Mail Merge Labels in OpenOffice 2.0
This post is similar to the big post here
on how to do version 1.1 labels, etc. It works pretty much the same
way. However, this is a nice little standalone HTML post on how to do
labels in 2.0 so you might prefer this.
First, create a database. You can do this by choosing File > New > Database. I've written an article on how to do this if you just want to connect to a spreadsheet, text file, or address book as your data source. I recommend spreadsheets.
Once you've got the database set up in OpenOffice.org, you're ready to go.
1. Choose File > New > Labels. (To
do Envelopes, open an OpenOffice.org Writer document, and choose
Insert > Envelope.)
2. In the Labels tab of the Labels window,
select the data source you created and want to use from the Database
dropdown list. (Click the picture to see a larger image.)
3. Select a table, Sheet1 if you're working with a spreadsheet, from the Table
list.
4. Select the first field you want to use
from the Database Field list. 
5. Click the arrow next to it to
insert it in the text field. Type a space after the field and you can add the next field, such as LastName.
6. Use the Database Field list to insert
any other fields you need. If you want fields on the second line,
click after the last character of the last field you inserted, in the
big text box, and just press Enter. If you need to change the
arrangement later in the created label document, you can.
7. In the Brand dropdown list, select
Avery Letter Size.
8. In the Type dropdown list, scroll
through the billions of labels. Select the type of label you're
using, 8160 Inkjet Address. The label type is on the label sheet or
box of labels.
9. Click the Options tab.
10. Select the Synchronize Contents option.
11.Click the Setup button next to the
printer display.
12. Select the printer you want to print
to.
13. In the printer options (this will vary
according to your operating system) specify the appropriate paper
feed or tray. For now, select Manual Feed.
14. Click the New Document button at the
bottom of the window. The labels will appear.
If you need to make changes, like
adding spaces, rearranging fields, or changing formatting, do so in
the upper left label, then click Synchronize to apply those changes
to all labels.
Choose File > Print.
A message will ask if you want to print
a form letter. Click Yes.
15. If you want to print labels for only
certain records, you can select them in the scrolling list of
records. Select one, press Ctrl, select the next, and so on. Or you
can select a range of records like 1-20.
16. If you want to just print all the
labels, choose All.
17. When you're ready, just click OK.
If you have any problems printing, check your printer setup using your operating system setup tools.
Note: You can save the label document and just go back to it again when you need to use it again.
Note: Feel free to use the formatting features. Make the text an interesting font, or make it the size you need. You can also right-click on the border of the upper right label, choose Frame, go to the Border tab, and give it a background color.
Just wanted to say that I love your work, I hope to attend one of your classes someday. Thank you very much. Keep up the great work!!
Posted by: Williamts99 | February 14, 2006 at 09:40 PM
Hi,
Thanks for your kind comment! I do enjoy showing how useful and slick the program can be. If you're in one of my classes someday, please let me know you're the one who posted. ;>
~ Solveig
Posted by: Solveig | February 15, 2006 at 06:23 AM
Is there a way to tell OpenOffice to save the document in such a way as that it essentially "exports" it to another OpenOffice document that isn't attached to the data source, so that you can hand-edit the labels? The only way I found to do it was to save it as a Word document and then re-save _that_ as a standard OOo text document. Is there a more direct way?
Thanks,
# Chris
Posted by: cdonnellytx | February 18, 2006 at 12:24 PM
I'm using OOo v.1.0. Is there a way to toggle back and forth between the view and a view of the document with fields filled in a'la M$Words Merge Toolbar
>
ABC
Posted by: pat | March 07, 2006 at 08:07 AM
Hi Pat,
"I'm using OOo v.1.0. Is there a way to toggle back and forth between the view and a view of the document with fields filled in a'la M$Words Merge Toolbar"
Sorry for the delay in responding. No, I'm sorry I don't know of one. I've looked for that feature too. I would defiinitely download 2.0.2, though, just on general principle--it rocks!
Solveig
Posted by: Solveig | March 10, 2006 at 10:21 AM
Hi Solveig,
thanks for your article - one question though: do you know how to add label templates to the standard list so that they become selectable. We here in Europe use other formats than the standard ones in OO. Worldlabel has done a good job in creating templates but it is not entirely clear to me how to add label formats to the drop down list in OO.
thanks in advance
Posted by: Marcel Kopmels | March 13, 2006 at 09:12 AM
I thought your notes on labels in OO2 were really helpful - I'd been struggling with it for a day or so! Just one question - do you know how to suppress blank lines in the addresses?
Posted by: Sue Trousdale | July 13, 2006 at 07:32 AM
Hi:
Can labels be made right out of a csv table. Right now i have to open the csv file and transform it into an open office spreadsheet (ods) then open a database and transform it into a database, then open writer and do the label thing. I find this too complicated: i can do it, but the people i work for cant.
In MS word i can at least make the labels out of a spreadsheet which reduces the number of steps.
Posted by: Hugo Delgado | September 08, 2006 at 09:43 AM
Okay, this doesn't work so well for me. It seems that openoffice only creates labels for # / 3! So for every three rows of data, only one shows up in the document.
I guess I'm upgrading to 2.0.2 to see if it's fixed. :/
Posted by: Kris | September 30, 2006 at 01:39 PM
Hello,
You quote:
In the Type dropdown list, scroll through the billions of labels. Select the type of label you're using, 8160 Inkjet Address. The label type is on the label sheet or box of labels.
On my machine this dropdown list is empty, how do I populate it?
Regards,
Charles
Posted by: Charles Dupin | October 24, 2006 at 05:10 AM
Thanks for your tutorial it was very helpful. When I try to print out a list of about 20 addresses only the last 5 addresses in the list are displayed. Should all the labels show or will it only show the last labels in the database. I have set up the labels as in the tutorial above.
I hope that you are able to advise
Regards
Rob
Posted by: Rob Lockyer | January 01, 2007 at 01:52 PM
Hello,
I'd love to be able to make labels with this feature. I have several existing spreadsheets with data, and have successfully set up a database using that existing spreadsheet data. However, these data sources do not show up in the dropdown list of data sources on the Labels form. So, this feature is useless to me.
Posted by: REP | September 13, 2007 at 04:50 PM
I do most of the computer work for our eaa chapter and intend to use your article to set up a membership roster from which I can print mailing lables. Some members do not have a computer and we snail mail their news letters each month.
Is there a flag I can set in one of the columns of calc to indicate that the member does not have email so the application would only print labels for those without email address. Also, If anyone is aware of a tutorial for exporting email address to evolution for the remaining members I would appreciate a response.
Thanks
Posted by: Scott Heppler | November 18, 2007 at 11:11 AM
Thank you for the wald through. I was banging my head against a wall on this one!
Posted by: amusinglisa | April 07, 2008 at 06:49 PM