Purchasing ID cards from CVS is optional but recommended for convenience. The CVS service is a product of InstantCard (a professional ID card provider), so we offer high-quality, pre-printed photo ID badges with QR codes for each employee at a low per-card cost. Many clients choose this option because it’s turnkey – you provide your employee data and any card design preferences, and we handle printing and delivery. However, if you already have an ID card system or want to handle cards yourself, you can still use CVS: the system can generate QR codes for each profile, which you could print on your own cards or stickers. There’s no proprietary technology locking you in – any QR code that encodes the correct URL will work with the system. We don’t require you to buy scanners either (as mentioned, any smartphone can do the job). Essentially, the only “equipment” consideration is how you want to deploy the QR codes. Many companies find value in our ready-made, durable cards (given the fast turnaround and not having to manage printing in-house), but it’s up to you. The core service – the software platform – is what you’re subscribing to; how you implement the physical badges has some flexibility to suit your needs.