Dear Computer Lady:
I really need your help. I cannot find anyone who knows the answer, even in Word 7 for Dummies.
When making labels, the options given do not match the Avery product code so it is impossible, unless you know the secret, to choose the correct label size.
I can not understand why Microsoft would make something so simple so difficult. I know others are asking the same question. I tried to find the answer with a Google search. Lots of questions – no answers that make sense.
Thanks for your help, Faye
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Dear Faye,
There are two things on your label package that can help you figure out what product code to use.
First is the Avery product code that your labels are compatible with. Most label packages (I’m looking at a package of Staples brand labels right now) include not only their product code, but one or two of the more common Avery codes that the labels will work with. Most of the time, I can match that code with the available options in Word.
If that doesn’t work, you have one other option. Match the label dimensions.
On my package of labels, it tells me that the labels are 2 X 4 inches and there are 10 labels per sheet. When you are looking in Word, click on a label number and you will see the information listed for that label. Just find the information that matches your labels, and you should be able to find a code that works for your labels.
I hope this helps.
Elizabeth
It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.
Dear Elizabeth, I felt compelled to respond to “Printing Labels in Word” because of my past experience. At the time I owned an HP Officejet J5700 series printer. I created business cards using both MS Word 2007 and “Avery Design and Print Online”. Before printing my business cards on the appropriate Avery business card paper (#28871), I printed a ‘test’ on a plain sheet of paper, which I then placed behind a sheet of business cards and held up to the light to ensure proper alignment. The result was always perfect on the plain paper. However, when I printed the actual business card on the Avery paper, the printing ALWAYS started ABOVE the perforated line of the first card. AND, no matter what adjustment I made, I was NEVER able to get the correct alignment. I experienced so much frustration and anger that I wasn’t able to complete such a simple task. I then decided to copy my business card file to a flash drive and take it to my brother’s computer that is connected to an HP Officejet Pro K550. I was able to print my business cards on the Avery business card paper with no problem on his printer and 2 other printers that I tried. Thus, I determined the problem was the printer. Some months later I was given an HP Officejet J4500 AIO Wireless printer and had the very same problem with the alignment for my business cards and address labels. At this point I emailed HP explaining the problem. They responded with 7 pages of instructions to fix the problem. Their fix did NOT work and after a few emails, phone calls, and several uninstalls/installs of the software with no success, I expressed my extreme frustration and swore to never buy another HP product. I immediately went out and purchased an EPSON WorkForce series printer and have been printing my business cards and address labels with NO problem or frustration. By the way, HP insisted the problem was because I was not using the “recommended brand of paper” and they would never admit the problem was with the printer (software, probably). I hope sharing my experience will benefit some of your readers.