OPS Image Matching Guide: QR Code Sequential & Opticon Match

OPS offers two image matching workflows: QR Code Sequential and Opticon Match. Both options help match each subject’s data to their images quickly and accurately. 

Which image matching option should I use?

QR Code Sequential can be used with or without project data before the shoot. QR codes are generated in OPS and can be displayed on a mobile device or printed on paper/labels.

Opticon Match uses barcode scanning and requires project data to be uploaded before the shoot. Each camera setup requires an assigned Opticon scanner.

Set up a QR Code Sequential project

1. Log in to your OPS administration page.
2. Go to Projects.
3. Click Add a Project.
4. Complete the project setup form.
5. In the Image Matching section, choose the QR Code Sequential workflow option.
6. Choose the correct Group Matching option, if needed.
7. Click Save.

Contact your Studio Consultant or Customer Service if you are unsure which project setup option to choose.

Import data into a QR Code project

1. Open the project.
2. Click the Subjects tab.
3. Click the Subject Actions dropdown.
4. Select Add / Merge Subject Data Only.
5. Click Choose File and select your .CSV data file.
6. Click Upload File.
7. Confirm the field mapping.
8. Click Import Data.

Your project data can only be imported once. If you need to add or correct data later, follow the appending data workflow.

If your data does not include passwords, select Generate Passwords in the Password field mapping. OPS will create a password for each subject gallery.

Auto match groups or teams with QR codes

If group or team names are available before the shoot, you can preload them into the project.

Create a group/team data file using this format:

• First Name: Group
• Last Name: Group or team name
• Teamname: Group or team name
• Password: Leave blank and allow OPS to generate it

Use QR codes on a mobile device

1. Go to the project’s Subjects page.
2. Scan the QR code at the bottom-left of the page to open the QR Code App.
3. If your device does not scan the QR code, click the shortcut link instead.
4. Use the gear icon to adjust the QR size.
5. If using group matching, select the group field name from the gear menu.

For best results, the QR code should fill at least 50% of the camera frame. Keep the full white border visible, with a small amount of gray background around it.

Tap the individual QR code to move to the next subject. Tap the group QR code to select the group photo.

Add a new subject on site

There are two ways to add or register a subject during the shoot:

• Add the subject directly from your phone or mobile device.
• Print and post a QR Code Registration Sign so parents can register their child.

After the online form is completed, click Add Subject. OPS will add the subject information, generate a password, and refresh the shoot list.

Create QR Code registration signs

1. Open the project.
2. Go to Options.
3. Click the Links tab.
4. Find the project QR code near the bottom-left of the page.
5. Use the Print link to print or save the registration sign as a PDF.

The registration sign text is editable, so you can customize it for your event before printing.

Print paper QR codes

1. Go to the project’s Subjects tab.
2. Click the Subject Actions dropdown.
3. Select QR Codes / Barcodes.
4. Use the Format dropdown to choose the print layout.
5. Use Sort and Filter options as needed.
6. Print the QR codes or download a CSV for custom Avery layouts.

Paper QR code images must fill at least 50% of the camera frame.

Post-photo QR Code workflow

1. Review, cull, color adjust, and retouch your camera files.
2. Confirm there is a QR code image before the first photo of each subject.
3. If a QR image is missing, reshoot the same QR code and rename it so it appears before the subject’s first image.
4. Include QR code images when uploading to OPS.

OPS will automatically filter out the QR code images before the gallery goes live.

Upload QR Code project images to OPS

1. Open the project’s Subjects page.
2. Click Subject Actions.
3. Select Add / Merge Image Files Only.
4. Click Select Image Files to Upload.
5. Select the final image files from your QR final images folder.
6. Click Open.
7. Wait for the upload to complete.

Once uploaded, OPS displays the images assigned to each subject. Group images are listed separately and automatically matched to individual galleries.

Set up an Opticon Image Match project

Opticon Match is a barcode scanning workflow that requires project data to be uploaded before the shoot.

1. Log in to OPS.
2. Go to Projects.
3. Click Add a Project.
4. Complete the project setup form.
5. Select the Opticon image matching option.
6. Click Save.

Opticon OPN-2004 scanners are sold separately. Contact ACI Customer Service or your Account Consultant for details.

Import school data for Opticon matching

School data should be provided as a .CSV file and usually includes:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Grade
• Student ID
• Teacher or Homeroom
• Email address, if available

1. Open the project.
2. Click the Subjects tab.
3. Click Subject Actions.
4. Select Add / Merge Subject Data Only.
5. Choose the .CSV file.
6. Click Upload File.
7. Map the fields.
8. Click Import Data.

Passwords can be generated by OPS, or you may map Student ID as the password.

Print Opticon barcodes

1. Go to the project’s Subjects tab.
2. Click Subject Actions.
3. Select QR Codes / Barcodes.
4. Use the Format dropdown to select your barcode layout.
5. Use Sort and Filter options as needed.
6. Print directly from OPS or download a CSV for Avery custom layouts.

Shoot with Opticon Match

1. Clear the scanner using the Opticon Format Barcode.
2. Scan the Sync Scan barcode.
3. Take the Sync Image within 2 seconds of scanning.
4. Scan the first subject barcode.
5. Photograph that subject’s images.
6. Scan the next subject barcode to end the previous subject’s image assignment.
7. Continue scanning and photographing each subject.

The Sync Image must be photographed within 2 seconds of scanning the Sync Scan barcode. If not, clear the scanner, delete the first Sync Image, and repeat the sync process.

Post-photography Opticon workflow

1. Connect the scanner to your computer.
2. Open the scanner drive.
3. Locate the SCANNED.TXT file.
4. Place SCANNED.TXT in the same folder as the images to be imported.
5. Include the Sync Scan image in this folder.

Do not adjust the scan order. The Sync Scan and Sync Image must be present and must be first for OPS to match images correctly.

Upload Opticon data and images

1. Open the project in OPS.
2. Go to Subjects.
3. Click Subject Actions.
4. Select Add Opticon Scan and Images.
5. Choose the SCANNED.TXT file.
6. Choose the Sync Scan JPG.
7. Click Upload Opticon Data.
8. At the bottom of the screen, click Select Image files to upload.
9. Select only the subject images.
10. Click Start Upload.

Do not select the Sync Scan image when uploading subject images.

Auto match groups, classes, or teams with Opticon

If your project includes group photos, use the group field already included in the school data, such as Teacher, Homeroom, Grade, or Team.

1. Identify the field used for group matching.
2. Rename each group image to match the group value, including the .jpg extension.
3. Append your project data with the group image file names.
4. Upload the appended .CSV file.
5. Upload the group image files.

When appending data, always include the original OPS ticket code or student password. Missing this information can create duplicate or corrupted data.

Use OPS Auto Crop

OPS Auto Crop uses facial positioning technology to apply consistent crops across school portrait images.

1. After images are posted, go to Subjects.
2. Click Subject Actions.
3. Select Auto Crop Images.
4. Turn Auto Crop on.
5. Select a master image with an average face location.
6. Adjust the crop box.
7. Enable Crop 2 and Crop 3, if desired.
8. Click Apply to All.
9. Review the images and correct any face detection errors.

The default crop is used for Admin and Yearbook files. It is recommended that Crop 1 be set as a head-and-shoulders crop.

Auto Crop is intended for vertical school images with similar zoom and head size. It does not crop horizontal, group, or layout creator images.

Image processing options

OPS offers image processing options through the project’s Options page under the Image Processing tab.

• Global Color Correction: Best for volume orders photographed with consistent background and lighting. This is a free service.
• Individual Color Correction: Best for projects with inconsistent lighting or exposure. Each image is reviewed individually.
• Green Screen Extraction: Uses 36Pix knockout technology to remove green backgrounds and convert files to PNG.

Image processing must be selected before uploading project files.

Green Screen workflow reminders

• Turn on Extract Green Screen before uploading files.
• Green screen knockouts normally take 1–2 working days.
• If handling knockouts outside OPS, follow the recommended file workflow carefully to avoid extra work or remakes.

Client registration and PrePay option

OPS projects automatically create registration links and QR codes that can be shared with clients before the shoot.

1. Create the project.
2. Go to Options.
3. Click Links.
4. Use the registration shortcut link or print a registration QR code sign.
5. After registration ends, print QR codes or barcodes from Subject Actions.

To include PrePay, click Add a PrePay Project instead of Add a Project, then access the registration links from the Links screen.