Automating the creation of name badges for an event

Question

We are organizing an event. There will be around 60 participants and I need to prepare name badges (tags) for them.

The badge will involve, name surname and affiliation fields which is different for each participant.

These fields are already in an Excel sheet actually. So, I can easily export them to a csv file.

And there will be a footer with a logo (picture) and the name of the organization.

I want to create a PDF holding 8 or 10 cards per page and then cut with scissors.

I can create the file manually in Word but I don't like to. How can I automate this process in LaTeX?

As an example, here's a simple design that I would like to have:

Answer 1

ticket package fits very well for this use. The pin example is what you seek for:

%%%%
%
% ticket.sty example file for a pin for conferences
%
%%%%
% use the corresponding paper size for your ticket definition
\documentclass[a4paper,10pt]{letter}

% load ticket.sty with the appropriate ticket definition
\usepackage[freepin,crossmark]{ticket}

% load misc stuff
\usepackage{graphicx}

% make your default ticket. \ticketdefault is somewhat like a background
\renewcommand{\ticketdefault}{%
  \put(50,  3){\includegraphics[width=15mm]{ifmlogoc}}
  \put( 5, 13){\line(1,0){60}}
  \put( 7, 10){\scriptsize Animal annual meeting (AAM)}
  \put( 7,  7){\scriptsize In the gardens}
  \put( 7,  4){\scriptsize April 1, 2000}
}

% now what do you like to put in your ticket
\newcommand{\confpin}[2]{\ticket{%
    \put(35,36){\makebox[0mm]{\bfseries\Large #1}}
    \put(35,28){\makebox[0mm]{\bfseries\large #2}}%
}}


%% the pins for the partipiciants ... ;-)
%% you can generate this part from a database!
\begin{document}
\sffamily
\confpin{Camelus dromedarius}{North Africa}
\confpin{Urocyon cinereoargenteus}{America}
\confpin{Galago moholi}{South Africa}
\confpin{Dasypus novemcintus}{South America}
\confpin{Rhinocerus sondaicus}{Java}
\confpin{Canis lupus}{Northern sphere}
\confpin{Ramphastus spec.}{South Amerika}
\confpin{Panthera tigris sondaica}{Java}
\confpin{Hippocampus spec.}{the ocean}
\confpin{Anthonomus grandis}{Mexico}
\confpin{Petrogale penicillata}{Australia}
\confpin{Tarsius spec.}{Sumatra}
\end{document}

The result is as follows:

For boxed badges, use

\usepackage[freepin,boxed]{ticket}

in the preamble. For the other options, see the manual.

To create confpin content, you can use the following command in Excel and copy the content to your document. It assumes that column A has name surname, and column B has affiliation.

=CONCATENATE("\confpin{"; A2; "}{";B2; "}")

Answer 2

A slight variation from Sigur's answer, building on his code:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pdfpages}
\usepackage[a4paper,margin=.5in]{geometry}
\usepackage{filecontents}
\begin{filecontents*}{informations.csv}
name,sirname,university
Jon,Doe,From Moon
Jane,Dipp,From Mars
Jon,Doe,From Moon
Jane,Dipp,From Mars
Jon,Doe,From Moon
Jane,Dipp,From Mars
Jon,Doe,From Moon
Jane,Dipp,From Mars
Jon,Doe,From Moon
Jane,Dipp,From Mars
\end{filecontents*}
\begin{filecontents*}{cards.tex}
\documentclass[12pt,a5paper,landscape]{article}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{datatool}
\usepackage[lmargin=1cm,tmargin=1cm,bmargin=1.6cm,rmargin=1.6cm]{geometry}
\usepackage{fancybox} % border page and boxes
\usepackage{mathpazo}
\sloppy
\pagestyle{empty}
\fancypage{\setlength{\fboxsep}{8pt}\doublebox}{}
\newcommand{\event}{Univeristy Name \\
University Address - 1\\
University Address - 2}

\begin{document}

\DTLloaddb{list}{informations.csv}

\DTLforeach{list}{%
\firstname=name,\sirname=sirname,\university=university}{%
\fontfamily{pbk}\fontseries{m}\fontshape{n}\selectfont  
\baselineskip 2.5em
\vspace*{2cm} 
\begin{center}
{\Large \firstname~\MakeUppercase{\sirname}}
\vskip 2cm 
{\large \university}
\vfill 

\hrulefill

\parbox[b]{.7\textwidth}{\event}\hfill\fbox{\includegraphics[width=2cm]{example-image-a}}
\end{center}
\newpage
}%
\end{document}
\end{filecontents*}
%
% compile with pdflatex
\immediate\write18{pdflatex cards.tex}
%
\begin{document}
\includepdf[pages=-,nup=2x4,delta=0.0in 0cm,turn=true,frame=true]{cards.pdf}
\end{document}

Answer 3

Here is a simple example. Please, adapt it to your case.

The file informations.csv (the first line is for variable names)

"name","sirname","university"
"Aaaa","Bbbb","Cccc"

The file foo.tex (format according to your preferences)

\documentclass[12pt,a5paper,landscape]{article}

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% If the error
% ``No room for ..''
% increase the reserved inserts
%--------------------------------------------
% \usepackage{etex} % to use etex extensions 
% \reserveinserts{28} % using etex extensions

\usepackage[english]{babel}

% UTF-8 support any characters
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
%\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
%\usepackage{ucs}
% Defaul loaded character table is ASCII and latin

\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amssymb} % amsfonts is part of amssymb

\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage[usenames]{color}
%\usepackage{chancery} % change serif to Zapf Chancery
\usepackage{datatool}
\usepackage[lmargin=1cm,tmargin=1cm,bmargin=1.6cm,rmargin=1.6cm]{geometry}
\usepackage{fancybox} % border page and boxes
\usepackage{mathpazo}

\sloppy

\pagestyle{empty}

% box around pages, using fancybox package
%
% \fancypage{\fbox}{}
% \fancypage{\setlength{\fboxsep}{8pt}\setlength{\shadowsize}{8pt}\shadowbox}{}


%\fancypage{\setlength{\fboxsep}{8pt}\shadowbox}{}
\fancypage{\setlength{\fboxsep}{8pt}\doublebox}{}

\newcommand{\event}{Insert the title of event here}

\begin{document}
% default separator is coma and default delimiter is double quote      
% \DTLsetseparator{,}
% \DTLsetdelimiter{"}

\DTLloaddb{list}{informations.csv}

\DTLforeach{list}{%
\firstname=name,\sirname=sirname,\university=university}{%

\fontfamily{pbk}\fontseries{m}\fontshape{n}\selectfont  
\baselineskip 2.5em

\vspace*{2cm} 

\begin{center}
{\Large \firstname~\MakeUppercase{\sirname}}

\vskip 2cm 

{\large \university}

\vfill 

\hrulefill

\event~\fbox{logo here}
\end{center}

\newpage
}  
\end{document}

The output

Answer 4

Here's a simple solution using pstricks

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pstricks}%..% to create card and position tags/labels
\usepackage{graphicx}%..% for loading and working with the logo
\usepackage{datatool}%..% for managing source for names and affiliations
\usepackage[margin=0.5in]{geometry}
%% command to handle the event name and related matter.
\newcommand{\eventname}{\begin{minipage}[c]{2.5in}\raggedright{}%
                            Name of Event \\ 
                            Sponsored by Various and Sundry
                        \end{minipage}}
%% in case you want some white space for when cutting the cards:  otherwise set both to zero.
\newlength{\cardhsep}\setlength{\cardhsep}{2pt}%..% horizontal space between cards
\newlength{\cardvsep}\setlength{\cardvsep}{2pt}%..% vertical space between rows of cards
\newcounter{cntnamecard}                       %..% counter to keep track of namecard and facilitate making "paragraphs"
\psset{unit=0.25in}                            %..% or you can set "xunit=..." and "yunit=..." change dimensions of card
\newcommand{\namecard}[3]{%
    \begin{pspicture}(0,0)(14,8)
        \rput(7,6){\Large{}\textbf{\sffamily{}#1}}%..% node for name
        \rput(7,5){#2}                            %..% node for affiliation
        \psline(0.25,1.75)(13.75,1.75)
        \rput[l](0.25,1){#3}                      %..% node for event name
        \rput[r](13.75,1){\includegraphics[height=0.33in]{example-image-a}}%..% logo
        \pspolygon(0,0)(14,0)(14,8)(0,8)
    \end{pspicture}\hspace*{\cardhsep}%
    \ifodd\thecntnamecard\par\fi%..% automate when "paragraphs" are set.
    \stepcounter{cntnamecard}}
%%
\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}%..% no need for indentation.
\setlength{\parskip}{\dimexpr-\lineskip+\cardvsep\relax}
\renewcommand{\thepage}{}
\begin{document}

\DTLloaddb{namecard}{data.csv}
\DTLforeach{namecard}{\firstname=first,
                      \lastname=last,
                      \school=affiliation,
                      \characterization=characterization}
    {\namecard{\firstname{} \lastname}
              {\school}
              {\eventname}}

\end{document}

where the cvs file looks something like:

"first","last","affiliation","characterization"
  "Bilbo","Baggins","Hobbit U.","Lover of Adventure"
  "Charles","Dickens","Victorian U.","Serial Author"
  "Galileo","Galilei","U. of Pisa","Science Guru"
  "Bruce","Wayne","University of Gotham","Comic Hero"

Answer 5

(For completeness)

The labels package is initially designed for generating printed labels on sticker paper for snail mail. It can print those types of badges, but with probably less personalization than the ticket package mentionned in another answer (for example, I'm not sure you can add graphics).

Usage: you define your card size (number of rows, columns, margins,etc.), then give as input the file where all your names are stored, and it generates a pdf file holding the badges.

The manual is pretty clear, but it seems that the package hasn't been updated for quite a long time.

Sample (taken from the manual):

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{labels}
\begin{document}
\labelfile{names.dat}
\end{document}