Printing labels and envelopes

To print data on mailing labels, create a Labels layout or a Vertical Labels layout. You can either choose from several predesigned label types or specify custom dimensions for your labels.

To print data on envelopes, create an Envelope layout.

Labels layouts and Envelope layouts use merge fields, which expand or contract to fit the data in the field and use no space if the field is empty.

To verify printer settings for labels or envelopes:

Because FileMaker Pro considers the selected printer and the 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 or an Envelopes layout.

  1. Choose File menu > Print Setup (Windows) or Page Setup (macOS).
  2. Then:
    • Choose the printer you plan to use.
    • Labels: 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 United States, and A4 elsewhere).
    • Envelopes: If you feed the envelopes into the printer short-side first, choose a landscape (horizontal) paper orientation.

To print data on labels or envelopes:

  1. In Layout mode, click New Layout/Report in the status toolbar.

    The New Layout/Report assistant appears. For onscreen help as you work in the assistant, press F1 (Windows) or Command-? (macOS).

  2. For Show records from, choose the table that contains the records you will use for your labels or envelope.
  3. For Layout Name, type a name for the layout.
  4. Choose Printer, then choose Labels, Vertical Labels, or Envelopes. Click Continue.
  5. Labels: In the Specify Label Layout panel, choose either Use label measurements for and choose a standard label type, or choose Use custom measurements and enter values for your labels' dimensions. Click Next.
  6. In the Specify Label Contents panel (labels) or the Specify Envelope Contents panel (envelopes), double-click the fields containing data you will print, in the order you want the fields to appear.
    • If the first line of the labels or envelope includes first name and last name fields, type a space between the two merge fields in the Label contents or Envelope contents box.
    • To place a field on a new line, press Enter or Return.
    • Add punctuation marks (such as a comma) or spaces where you want them to appear in the printed data.
  7. Click Finish.
  8. Envelopes: In Layout mode, you may need to adjust the layout depending on the way you insert envelopes into your printer.

    9. If you manually feed envelopes into a

    Do this

    Center-feed printer

    Adjust the header to match what you will print to the size of the envelope.

    Left edge-feed printer

    Adjust the header to match what you will print to the size of the envelope. (To determine the header size, subtract the envelope height from 8.5 inches.)

    Right edge-feed printer

    Delete the header, and insert a footer. Adjust the footer to match what you will print to the size of the envelope.
  9. Click Exit Layout.
  10. Insert the label sheets or an envelope into your printer, then print.

Notes 

  • You can't enter or edit data using merge fields; switch to Browse mode or use another layout for that purpose.
  • To print one record on many labels, make your layout the same size as your sheet of labels. Set up one label. Duplicate the fields so that they can be placed at the right location to print on all the labels. Then, print the labels.

Related topics