QR Codes for Event Signage: A Practical Guide

QR codes on event signage might sound like a solution looking for a problem. But in practice, they solve a real challenge: quickly identifying and updating a specific sign among hundreds of identical-looking placements.

Why QR codes on signs?

Imagine you're a contractor on an installation site with 300 signs. Some are similar sizes, same colour, arranged in groups. You pick up a sign from a stack. Which one is it? Where does it go?

A QR code on each sign gives you instant answers:

• Scan the sign → see the sign number, name, location, and placement instructions
• Update status from the scan
• Upload your installation photo linked directly to that sign

No manual lookup, no digging through a spreadsheet, no calling the office.

QR codes as a chain of custody

QR codes also create a useful audit trail. When a contractor scans and updates a sign, you have a timestamp, a user identity, and a photo linked to that specific sign. If something goes wrong — wrong sign placed, damaged sign, missing sign — you have a record of exactly what happened.

What to print on your sign QR codes

Each QR code should:

1. Deep link to the sign record in your management system (not just a static webpage)
2. Require authentication — contractors need to be logged in to see or update sign details
3. Be printable in batch — if you have 300 signs, you don't want to print 300 QR codes individually

A good workflow: export a batch QR PDF from your signage management tool, print it alongside your signs, and attach a QR sticker or printed QR code label to each sign before it leaves for the venue.

Batch QR printing in practice

Signplanr generates QR codes automatically for every sign you create. When you're ready to print, you can export a batch QR PDF — one QR code per page, with the sign number and name printed below. Print the PDF, cut, and attach.

The deep link opens the sign detail in the Signplanr contractor app, gated behind authentication so your data stays private.

QR codes vs. barcodes

Both work. QR codes have a few advantages for this use case:

• Phone cameras scan QR codes natively (no app required for the scan itself)
• QR codes can encode a full URL; barcodes are better for short numeric IDs
• QR codes are readable from more angles

For most event signage workflows, QR codes are the right choice.

Getting started

1. Add your signs to Signplanr — each gets a QR code automatically.
2. Download the batch QR PDF from the signs list.
3. Print and attach to your signs before they ship to venue.
4. On installation day, contractors scan to open the sign record and update status.

Start your free trial to try it with your next event.