Eight easy steps to making a label template
Label-making can be intimidating. Luckily, Desktop Labels™ offers a template for many of its labels, making it easier for you to design each of your labels as you want in Microsoft Word. Most of these templates will open in a word document for you, laid out and ready to go. But you can make your own custom labels, too. In this easy eight-step guide, we show you how to make your own templates either using your own or Desktop Labels'™ measurements.
PC Instructions
- After choosing your label on www.desktoplabels.com, click the "download template" link underneath the label description. In many cases, Microsoft Word will open with the label template already made. In this case, skip to step 8. If a .pdf guide opens with your template, you will need to use a different program to create your labels.
- After downloading the guide, open a MS Word document and select the "Tools" toolbar. In the 2007 version of MS Word, this heading is called "Mailings." Scroll down to the "Letters and Mailings" option or "Labels" option in the 2007 MS Word, and choose "Envelopes and Labels" from the new menu. This link is just "labels" in the newer version.
- A new menu called "Envelopes and Labels" will appear. Choose the "Labels" tab and select the "options" button on the right.
- A menu called "Label Options" will appear. Select the "New Label..." button on the bottom.
- A new menu will appear where you can enter all your measurements. Enter the top margin, side margin, label height, label width, vertical spacing, etc. measurements set out in the Desktop Labels™ guide into the corresponding sections on the menu. When all measurements have been entered and you have given your label a name, hit the OK button at the bottom right of the menu.
- Select the name of your new label from the "Label Options" menu that appears, and select the "Okay" button.
- The original "Envelopes and Labels" menu will remain. Select the "New Document" button on the right.
- A new document will open with a template laid out to fit your labels. Now you're free to design each label how you want!
MAC Instructions:
- After choosing your label on www.desktoplabels.com, click the "download template" link underneath the label description. In many cases, Microsoft Word will open with the label template already made. In this case, you can skip to step eight. If a .pdf guide opens when you download your template, you will need to use a different program to make your labels.
- After downloading the guide, open a MS Word document and select the "Tools" toolbar. Scroll down to the "Labels…" option.
- A new menu called "Labels" will appear. Then select the "options" button on the right.
- A menu called "Label Options" will appear. Select the "New Label…" button on the bottom.
- The "Label Options" menu will appear where you can enter all your measurements. Enter the top margin, side margin, label height, label width, vertical spacing, etc. measurements set out in the Desktop Labels™ guide into the corresponding sections on the menu. When all measurements have been entered and you have given your label a name, hit the OK button at the bottom right of the menu.
- Select the name of your new label from the "Label Options" menu that appears, and select the "Okay" button.
- The original "Labels" menu will remain. Select the "OK" button on the right.
- A new document will open with a template laid out to fit your labels. Now you're free to design each label how you want!
Some quick label-making tips
Making a label in MS Word is exactly like typing in MS Word. The toolbar at the top of the page allows you to choose the font, size, color, and background of each label. You can even import any images you choose into your labels.
If you want to make all your labels identical, you can copy and paste your design into each label, just like you can with your writing in MS Word. To fill every label with the same text, there is an auto-fill option in step number three. Just type in your message in the large box that says "Address." To create the "Trademark" symbol type "(TM)" without a space behind the word and MS Word will automatically format the trademark symbol for you. Like this: ™ You can even spell-check what you've written in your labels!
However, if you decide against a design you've put on several labels, it is best to delete the design from each label one at a time. Trying to delete across labels does not work, and often changes the template layout, causing the labels to print incorrectly.
When you're finished, just put your label paper into your printer and hit print. You may want to check the direction your printer feeds to ensure you print on the front side of your label sheets. And voila! Your personally designed labels are ready to go.