Label Planet
How to make your own label templates.
If you can’t find a suitable built in or standalone template for your labels, you can always make your own.
As a general rule, if your software contains design tools or template tools you should be able to create your own template; you can either go freeform and use the design tools available to recreate the layout of your labels OR you can use a built in template tool to set up a new template document that matches the layout of your labels.
FREEFORM DIY TEMPLATES
To create a freeform template, you simply need to make use of any design tools in your software to recreate the layout of your labels; for example, in Word, you can use Table Tools to recreate the shape and layout of your labels, while in a graphics package (e.g. InDesign, Photoshop etc) you can set up a single label design and then replicate it to create the layout of your labels.
Watch a video: view our How To video for a step by step guide to making a label template in Word.
The problem with creating a freeform template is that you may find that your software is limited in how accurate it can be when positioning the elements you are using to accurately create the layout of your labels. You need to make sure that every single element representing one of your labels is correctly positioned, which can be a difficult and time consuming task.
BUILT IN DIY TEMPLATES
Some software has built in tools to allow you to create a new document that meets a specific set of requirements, which you can use to create your own label template.
For example, in Word you can use the “Create Labels” tool to create a new document that contains a template for your labels – simply by filling in the measurements of the labels you need to print.
When creating a template for a sheet of labels, you need to know the following:
- Number of labels across – the number of labels in each row.
- Number of labels down – the number of labels in each column.
- Label width – the width of each label.
- Label height – the height of each label.
- Horizontal pitch – the measurement from the left hand edge of the top left label to the left hand edge of the label next to it (i.e. the width of the label plus the width of the gap between the columns). If there is no gap, the horizontal pitch is the width of each label.
- Vertical pitch – the measurement from the top edge of the top left label to the top edge of the label below it (i.e. the height of the label plus the height of the gap between the rows). If there is no gap, the vertical pitch is the height of each label.
- Top margin – the gap from the top edge of the sheet to the top edge of the top row of labels.
- Side margin – the gap from the left edge of the sheet to the left edge of the first column of labels (you may also need to provide the right margin, which is the gap from the right edge of the sheet to the right edge of the last column of labels).
If you need to print labels you have bought from Label Planet and you want (or need) to make your own template you can measure your labels yourself or you can visit the template information page for your labels – each template information page contains detailed measurements for you to use as a guide when creating your own template.
To find the template information page for your Label Planet labels:
- Visit our Template Section and select the label shape and size you need to print
- OR visit the product page for your labels and click on the “Label Templates & Printing Information” link below the product image.
To create your own template in Word (for example) you then need to follow these steps:
- Open Word, create a new blank document, and click on the MAILINGS tab
- Click on create LABELS
- Click on the OPTIONS… button
- Click on the NEW LABEL… button
- Fill in the Label Details as required (make sure that the page size is set to A4)
- Click on OK, click on OK again, and then click on NEW DOCUMENT to create a new document that contains your label template.
Watch a video: this advice is also available in video format.
View our step by step How To video to learn how to make label templates using Word's Create Labels tool.
Remember, if you can’t see the layout of your template you probably have Table Gridlines turned off; visit our Troubleshooting Guide to find out how to turn them on.