How to Create a QR Code for a Document
Picture this — you’ve created the perfect document containing tons of information about your product.
But the only problem is getting it onto the screens of your target audience.
Whether it’s a product catalog, a user manual, or a restaurant menu, you obviously need a convenient way to share it. This is where QR Codes come into play. Today, their use case has gone beyond scanning them for just product prices.
A QR Code has become a powerful means for sharing documents across a wide range of media. In this blog, I will walk you through the process of creating a QR Code that can help customers easily access your action-triggering documents.
But first, which type of QR Code should you create?
Before you start creating your document QR Code, you must know that there are two types of QR Codes — dynamic and static. Each type has a different purpose, and understanding the differences is important.
Dynamic QR Codes are changeable, which means the QR Code will remain the same while you change the content behind it, whereas static QR Codes are not this flexible, and you will have to change the QR Code every time you modify its content.
For your documents, you must choose a dynamic QR Code over a static one because document content often needs periodic updates, and dynamic QR Codes are handy for doing just that.
There’s more that you can do with dynamic QR Codes. These include:
- You can edit or update the linked content without changing the QR Code. This is important if your document has an evolving scope, such as product catalogs, menus, or event schedules. The flexibility also prevents the extra cost of reprint and redistribution.
- Dynamic QR Codes come with tracking features, allowing you to monitor how often the QR Code is scanned when and where it’s scanned, and other data. This can help in fine-tuning your document-sharing strategy.
- These QR Codes also offer the option to password-protect the linked content. This added layer of security can be essential if you want to share sensitive or confidential documents. It also helps if you want to make your document selectively accessible. A password-protected QR Code can be helpful if you’re organizing an exclusive event or webinar with limited access.
- Dynamic QR Codes can be customized to align with your brand or document’s visual identity. You can change the QR Code’s color and add logos, frames, or a call to action, making it more appealing and consistent with other brand assets.
How to create a QR Code for a document?
Whether you have worked on a Google document or a PDF, creating a QR Code is a straightforward process. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Select a QR Code generator
Now, there are various online QR Code generators. Choose one that suits your needs. In this example, we’ll use Uniqode’s QR Code generator to generate the QR Code.
Step 2: Access the QR Code generator
Open your web browser, go to the Uniqode website, and start a free trial of the platform.
Now, you might be creating a QR Code for your Google document or simply a PDF. The next step will be based on the type of your document.
Step 3: Choose your QR Code type
If you want to create a Google document QR Code
First, open the Google Doc you want to create the QR Code for in your browser, change the sharing options to view only for everyone with the link, and copy the link. Next, select the “Website” category to input the sharable link of your document.
If you want to create a PDF QR Code
Make sure that the PDF document you want to share via the QR Code is saved and accessible on your computer or online, as you’ll need to upload the PDF. Select the “PDF” category to create a QR Code for your PDF. You will now find an option to upload your PDF file. Click on it. Choose the PDF file you want to convert into a QR Code from your computer.
Step 4: Customize your QR Code
After inputting your links or uploading the PDF, you will see a QR Code on the screen. Customize this QR Code with templates, logos, eyes, patterns, backgrounds, and frames. Once done, you should aim for “EXCELLENT” scannability under the QR Code preview on the right for best performance.
Step 5: Generate the QR Code
Once you’re happy with the QR Code design, click the “Generate QR Code”. After generating the QR Code, you’ll have the option to download it. Save the QR Code to your computer.
Step 6: Test the QR Code
To make sure it is working as expected, scan the QR Code you’ve created on your smartphone. It should direct you to the document you want to distribute.
Step 7: Share the QR Code
Finally, you can begin using the generated QR Code on various assets, such as printed brochures, menus, posters, or on your website. If you’re sharing it online, you can upload the QR Code image directly to your website or social media channels.
There you have it! You’ve successfully created a QR Code for your document using Uniqode. Users who scan the code will now be able to access the important information in your document. Now, you must note that this is not the only QR Code generator; there are several others available on the market. Try and test different QR Code generators to choose the right one for your needs.
Which features should you look for in a document QR Code generator?
We just read that when it comes to creating QR Codes at a professional level, a QR code generator is a must-have tool. Now, with tons of options out there, picking the right one can be confusing.
But don’t worry; I will help you with the key features you must look for when selecting a QR Code generator specifically for your documents.
- Ability to create dynamic QR Codes
Prioritize generators that offer dynamic QR Codes for documents. This is important to ensure easy content updates without changing the QR Code. This feature also prevents additional reprinting and redistribution costs.
- Document format supported
Next, ensure that the generator supports a variety of document formats, especially the ones you commonly use, such as PDFs, Word documents, and Excel spreadsheets. This will help you to maintain versatility in sharing different types of documents.
- Password protection
Security is a crucial aspect of documents. Some generators offer password protection for your document’s QR Codes. This is important to ensure that only authorized individuals can access your QR Code content.
- Customization options
Look for generators that allow you to customize the appearance of the QR Code. You should be able to change its color and add branding elements, frames, etc, to create a QR Code that aligns with your brand identity.
- Tracking and analytics
A good document QR Code generator also provides tracking features. This allows you to monitor how frequently the QR Code is scanned, when it’s scanned, and from which location user engagement is the highest. This can help you refine your documents over time.
- Bulk generation
Last but not least, if you wish to create QR Codes for multiple documents, then you must consider a generator that supports batch processing to save time and effort. This way, you will be able to create and distribute multiple QR Codes simultaneously in less time.
Popular QR Code Generators of 2023 to choose from
Here’s a quick roundup of the best QR Code generators available in the market.
Uniqode’s QR Code Generator
Uniqode’s QR Code generator should be your top choice for an easy and user-friendly QR Code creation process. It provides the ability to create dynamic QR Codes and ample customization options, including color, shape, logos, and even password protection for added security of the documents.
Detailed analytics and unique features like QR Code retargeting, the ability to add fillable PDFs, and storing multiple PDFs in one QR Code make it a versatile tool for various document QR Code applications. The platform offers a 14-day free trial, with affordable plans starting at $5/month.
QR Code Generator
The QR Code Generator is another option for turning documents into QR Codes, offering an intuitive dashboard and robust features.
It also allows the generation of dynamic Codes along with extensive customization, including adding logos and changing their size, margin, and other attributes. It offers detailed scan reports to understand how your QR Codes are performing. The generated QR Codes have lifetime validity and unlimited scans, with the option to organize them.
The platform further adds value to your business with its campaign builder, which you can use to add campaign parameters to URLs so you can measure custom campaigns in Google Analytics. Pricing starts at $5/month, with a forever free plan to test the features.
Scanova
Scanova makes it easy for you to create dynamic document QR Codes with a user-friendly platform. Customization options for colors, logos, and brand names are available to align the QR Code with the brand identity.
Each QR Code can link to up to 20 PDFs, enabling comprehensive document sharing. Detailed analytics provide insights into QR Code usage, and businesses can opt for a white-label solution as well.
Pricing starts at $9/month. They also have an ultra-lite plan for a single Dynamic QR Code with lifetime validity.
Go ahead and effortlessly share your documents
By now, you should have a clear understanding of how to generate QR Codes for documents, be they a PDF or a Google document. I have made sure that the steps are detailed and easy for you to execute.
Don’t forget to look for the essential features while choosing a QR Code generator for your use case. Take the shortlisted QR Codes for a spin to pick the best one. Finally, create a well-thought-out strategy based on the offerings of your QR Code generator.
