Level 4 and Higher

Label properties hold the information necessary to print labels and envelopes.  For example, one label property controls what labeling program will be used to print labels.  Another property tells the labeling program which document or template to use.  To reach the Label Properties dialog box, click on the "View/Modify" or "Create New Format" button found on the Print Labels dialog box.

Save Time by Using the Samples

You may not have to build a new set of label properties from scratch.  If you have Microsoft Word, you can utilize the sample label documents that come with the program.  You'll want to alter the label documents in Microsoft Word to your liking, but you won't have to worry about changing any of the information on the Label Properties dialog box.  You may wish to change the name of the label format from "Sample" to a more descriptive name, but, otherwise, you won't need to make any other changes.  In the event, you wish to create additional label formats, the information below will be helpful.

Getting Prepared

Before filling in the information on the Label Properties dialog box, you should create and print the label in your mailing label program.  Word processing programs like Microsoft Word are recommended since you can automate the process with a macro.  If you are using Microsoft Word, use the Mail Merge Wizard to create the label.  (Depending on the version, the Mail Merge Wizard is commonly found at:  TOOLS >> LETTERS & MAILINGS >> MAIL MERGE WIZARD.)  Format it to the desired size with the desired fonts and graphics.

Microsoft Word will ask you for the merged data source.  AnyOrder comes with built-in export profiles which will create the following two files S_Label.txt or B_Label.txt.  Use S_Label.txt as the merged data source for shipping address labels.  Use B_Label.txt as the merged data source for billing address labels.  Both S_Label.txt and B_Label.txt are found in C:\AnyOrder\Labels.

Note for envelopes, AnyOrder creates S_Envelope.txt and B_Envelope.txt.  Use S_Envelope.txt as the merged data source for envelopes with the shipping address.  Use B_Envelope.txt as the merged data source for envelopes with the billing address.

(Note: newer versions of Microsoft Word will trigger the following message:  "Opening this document will run the following SQL command …"  Just click on "Yes."  You can remove this message by following these directions: MS Word Hints.)

Once you've tested the label in your word processing program and everything works, you'll be ready to enter the information in the Label Properties dialog box.  More information follows:

Name of Label Format

Use this field to indicate a name for the label or envelope format.  Choose a name which best describes the type of label to be printed.

Your Mailing Label Program

In this blank, you need to indicate the path and the executable file name of your mailing label program  To do this, click on the "Browse & More Info" button.  An informational dialog box appears.

One way to indicate the path is to click on the "Browse" button and look for the file "WORD.EXE" which will be found in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\.  

With newer Word programs, however, Microsoft has set up a virtual directory and you won't be able to find it by using Browse.  So, for newer programs (or this works for older programs as well), use the following method:    

1. Right click on the Word icon on your desktop, and select "Properties."    

2. Look for the "Target" field.  Make sure the entire field is highlighted.  Then press CTRL+C on your keyboard to copy it to the clipboard.    

3. Finally, paste the path into the directory path field by placing your cursor in blank and pressing CTRL+V on your keyboard. It is recommended that you use Microsoft Word if it's installed on your computer.  It is possible, however, to use other word processors.  The word processor that you use must have mail merge capability and must be able to create labels and envelopes.

It is recommended that you use Microsoft Word if it's installed on your computer.  It is possible, however, to use other word processors.  The word processor that you use must have mail merge capability and must be able to create labels and envelopes.

It is also possible to use programs which are designed specifically for creating labels.  An example is Labels Unlimited, but there are others.  Such programs may or may not automatically load the label document (or label template) upon start-up.  You'll have to check with the program's help system.  If you find that the program does not auto load the label document, you'll want to leave the document name on the dialog box empty.  In that case, once the program starts, you'll need to select the label format manually.

For Labels with the SHIPPING Address

All the blanks in the area bounded by the "Shipping Address" box apply to labels (or envelopes) on which you want the shipping address printed.  Three of the five fields in the "Shipping Address" box are required.  They include Label Document, Data Source and Name of Export Profile.  The final two fields are optional.  More information follows:

Name of the Label Document (Mail Merge document set-up in the desired label format, i.e. Label.doc). This is the name of the label document that you create in your word processing program (or labeling program).  The two Microsoft Word samples that come with the program show how this done, but the basic idea is to create a mail merge document.  In Microsoft Word, you can use the Mail Merge Wizard to create the label.  (The Mail Merge Wizard is commonly found at:  TOOLS >> LETTERS & MAILINGS >> MAIL MERGE WIZARD.)

The Mail Merge Wizard will require a data source.  (AnyOrder will create this for you, see below).  Once you indicate the data source, you'll be able to select the type of label paper you'll be using, place the merged fields (from the data source) in the document, and format it to your specifications.  More information on creating mail merge documents is found in Word's help documentation.

When you've finished designing the label in the Microsoft Word, save it as a document.  It's usually best to save it in the C:\AnyOrder\Labels directory so that all the information for your labels is located in the same place.  To enter the path and document name, use the "Browse" button and select from the list.

Data Source:  Path & Name of Exported Data File to be Used by Label Program (S_Label.txt).  In most cases, you don't have to worry about this field.  AnyOrder will have already entered the path and name of file: S_Label.Txt.   S_Label.txt is a comma delimited file which includes the customer's address, PO number and shipping method.  (You don't have to use the PO number and shipping method, but they are included in event you want to include them on the shipping label.)

To create this file, AnyOrder uses the Advanced Export portion of the program (FILE >> ADVANCED EXPORT).  Specifically, it uses a profile named "Label: Shipping Address." This profile has all the information it needs to create S_Label.txt.

If desired, you can design your own profile in Advanced Export and create a data source file with a different name.  If you have done this, you would enter the name of the file here.  (The name of the profile would be entered in the "Name of Export Profile" field described next.)

Note that the Envelope Properties dialog box uses S_Envelope.txt for the name of the data source file.

Name of Export Profile. This is another field you normally don't have to worry about.  AnyOrder will pre-fill it with the name of the profile associated with S_Label.Txt. The profile that creates S_Label.txt is named "Label: Shipping Address."

Note that on the Envelope Properties dialog box, the profile is named "Envelope: Shipping Address.  It creates S_Envelope.txt.

Export Profiles are created in the Advanced Export portion of the program (FILE >> ADVANCED EXPORT).  The profile "Label: Shipping Address" is built into the program.  Note that the Advanced Export dialog box never appears when creating labels or envelopes.  The process occurs very quickly and in the background.

To see what the "Label: Shipping Address" profile looks like, you can go to Advanced Export and view how it is constructed.  While it is not necessary, you can create your own profiles and use them to create labels.  You'll want to design and test the profile in Advanced Export first.  Once it's been tested and is working well, enter its name in the Label Properties dialog box.

OPTIONAL: Command Line Switch and Name of Macro ('/mPrintLabel'). Macros (found in word processors) help you automate the process of printing a shipping label or envelope.  If you've created a macro, you have only one simple step:  click on the "Current Invoice" button.  Your word processing program will print the label and close.  No additional input on your part is required, and you can go on to other tasks.

It's actually quite easy to create a macro.  To do so, make sure that everything is working right and you can print labels without the macro.  Here's how to create a macro using Microsoft Word as an example:

1. Start MS Word and load in the label document.

2. Make sure that the customer's name and address are showing.  If not, click on the "View Merged Data" button and save the document.

2. Select TOOLS>>MACRO>>RECORD NEW MACRO.  You'll need to give the macro a name.  Let's call it "Label1."

3. Select FILE>>PRINT.  Make any adjustments in the printer and the printer's set-up that are necessary.

4. Click on OK to print the label.

5. Select FILE >>EXIT.  Microsoft Word will ask if you want to save the Macro.  Select YES.

You can test your macro by starting Microsoft Word and loading in your label document.  Then select TOOL>>MACRO>>MACROS.  Select "Label1" from the list and click on "RUN."  The macro should automatically print the label and exit the program.

Once the macro is working, you are ready to enter its name in the Label Properties dialog box.  The name will require a prefix known as the command line switch.  In the case of Microsoft Word, it requires a "/m" prefix.  For the example, above, you would enter "/mLabel1." (When AnyOrder starts Word it does so by using something called command line arguments or switches.  The "/m" prefix tells Microsoft Word to automatically run the "Label1" macro.)

(Also see information on macros found here: MS Word Hints.)

Don't Use Macro When Printing More Than One Label. If you followed the directions for creating a macro (above), the macro will print the label and shut down your word processing program.  This saves you time.  You don't have to click any additional menu items.  The label is created and the word processor closes.  On most computers, the process happens so quickly that you barely see the word processor open and close.

When printing more than one label, however, you may not want the program to shut down.  You may wish to check over the labels first, or re-organize addresses on the label paper, or print only one page of a multi-page label job.  By checking this box, the macro will not run when you click on "Select Two or More from List."  The word processor will open and stay open allowing you to make whatever adjustments are necessary before printing the labels.

For Labels with the BILLING Address.

All the blanks in the area bounded by the "Billing Address" box apply to labels on which you want the billing address printed.  The information for each of these fields is exactly the same as described above for the "Shipping Address" box.  The only difference between the two is the following:

Instead of "S_Labels.doc," the label document is named "B_Labels.doc"

Instead of "S_Labels.doc," the data source file is named:  "B_Label.txt"

Instead of "Label: Shipping Address," the profile is named:  "Label: Billing Address"

Envelopes

The Envelope Format Properties dialog box looks exactly the same as for shipping labels.  It might be noted that in most cases when printing envelopes, you will be using the billing address.  Thus, AnyOrder will use the properties found in the "Billing Address" box.  If need be, however, you can switch to the shipping address by placing a checkmark in the first dialog box, the one which proceeds envelope properties (see: Print Envelope).

Note that there are slight differences in file names as shown below:

Envelope Document Name (Shipping Address):  "S_Envelope.doc"

Envelope Data Source (Shipping Address): "S_Envelope.txt"

Envelope Document Name (Billing Address): "B_Envelope.doc"

Envelope Data Source (Billing Address): "B_Envelope.txt"

Other than the file name differences (above), you'll find that everything else on the envelope dialog box is identical to shipping label properties.  For more details on any aspect of envelope properties, refer to the information above.

Back-up Instructions for Single User Systems. When AnyOrder backs-up your data files, it does not back-up word processor documents.  Note that if you have a single-user system, it will back-up label properties.  (Networked systems are different, see below.)  Label properties are contained in the label database named Labeling.dbf, and AnyOrder will back-up this file along with all other data files.  But since it doesn't back up word processor documents, you'll need to do this manually.  Thus, if you make changes to the samples or create your own label or envelope documents, be sure copy the documents (*.doc) from the \Labels subdirectory to AnyOrder's back-up disk.

If, heaven forbid, you ever have a hard drive failure, you can get AnyOrder up and running again fairly quickly.  Start by re-installing AnyOrder.  Then restore the data files from your back-up disk.  Finally, end it up with manually copying the label documents from the back-up disk to C:\AnyOrder\Labels.  You'll be all set to go.

Taking time to manually make a back-up of label documents is extremely important.  If faced with a hard drive problem, you'll have plenty of other worries on your mind than to be bothered with re-creating each of your labeling documents.

Special Back-up Instructions for Network Systems. On a networked system, label properties are specific to each computer on the network.  Thus, each computer has its own Labeling.dbf (the data file that holds label properties).  And each computer has its own set of label documents (found in the \Labels subdirectory).  When AnyOrder does a normal back-up (FILE >> BACK-UP FILES), it back-ups all data files on the "server" or main computer.  It does not, however, back-up files on each computer on the network.

If you make changes to the samples or create your own label or envelope documents on any of the computers on the network (other than the server computer), you'll want to create a back-up disk specifically for that computer.  The easiest way of doing this is to use Local Back-up & Restore.  Or you can do it manually by copying each of your label documents (found in the \Labels subdirectory) to this special back-up disk.  Also, copy the file Labeling.dbf to the disk.  On the disk, write down "AnyOrder Label Files Back-up" and the name of the computer.  (Remember you are copying files to a disk separate from the main AnyOrder back-up disk.)

Should you ever have a hard drive failure on one of these computers, you can easily recover your label files.  First, install a new copy of AnyOrder to the computer.  Next copy Labeling.dbf from the special "Label Files" back-up disk to AnyOrder's main directory:  C:\AnyOrder.  Finally, copy all the label documents from the special back-up disk to C:\AnyOrder\Labels.