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Considerations when you create a Labels layout

When printing labels, you usually use either individual sheets of labels, or a continuous-feed roll of labels (for dot matrix printers).

Because FileMaker Pro considers the selected printer and print or page setup information when it calculates margins and other measurements on the layout, you must verify these settings before you create a Labels layout.

To verify printer settings for a Labels layout:

1.	Choose File menu > Print Setup (Windows) or Page Setup (Mac OS).

In Preview mode, you can also click Print Setup (Windows) or Page Setup (Mac OS) in the status toolbar.

2.	In the setup dialog box:

•	Choose the printer you plan to use.

•	If you’re using individual sheets of labels with a laser or inkjet printer, select the size of the label sheets (usually US Letter in the U.S. and A4 elsewhere), then click OK.

•

If you’re using continuous-feed labels with a dot matrix printer, create a custom paper size equal to the dimensions of one label. (A custom paper size will minimize the back-and-forth movement of the printer platen and save label paper.) Specific instructions vary depending on your printer type, but generally you should set the paper width to the width of your label stock, and the height to the height of one label. You may have to redefine a rarely used paper size instead of creating a new custom paper size. Refer to your printer manual for more details.

If you define a custom paper size for printing labels on a dot matrix printer, this changes your default print or page setup information. Make sure you reset these options before you print other layouts.

Note  FileMaker Pro uses merge fields when you create a Labels layout. You can't enter or edit data using merge fields; switch to Table View (in Browse mode, click Table View in the layout bar), or use another layout for that purpose.

Related topics 

Creating a layout

Placing merge fields on a layout