Joan employee badges are reusable e-paper ID badges. Each badge shows an employee’s photo, name, job title and department. When details change, you update the badge over Bluetooth from the Joan Workplace mobile app instead of printing a new card. The badge’s built-in NFC chip can also be set up as a building access card through your access control provider. See [Can the badge be used for access control?](/help/visitor-management/joan-badge-nfc-bluetooth-and-technical-prerequisites#can-the-badge-be-used-for-access-control)

**In this article**

- [What do I need before I start?](#what-do-i-need-before-i-start)
- [What does a new badge show?](#what-does-a-new-badge-show)
- [Where is each task done?](#where-is-each-task-done)
- [How do I get started?](#how-do-i-get-started)
- [Related articles](#related-articles)

## What do I need before I start?

- An admin or office manager role in MyJoan. Only admins and office managers set up and manage badges. Employees can’t set up or change their own.
- The Joan Workplace mobile app on your phone, with Bluetooth and camera access allowed. The app uses the camera to scan badges and Bluetooth to update them, so you can’t add or assign badges without both.
- Your badges, charged and close to your phone. Badges need to stay within Bluetooth range while you add and assign them.
- Your employees in the Joan user directory, ideally with a photo, job title and department.
- An active licence for each badge.

## What does a new badge show?

A new badge shows a start screen with a QR code that links to start.getjoan.com, the badge code (a barcode with the badge’s MAC address) and a prompt to press the button on the back. Press the button to page through screens that introduce the visitor, employee and event badge use cases. After the last screen, the next press takes you back to the start screen.

When you assign a badge for the first time, the introduction screens are removed and the badge shows only your employee’s details.

## Where is each task done?

| Task | Where |
| --- | --- |
| Add, assign, unassign, sync and clear badges | Joan Workplace mobile app |
| Choose the badge template | Joan Workplace mobile app |
| Edit employee names, job titles, departments and photos | MyJoan web portal (employees can also add their own photo in their MyJoan profile) |
| Set departments and their colours | MyJoan web portal |
| See all badges | Joan Workplace mobile app or MyJoan |
| Mark a badge as lost or stolen | Joan Workplace mobile app or MyJoan |
| Remove a badge from your organization | Joan Workplace mobile app or MyJoan |

## How do I get started?

Follow these three steps in the Joan Workplace mobile app:

1. **Choose a badge template.** Open **Employee badges**, tap **Badge template** and pick the design all your badges will use: Default, Department, Informational or No picture. Your company logo is added automatically. If you pick Department, set your department colours in MyJoan first.
2. **Add your badges.** Tap **Add badges** and scan the badge code on each badge’s start screen. Lay the badges out in a row and scan them one after another, then tap **Done**.
3. **Assign badges to employees.** Tap your available badges, then tap **Assign badges**. Select the employees (up to as many as there are badges in range) and tap **Assign badges**.

> [!IMPORTANT] Keep your phone next to the badges and the Joan Workplace mobile app open until every badge shows its owner’s details. If you close the app, the badges may not finish updating.

If an employee’s details change later, edit them in MyJoan, then resync the badge from the Joan Workplace mobile app while it’s in Bluetooth range.

## Related articles

- [How to add and assign employee badges](/help/employee-badges/add-and-assign-employee-badges)
- [Choose a badge template and set up badge content](/help/employee-badges/employee-badge-templates-and-content)
- [Joan Badge: NFC, Bluetooth and technical prerequisites](/help/visitor-management/joan-badge-nfc-bluetooth-and-technical-prerequisites)
- [How to setup Visitor ePaper badge](/help/visitor-management/how-to-setup-e-paper-badge)

If you need help, contact us through the [support form](https://getjoan.com/help/contact).