Magstripe Template

Owned by Joe Large
Mar 14, 2024
3 min read

The Magstripe Template defines the information that is encoded onto the magnetic stripe on Track 1 and/or Track 2 of a card. After creating a magstripe template, you can associate it with one or more card designs.

To manage the magstripe templates navigate to Administration > Credentials > Magstripe Template

Example Magstripe Template

Creating a New Magstripe Template

  1. Click the CREATE TEMPLATE button.

  2. Configure the desired settings for the new template (detailed below).

  3. Click Save to create the new magstripe template.

Editing a Magstripe Template

  1. From the list of available templates, click on the one you wish to edit.

  2. Make the necessary changes to the template settings.

  3. Click Save to apply the changes.

Magstripe Template Settings

Magstripe Template Type

  • ABA - Encode Magnetic Track 1 and Track 2 per the ABA (American Banking Association) specification.

  • Custom - Allows for custom encoding formats.

ABA Fields

  • Name Format: Choose between "Last, First Mi" or "Last, Preferred Mi" formats. Names will be converted to uppercase and padded/truncated to 26 characters.

  • Expiration Date: A 4-digit expiration date in the YYMM format. 4912 is commonly used.

  • Service Code: A 3-digit code. 120 or 101 are commonly used.

Deleting a Magstripe Template

  1. Open the template you wish to delete for editing.

  2. Click the DELETE button.

Note: Deleting a magstripe template will reset any associated credentials to "Magstripe Off." If the template has associated credentials, you will be prompted to confirm the deletion.

 

Assigning a Magstripe Template to a Credential

  1. Navigate to Administration > Credentials > Card Templates.

  2. Select a credential, and the Designer will open.

  3. Under the "Personalization" section, click the icon beside "Magstripe Off."

  4. In the modal window, select the desired magstripe template from the dropdown list.

  5. Click Save.

Once a magstripe template is assigned to a credential, users can print and encode the magstripe by simply clicking the Print button. The system will automatically encode the magnetic stripe using the selected format.

Troubleshooting

Card Printed Without Magnetic Stripe Encoding: Some ID printers have the "Magnetic stripe encoding" setting disabled by default. Refer to the printer documentation to enable magnetic stripe encoding, and then try printing the card again. In VDS PrintManager, ensure the "Card Printer Settings" menu is configured to send the magstripe data in the correct format.

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