How to make name tags from a Google Sheets list

Set up the list

A badge usually needs two or three things: a name, plus a company, team or role. Keep them in separate columns:

• A checkbox column for “attending” (Insert → Checkbox) is the most useful thing on the sheet. Lists change right up to the event, and you want to print only the ticked rows, including late additions.
• Blank cells are normal. Not everyone has a company. A good method leaves no gap or stray comma when one is empty.
• If your list comes from a Google Form™, it lands in the response sheet in this shape already. Add the checkbox column next to it.

Only the people who are coming

Most event lists include people who said no. Add a tick-box column (Insert → Checkbox) called Attending, say column D, and make the badge list from the ticked rows only, sorted by last name so the badges come off the printer in the order you’ll lay them out on the table:

=SORT(FILTER(A2:C, D2:D=TRUE), 2, TRUE)

This assumes first name in A, last name in B and company or role in C; the 2 sorts on the second column of the result. We checked SORT(FILTER()) on a test list with unticked and blank rows. Late sign-ups appear as soon as you tick them, so print the main batch first, then print only the new names on a partly used sheet or plain stock on the day.

Find the longest names before you print. In a spare column put =LEN(A2&" "&B2), fill down, and sort by it (Data → Sort range, Z → A). As a rough guide, a name of more than about 16 characters at 28 pt won’t fit on one line of a 3½″-wide badge. Print those few at a smaller size, or use the first-name layout below.

A big first name, a smaller full name. Badges are read from a few feet away, so many events print the first name large and the full name and company underneath. Build the text in one column: =TEXTJOIN(CHAR(10), TRUE, A2, A2&" "&B2, C2). In Docs, select the first line on each badge and make it bigger; in LabelRows, put {{First}} on the first line and the rest below.

Pick the badge stock

Adhesive badge labels in the 8-per-sheet layout, Avery® 5395 and its relatives 8395 and 45395, are the most common in the US. The measurements, if you’re building the layout yourself:

Pin-on or clip-in badge holders usually take a card insert instead, often 3″ × 4″. Check the box: the method below is the same, only the numbers change.

Free: badges in a Google Docs table

1. Filter to who’s coming. Use Data → Create a filter on the Attending column and show only checked rows.
2. Make the badge text. In an empty column: =TEXTJOIN(CHAR(10), TRUE, A2&" "&B2, C2). The TRUE skips an empty company, so there’s no blank second line.
3. Arrange it 2 across. Copy the visible badge text and paste it as values in another sheet, then use =WRAPROWS(A1:A8, 2) for each page of 8.
4. Paste into a Google Doc (Google Docs™) and choose Paste unlinked.
5. Size it. File → Page setup: Letter, top margin 0.58, left 0.69. Then in Table properties: column width 3.75″, minimum row height 2.5″, border 0 pt, cell vertical alignment middle. Center the text.
6. Style the name. Make the first line large and bold (24 to 28 pt reads from a few steps away) and the second line smaller.
7. Print one plain-paper test at 100% / Actual size, check it against a badge sheet held up to the light, then print the badges.

Where it falls short: the 3.75″ columns include the gap, so centered text sits slightly right of the badge’s middle. Add about 0.19″ of right padding to even it out. When three more people sign up the morning of the event, you repeat the filter, copy and paste.

From the sheet with LabelRows

LabelRows includes Name badges 2⅓″ × 3⅜″ (8 per sheet), compatible with Avery 5395, 8395 and 45395, on the free plan.

1. Open the list, click the LabelRows icon in the side panel, and choose the name badge size.
2. Label text: {{First name}} {{Last name}}
{{Company}}. If Company is empty, that line is dropped.
3. Font and layout: pick a font and size, Align: Center and Vertical position: Middle, and turn on Bold first line so the name stands out.
4. Rows: choose Only rows ticked in and pick the Attending column. Unticked rows are skipped, so nobody has to filter or copy anything.
5. Click Create labels, then print the new Google Doc at 100% / Actual size.

Badges people can read

• First name biggest. It’s what people say out loud. Some events put the first name alone on line one and the full name smaller underneath.
• One font, two sizes. A plain sans-serif at 24 to 28 pt bold for the name and 12 to 14 pt for the company reads better than decorative type.
• Check names with accents and long surnames on the plain-paper test. They’re the ones that overflow.
• Print a few blanks for walk-ins, or leave the last badges on a sheet empty.

Troubleshooting

The badge order doesn’t match the list. Labels print across, then down: 1-2 on the first row, 3-4 on the next. If you want badges in alphabetical columns instead, sort the list first and lay the table out row by row, as the formula above does.

Names wrap onto two lines. Lower the font size for the name line by a few points, or keep the first name only on the big line. Hyphenated and double surnames are the usual cause, so check them in the longest-names column.

The badge text isn’t centred. In the Docs table, select the whole table, click Center align, then Format → Table → Table properties and set Cell vertical alignment to middle.

Accented letters show as boxes or question marks. That happens when the list came from a CSV saved in another encoding. Re-import it with File → Import, or open the CSV in a text editor and save it as UTF-8 first.

Badges slide off the sheet in the printer. Badge labels are thicker than address labels. Use the printer’s rear or manual feed if it has one, and set the paper type to Labels or Heavy paper.

Frequently asked questions

Related

• How to print address labels from Google Sheets
• Print Avery 5160 labels from Google Sheets
• LabelRows documentation
• All guides

Disclosure: we make LabelRows, the Google Sheets add-on mentioned in this guide. We describe the other methods as fairly as we can, including when they are the better choice.

Google Sheets and Google Docs are trademarks of Google LLC. Avery is a registered trademark of Avery Products Corporation. Microsoft and Word are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. LabelRows and Cellbrook are not affiliated with or endorsed by Google, Avery or Microsoft.