Label sheet in Excel is the fallback for the PDF. It puts your labels on a new worksheet whose columns and rows are the label grid, with the page set up to print at 100% on Letter or A4. It works on every platform and is free. It is a good way to check a layout on plain paper or to print a few labels quickly. For die-cut sheets, use Create PDF: it is more exact.
Why the PDF is more exact #
Excel stores column widths and row heights in units that depend on fonts and screen pixels, and it rounds them to whole pixels. Printed, a worksheet can be off from the die-cut grid by a fraction of a millimetre per label, which adds up across a sheet. The PDF is laid out in millimetres and prints at exactly the size of the page. LabelPop says so itself: Good for plain-paper checks and quick prints. For die-cut sheets use Create PDF.
Make the sheet #
- Choose your list and your label sheet, and check the preview.
- Click Label sheet in Excel (below Create PDF, or in the Your labels card after a PDF).
- LabelPop adds a worksheet such as Labels Address 30 and shows it. The pane confirms it with Label sheet created: Labels Address 30 · 30 labels on 1 page. Print with Ctrl+P at 100%.
- In Excel, press Ctrl+P (Command+P on Mac) and print at 100% on the paper the sheet is set up for.
Your list is not touched. The new sheet is set up with gridlines off, the paper size, portrait orientation, 100% scale and the margins of your label sheet, plus the calibration for this computer. Delete the sheet when you are done.
What is different from the PDF #
- Every label is one cell with one font size. LabelPop uses the most common size of the label’s lines, and bold only when every line is bold. A label with different line sizes looks plainer than in the PDF.
- If the text does not fit, LabelPop lowers the font size: 3 labels use a smaller font so the text fits its cell. Excel cuts off anything that still does not fit. Very long text is cut short: Very long text on 2 labels was cut short.
- Logos are not in the sheet: Logos are only in the PDF.
- Barcodes and QR codes (Pro) are placed as pictures when your Excel allows it. Otherwise: Barcodes were left out because this Excel cannot draw pictures here. Use Create PDF for barcodes.
- On the free version the sheet holds one full sheet of labels: The free version fills one sheet: the first 30 of 100 labels are on it. Pro has no sheet limit.
- With Pro, a sheet of more than 2,000 labels may take a few seconds: This sheet has 2,500 labels and may take a few seconds.
- A label taller than one Excel cell can show is split over several merged rows: This label is taller than Excel can show in one cell, so it is split over 2 rows and merged.
Excel on the web #
The sheet is made the same way, but Excel on the web has fewer print settings, and the print goes through your browser. If your Excel cannot set up the page, LabelPop says This version of Excel cannot set up the page. Before printing, choose Letter paper, Portrait and 100% scale in Page Layout. Do that before you print, and expect a less exact result than the PDF.
If it does not work #
- This workbook is protected, so Excel cannot add a sheet. Unprotect the workbook structure (Review > Protect Workbook) or work in a copy, then try again.
- A partly filled sheet called Labels Address 30 may be in the workbook: delete it, then try again. The earlier try stopped half way; delete the sheet it names.
- There are no labels to put on a sheet yet. Choose a list and a label sheet first.