How to Print Labels from Excel in Word

by

To print a different label for each row of an Excel list, use Mail Merge in desktop Word. Prepare the spreadsheet, choose the exact label product in Word, connect the Excel file, place merge fields in the first label, and choose Update Labels. Preview the records and test on plain paper before printing on label stock. This is a different task from printing a sheet of identical labels.

Contents hide
1 Prepare the Excel address list
2 Create the label sheet in Word
3 Use Address Block instead of separate fields
4 Fix blank fields or repeated labels
5 Before you print the full batch
6 Sources

Prepare the Excel address list

Put one recipient or item on each row and give every column a clear heading, such as FirstName, LastName, Street, City, and PostalCode. Remove blank rows within the list and check spelling, punctuation, and missing values. Keep postal codes that start with zero formatted so the zero is preserved. Save and close the workbook before connecting it to Word. If there are multiple sheets, note which sheet holds the list; Word asks you to choose the relevant table or sheet.

Create the label sheet in Word

  1. Open a blank document in desktop Word and choose Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels.
  2. In Label Options, choose the vendor and product number printed on your label package. If the product is missing, use New Label and enter its measurements. Confirm to create the label grid.
  3. Choose Mailings > Select Recipients > Use an Existing List. Browse to the saved Excel workbook and select the correct sheet or table.
  4. Click inside the first label. Choose Insert Merge Field and add the fields in the order you want them printed. Add spaces and line breaks between fields, such as a name line, street line, and city/state/postal-code line.
  5. Format the first label’s text, then choose Update Labels to copy its layout and field arrangement across the sheet.
  6. Choose Preview Results and move through several records. Check the first, middle, and last labels, especially long names or addresses.
  7. When the preview is right, choose Finish & Merge > Print Documents. Print a test on plain paper first and compare it against a label sheet.

If you want to adjust specific labels before printing, choose Finish & Merge > Edit Individual Documents to create a separate merged document. Save the mail-merge setup file if you expect to use the same list and product again. Our mail merge overview explains the broader process.

Use Address Block instead of separate fields

For standard mailing labels, Word can build the whole address for you.

  1. Click inside the first label.
  2. Choose Mailings > Address Block.
  3. Pick a name format and check the preview on the right.
  4. If a line is missing, select Match Fields and pair each Word address element with the matching Excel column heading.
  5. Select OK, then choose Update Labels.

To print labels for only some rows, choose Mailings > Edit Recipient List and clear the check boxes, or use Sort and Filter to narrow the list. Word for Mac offers the same Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels workflow, though some dialog boxes look different.

Advertisements

Fix blank fields or repeated labels

  • A field is blank: Check that its Excel heading is present and that the selected sheet contains data in that column. Reconnect the list if you changed the workbook after selecting recipients.
  • Every label shows the same person: Use Update Labels in a label mail merge, then preview again. The later labels need the next-record behavior Word adds to the layout.
  • Postal codes lose leading zeros: Correct the Excel data format before reconnecting, then inspect the preview. Do not assume the Word label can restore information Excel has already changed.
  • Text is clipped: Shorten the layout or reduce paragraph spacing and font size modestly. A label has limited printable space.
  • Printing is misaligned: Recheck the vendor and product number, printer paper size, scaling, and feed direction. Compare a plain-paper test to the real stock before using the labels.

Word for the web does not provide the full direct label-creation workflow described here. Open the file in desktop Word for the mail merge. If you need one sheet of manually entered labels instead of an Excel-driven list, see making labels directly in Word.

Before you print the full batch

Confirm that the number of previewed records matches the recipients you intend to print. Use the recipient list controls to exclude any rows that should not receive a label. Check whether the printer is set to the correct paper size and whether the label stock is intended for an inkjet or laser printer. Hold a plain-paper test behind one label sheet against a light to check alignment. If the text drifts down the page, review the product dimensions and printer scaling before trying another sheet.

Sources

Advertisements