Batch Printing Labels

Tools needed:

• Word

• Excel

• Label printer

1. Create a list of call numbers to be printed

   1. Export or create a Excel file with only the call numbers to be printed and no other data

   2. Ensure that call numbers are split so that each portion of the call number that sits on a different line is in its own column.

      1. To split call numbers that are in a single column, go to Data → Text to columns. Choose either “delimited” (which splits lines by a character) or “fixed width” (which will split lines by spacing.) For example, the following call numbers have two different types of spacing

         Open

         

      2. To split call number with mixed spacing, do the following:

         1. Highlight the whole column

         2. Data ->Text to columns

         3. Select “Fixed Width”

         4. Click the approximate area(s) where the line should be split. Note that more than one place can be selected and that arrows can be moved around

            Open

            

         5. Click Next

         6. Select the data format (or just leave as General)

         7. Click Finish

   3. Label the columns Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, and Line 4 (add more if needed). End results should look like this

   4. Save the file

2. Open a pre-existing template or create a new label template in Word. To create a template, do the following:

   1. Open a new Word document

   2. Set the font type to Times New Roman

   3. Set the font size to 60

   4. Set the text to Bold

   5. Create the header for the label

      1. Using the Label Template grid type in the first and second header lines to match the location or collection of the items being labeled

         1. For example, material being places in the Art Book Room Case would have a header with the following lines:

            1. Header Line 1: MERRILL

            2. HeaderLine 2: ArtBkRm Case

   6. Add two hard returns

   7. Create the lines for the call number

      1. Type the text <Line 1>, add a hard return

      2. Type the text <Line 2>, add a hard return

      3. Type the text <Line 3>, add a hard return

      4. Type the text <Line 4>

         1. Note, you can add more lines as needed, but may need to adjust the font size overall to accommodate all lines onto to the page

   8. Save the template

3. Mail Merge the call numbers from the Excel file into the Word document

   1. To begin the Mail Merge Process, click on “Mailings” in the top tool bar.

   2. Click on “Select Recipients”.

   3. Click on “Use Existing List”.

   4. Select the Excel file for the call numbers and click “Open”.

   5. While still under the “Mailings” category in Word, highlight the “Line 1” text in the Word document.

   6. Click on the “Insert Merge Field” button in the top ribbon and select Line 1 and click on Insert.

      1. This may get rid of the hard return. Insert a new return if that happens.

   7. Repeat the process until all lines are inserted

   8. Click on “Preview Results” to see what the merge will look like. Use the back and forward arrows to navigate through the list to ensure everything is merging properly.

   9. Click on “Finish & Merge”.

   10. Click “Print Documents”.

   11. In the next dialogue box, “All” should be selected. Click “ok”.

   12. For the printer, select “Adobe PDF” or “Microsoft Print to PDF” and select “Ok”.

   13. Name and save the PDF file.

       1. Did you notice that “Merge to Adobe PDF” button? Yeah you’d think that would be a shortcut but it creates a PDF file for EACH label, which I discovered after testing. Now if you’ll excuse me I have to clean up a bunch of PDF files from my desktop.

   14. Print the document to the label printer