

Accessing the Label Designer

1. Go to Check-In in the admin panel.
2. Click the Settings (gear) icon in the page header, near the Kiosk Mode and Start Session buttons.
3. The Check-In Settings page opens with three tabs: Label Designer, Printer Setup, and Options. The Label Designer tab is shown first.

On the Label Designer tab you will see all of your existing templates organized by type: Child Name Tags, Parent/Security Tags, Volunteer Badges, and Custom Templates.

Template Types

Each type can have a default template. The default template is automatically used when printing labels for that type unless a different template is selected.

Creating a New Template

Starting from a Quick-Start Template

The fastest way to get started is to use one of the four built-in quick-start templates:

1. Classic Child -- A traditional child name tag with church logo, first name (large), class name, room, and security code.
2. Security Tag -- A parent pickup tag with a "SECURITY TAG" header, child's name, large security code in a red-bordered box, class, date, and church name.
3. Modern Minimal -- A clean design with a large centered name, a divider line, class name, security code, and church logo.
4. Medical Alert -- A specialized tag that highlights allergy and medical information in red, with full name, class, and security code.

To use a quick-start template:

1. On the Label Designer tab, scroll to the Quick Start Templates section near the bottom.
2. Click the template card you want to start from.
3. The label designer opens with all the elements pre-arranged. You can rearrange, resize, restyle, or remove any element, then give it a name and save it as your own template.

Starting from Scratch

1. Click New Template at the top of the Label Designer tab (or Start From Scratch in the empty state).
2. The visual designer opens with a blank canvas.
3. In the Template Settings panel on the right, set the template Type (Child, Parent, Volunteer, or Custom), choose a Label Size preset, and adjust the width, height, and unit if needed.
4. Drag fields and elements onto the canvas from the Elements panel on the left.

Creating Default Templates

If your church has no templates yet, you can generate a starter set with one click:

1. On the Label Designer tab, click Create Default Templates.
2. Two templates are created automatically:
   • Classic Child Tag (child type, set as default)
   • Classic Security Tag (parent type, set as default)

These are system templates that cannot be deleted, but you can duplicate them and customize the copies. (If your church already has templates, this button has no effect.)

Available Label Fields

The designer's Elements panel provides the following fields you can drag onto a label, grouped by category:

Person Fields

• First Name
• Last Name
• Full Name
• Nickname
• Age
• Birthdate
• Grade

Check-In Fields

• Security Code
• Check-In Time
• Check-In Date
• Class/Group Name
• Room/Location
• Session Name

Alert Fields

• Allergies
• Special Notes
• Medical Notes

Church Fields

• Church Name
• Church Logo

Static Elements

• Custom Text (any fixed text you type)
• Custom Image
• Horizontal Line
• QR Code
• Security Shield Icon

Note: The Custom Image and QR Code elements appear in the Elements panel but are placeholders in the current release -- they do not yet render an image or a scannable code on the printed label. For pickup verification today, use the Security Code field, which prints the unique 4-character code parents and volunteers match at checkout.

Using the Label Designer

The designer is a visual drag-and-drop canvas that represents the physical label at scale.

Adding an Element

Drag a field from the Elements panel on the left onto the canvas. Drop it where you want it, then drag it to fine-tune its position.

Styling an Element

Select an element on the canvas to open its properties in the panel on the right. For text and field elements you can adjust:

• Font size -- Controls text size
• Color -- Text color
• Bold and Italic -- Toggle font weight and style
• Text alignment -- Left, center, or right
• Uppercase -- Forces text to display in all caps

For a Custom Text element, you can also edit its text content directly in the properties panel.

Note: Some quick-start templates include background colors, borders, and rounded corners that were set when the template was built. These are part of the saved design, but the designer's properties panel does not yet expose controls to change them.

Position and Size

The properties panel also shows numeric X/Y position and width/height fields for the selected element. You can nudge a selected element with the arrow keys (hold Shift for larger steps), and undo or redo changes with Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y.

Grid and Snapping

Use the Grid and Snap checkboxes in the toolbar at the top of the designer to show the alignment grid and snap elements to it. The grid spacing is 5 units.

Saving

Type a name for the template in the name field at the top of the designer, then click Save Template.

Label Size Presets

The following label sizes are available in the Label Size selector:

Managing Templates

Each template card on the Label Designer tab has an Edit Design button and a three-dot (⋮) menu with the following actions.

Set as Default

Open the three-dot menu and select Set as Default. This template will be used automatically when printing labels for that type (child, parent, etc.). Only one default per type is allowed, so setting a new default clears the previous one.

Duplicate a Template

Open the three-dot menu and select Duplicate. A copy of the template is created with "(Copy)" appended to the name. Edit the copy without affecting the original.

Preview a Template

Select Preview in the three-dot menu. A preview page opens in a new tab with sample data filled in (e.g., "Sarah Johnson," age 7, class "Kindergarten," allergies "Peanuts, Tree Nuts"). This lets you see how the label will look -- and run a test print -- without performing an actual check-in.

Delete a Template

Only non-system templates can be deleted. System templates (generated by "Create Default Templates") are protected, so the Delete option does not appear on their menu. For other templates, select Delete in the three-dot menu and confirm.

Tip: If you want to change the look of a system template, duplicate it first, customize the copy, then set your copy as the new default.