Level 4 and Higher

Mailing label properties hold the information necessary to print a batch of mailing labels.  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 mailing label properties, you need to begin in the Mailing List portion of the program by selecting MAIN TASKS >> MAILING LIST from the main menu.  Then once in the Mailing List feature, select FILE >> PRINT MAILING LABELS.   This brings up the Print Mailing Labels dialog box.  And finally to activate the "Mailing Label Properties" dialog box, click on the "View/Modify" or "Create New Format" button found on the Print Mailing Labels dialog box

Getting Prepared

Before entering information on the Label Properties dialog box, you should create and test the labels 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 MS 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 the labels to the desired size with the preferred fonts and graphics.

MS Word will ask you for the merged data source.  When AnyOrder creates the mailing list, it places all of the addresses in MailList.txt and MailList.dbf.  Either file is accepted by Microsoft Word.  The default file is MailList.txt and is used by the sample that comes with the program, but you can also use MailList.dbf.  Unless you have specifically changed the default directory, AnyOrder places the files in C:\AnyOrder\Labels.

(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 labels in your word processing program and everything works, you'll be ready to enter information into the Label Properties dialog box.  More information follows:

Name of Label Format

Use this field to indicate a name for the mailing label 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 labeling 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 labeling program starts, you'll need to select the label format manually.

Name of the Label Document (Mail Merge document set-up in the desired label format, i.e. Mailing.doc). This is the name of the label document that you create in your word processing program (or labeling program).  You can use the Microsoft Word sample (Mailing.doc) that comes with the program to see 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 (see below for more information on the data source).  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) on 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 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 (MailList.txt).  In most cases, you don't have to worry about this field.  AnyOrder will have already entered the path and name of file: MailList.Txt.   MailList.txt is a comma delimited file file which includes the addresses that you've selected.  You can't change the file name, but you can change the directory where the file is stored.  It is recommended that you use C:\AnyOrder\Labels, but you can switch to another directory should you so desire.

Use dBase File (MailList.dbf) instead of Comma Delimited File (MailList.txt). AnyOrder creates both MailList.txt and MailList.dbf.  Thus either file may be used by your word processor as the data source for the label document. MailList.txt is a comma delimited file and is accepted by almost all mail merge programs.  In some cases, however, you may find that MailList.dbf (a dBase file) works better, and it is also available for your use.

OPTIONAL: Command Line Switch and Name of Macro ('/mPrintLabel'). Macros help you automate the process of printing mailing labels.  With a macro, all you have to do is to click on "Create List and Continue Process" (on the "Print Mailing Labels" dialog box). Your word processing program will print all of the labels and close.  No additional input on your part is required.  You can go on to other tasks.

While this option is available to you, you do want to think twice about using a macro with a mailing list.  With large mailings, it usually a good idea to inspect the mailing labels before you print them.  If you use a macro, you're unable to do that.  For the great majority of cases, you'll probably not use a macro, but the option is available should you decide to use it.

It's actually quite easy to create a macro.  To do so, make sure that you've run a couple of test prints and everything is working right.  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 addresses 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 "Mail1."

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 "Mail1" 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 or a command line switch.  In the case of Microsoft Word it requires a "/m" prefix.  For the example, above, you would enter "/mMail1." (When AnyOrder starts Microsoft Word, it does so using something called command line arguments or switches.  The "/m" prefix tells Microsoft Word to automatically run the "Mail1" macro.)

Also see: MS Word Hints.

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 mailing label 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.