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If you need each of your QR code labels to be unique – for example you would like each QR code encoded with a different company name and URL – then you need variable data QR code labels. Though the set up for this product takes a little more time, a well formatted Excel spreadsheet is all it takes for us to get started.

Variable QR code Labels: Character Specifications:

Set up your Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft .xls 2003 & earlier) with the variable data set up within a column in the order you wish the QR code labels to be printed. If you wish for your QR codes to contain multiple lines of information, additional columns of data can be provided in the same file for each additional line you wish to be encoded. All data from a particular row will be compiled into a single QR code. If multiple columns of information are provided, there needs to be data in every cell of each column.

As long as the characters are standard printable ascii (ascii codes 32-126) with the exception of ascii code 94 (carat symbol ^), the information from this file will be encoded exactly as it appears. In layman’s terms, if the character appears on your standard English keyboard, it should work fine (except the ^ symbol above the number 6). Extended ascii characters (such as “¥”, “©” and “ë”) require specialized formatting. A full list of printable and extended ascii codes can be found at http://www.ascii-code.com/. If you need to encode extended ascii characters, please contact Customer Service TOLL FREE at 1 866 474-1095 or use our Contact Form to request further details on the special formatting required.

Tips for Setting Up Your Variable Data:

Limit your data to as few characters as possible. For long URLs consider using a free URL shortening service such as bit.ly or goo.gl. The bit size of your QR code is determined by the number of characters in your data – so the more data there is to be encoded, the smaller the bit size which inevitably makes your QR code more difficult to scan at small sizes.

QR code scan-ability is dependent on multiple factors, some of which are controllable and others that are not. The uncontrollable factors lie mainly with the end user. For example, the quality of the camera used to scan the QR code and the distance the user is from the code when scanning. Because of this, we cannot guarantee that your QR code will always scan. It is important to ensure that your size, the amount of data encoded and colors are taken into consideration when building your QR code. For best results, we recommend the basic black code on a white background as it offers the greatest contrast.

An Example Excel File:

We have provided an example spreadsheet in the images below as a guideline. We encourage you to give us a call before setting up your spreadsheet as every data set is different. Our print specialists are here to help you, just call TOLL FREE 1 866-474-1095.