Word 2000 Custom Labels / Tally Printer - UGH!

[jrpatdlgs]

Problem is that the text creeps down on each successive label as fan fold labels are printed.

SITUATION

1. Created custom label format in Word 2000 for Avery 4014 fan fold: 1 label across, 8 labels down, sheet length = 12".

2. Used menu: Tools/Mail Merge/Mailing Labels...... etc.

3. Selected Excel spreadsheet for data source.

4. Merge works fine BUT there is some very SLIGHT vertical misalignment of the text on SOME of the virtual labels when the new document is created.

5. Tally printer is defaulted to 12 inch paper length, tear off position and top of form are set correctly.

6. Printed data creeps down the page in non-uniform increments. Result: 1st label is printed in perfect position. Same for second and third labels. Fourth label print is approximately 1/2 print line too low. By the time the 21st label is printed, the print is spanning two labels.

OBSERVED PROBLEMS

1. WORD does NOT hold the exact top margin, vertical pitch or label height measurements that you provide when you create the custom label -- it rounds the numbers, which could be screwing everything up.

2. HOWEVER, it is always possible that the font (Times New Roman) is not being handled correctly by the Tally, which is a dot matrix printer, and is causing the text creep as it prints down multiple pages of labels.

3. I've adjusted all the settings I can find in Word and am sure that the Tally is set correctly so far as paper length, top of form and tear-off positioning go. Nothing has made any difference.

3. Anyone who has had experience in this type of problem is earnestly begged to offer some suggestions as to how I can solve it. Thanks a million.

John

 

[Dreamboat]

Hi, John.

1. Buy different labels LOL LOL
2. Print only one sheet of labels at a time; merge at one time only the number of labels that fit on one sheet of labels.
3. Make a sample merge file with only the number of records that fit on one sheet of labels. Create a mailmerge main document that works perfectly with it.

Just my opinion: I say it's your printer and NOT Word.

http://www.VictimPhotos.com

http://www.PiersonTech.com

Brainbench MVP for Microsoft Word
techsupportgirl@home.com

 

[jrpatdlgs]

Thanks for the thoughts Dreamboat. Problem is that we run 600 labels at a time. Eight per merge just won't cut it. But again, thanks for trying.

 

[Dreamboat]

Okay, so the big question: Why don't you buy different labels?

http://www.VictimPhotos.com

http://www.PiersonTech.com

Brainbench MVP for Microsoft Word
techsupportgirl@home.com

 

[jrpatdlgs]

Hi again Dreamboat,

The 4014s come in boxes of 5000. Have not been able to find others that come that way. Also, as Word only provides templates for the "standard" 8 1/2 x 11 stuff and the fanfolds are 12 inches long, I doubt that a different label would give a different result. Your thought did set me thinking though. Maybe there's a 10 1/2 inch page length available in word. I'll have to check that. As Avery recently started putting a tear-off perforation between every label I could tell MS Word that the page length is 10 1/2 or 9 or 7 1/2 or 6 or 4 1/2 or 3 or 1 1/2 IF MS Word provides any of those as a predefined page length. Of course that will still leave the problem that the Tally only has 2 possible page lengths: 11 and 12 inches. Hmmm. Of course, if it had been my decision, the Tally printers would never have been purchased in the first place, nor would MS Office 2000. C'est la vie!

Have a great weekend!
John