Another way to tweak labels, and save the format

In this entry I talked about a fairly straightforward but manual way of giving your labels a little room to breathe.

In this entry, I'll go through how to use the Format tab to tweak a particular layout, then save it for re-use.

When you create labels, you of course choose File > New > Labels. You select your type and layout here, then add your content, and then click New Document.

You get something that looks like this.

Now, what if you then print and everything is too high, too low, too much to the left, etc.?

Well, you just adjust it, then save that adjustment as a specific format you can select next time.

When you're in the Labels window, click the Format tab.

Here's what all the measurements mean. I suggest starting by changing the left and top margin, then get into changing the pitch if necessary.

Horizontal pitch

The distance from the left of one label to the left of the label to the right of it. If you want to actually increase the distance between columns of labels, i.e. if labels get increasingly (or decreasingly) cut off as you go across the sheet, change this.

Vertical pitch

The distance from the top of one label to the top of the label below it. If you want to actually increase the distance between rows of labels, i.e. if labels get increasingly (or decreasingly) cut off as you go down the sheet, change this.

Width

Just the width of the actual space for the label content.

Height

Just the height of the actual space for the label content.

Left margin

The distance from the left side of your sheet of labels to where content begins. If all your labels are getting cut off on the left, adjust this.

Upper margin

The distance from the top of your sheet of labels to where content begins. If all your labels are getting cut off on the top adjust this.

Columns

The number of columns. You don't need to adjust this.

Rows

The number of rows. You don't need to adjust this.

Examples

Here's a normal sheet, next to one where I increased just the top margin. Click the image to see it larger.

Here's an example where I increased the vertical pitch by a half inch. You wouldn't want to increase it that much, but I made it big to make sure you could see the effect. Click the image to see it bigger.  Note that on the right, you only are at the 5th row while at the same place on the left, you're at the 7th row.

Once you've got the label adjustments where you want them, click Save in the Format tab. Name the label in the window that appears, and click OK.

Then when you create labels again, that saved format will be in the list.

---

---

Comments

[Rob Owens]

"When you're in the Labels window, click the Format tab."

But how do I get back to the Labels window? The only way I can find so far is to start over with a new set of labels. I imagine there's a better way...