Creating Mailing Labels and Envelopes in Microsoft Access

If your database contains names and addresses, you can print mailing labels directly from Access without exporting to Word or Excel. The Label Wizard handles the most common label formats automatically, and a custom report gives you complete control for unusual sizes or layouts.

The Label Wizard

The fastest way to create mailing labels is the Label Wizard:

1. In the Navigation Pane, select the table or query containing your address data
2. Go to Create → Reports → Labels
3. The Label Wizard opens

Step 1: Choose the label size

The wizard includes a comprehensive library of Avery label sizes (and other manufacturers). Select your label product number from the list. If your labels are not listed, click "Customize" to define a custom size.

Common Avery sizes:

• 5160 — 1" × 2⅝", 3 across (the most common address label)
• 5163 — 2" × 4", 2 across (shipping labels)
• 5167 — ½" × 1¾", 4 across (return address labels)
• 8160 — same as 5160 but for inkjet printers

Step 2: Set font and color

Choose the font, size, weight, and color for the label text. Keep it simple — 10-12pt Arial or Times New Roman works well for most address labels.

Step 3: Build the label layout

This is the key step. You build the label content by selecting fields from the Available Fields list and arranging them on the prototype label.

A typical US address label layout:

{FirstName} {LastName}
{Company}
{Address}
{City}, {State} {Zip}

Click a field in the Available Fields list, then click the right arrow to add it to the prototype. Press Enter to start a new line. Type literal text (like the comma and space between City and State) directly in the prototype.

Step 4: Sort order

Choose how to sort the labels — typically by Zip code for bulk mailing discounts, or by LastName for alphabetical order.

Step 5: Name and finish

Name the report and click Finish. Access creates a report formatted for your chosen label size.

Previewing and Printing

Open the label report in Print Preview to verify the layout before printing. Check that:

• Text is not cut off at the edges
• Multi-line addresses fit within the label height
• The number of labels across matches your sheet

Critical: Before printing on actual label sheets, always do a test print on plain paper first. Hold the paper up to a sheet of labels to verify alignment.

Adjusting the Label Report

If the wizard output is not quite right, open the report in Design View to adjust it:

Text is cut off: Increase the height of the Detail section or reduce the font size.

Labels are misaligned: Adjust the margins in Page Setup (File → Print → Page Setup). The key settings are:

• Top margin
• Side margin
• Column spacing (horizontal gap between labels)
• Row spacing (vertical gap between labels)

Address lines are too close together: Select all text boxes in the Detail section and increase the spacing between them.

Handling Missing Data Gracefully

If some records are missing a company name or a second address line, you do not want blank lines in the middle of the label. Use the Can Shrink property:

1. Select each text box in the Detail section
2. Open the Property Sheet (F4)
3. Set Can Shrink to Yes

With Can Shrink enabled, a text box that contains no data collapses to zero height, eliminating the blank line.

Also set Can Grow to Yes for the City/State/Zip line in case a long city name needs to wrap.

Custom Label Reports

For unusual label sizes or complex layouts (two-column labels, labels with logos, color-coded labels), build a custom report from scratch:

1. Create a new blank report (Create → Report Design)
2. Go to Page Setup → Columns tab
3. Set the number of columns, column width, and row height to match your label dimensions
4. Set Column Layout to "Across, then Down" (standard label order)
5. Build your label content in the Detail section
6. Set the Detail section height to match the label height

Printing Envelopes

Access can also print envelopes, though it requires more manual setup than labels:

1. Create a new blank report
2. Go to Page Setup → Page tab
3. Set the paper size to the envelope size (e.g., #10 envelope = 9.5" × 4.125")
4. Set orientation to Landscape
5. Position address text boxes in the center-right area of the report
6. Add a return address in the upper-left

Tip: Most laser printers have an envelope feed slot. Check your printer's manual for the correct envelope orientation and feed method.

Filtering Labels

To print labels for a subset of records (e.g., only customers in a specific state, or only contacts who opted in to mailings), base the label report on a query with the appropriate filter rather than the full table.

You can also use the Where Condition argument of DoCmd.OpenReport to filter at runtime:

DoCmd.OpenReport "rptMailingLabels", acViewPreview, , "State = 'CA'"

Conclusion

Access mailing labels are one of the most practical features for any database containing contact information. The Label Wizard handles the common cases quickly, and the custom report approach gives you full control for specialized requirements. Once set up, printing a fresh batch of labels from your current data takes seconds — no exporting, no mail merge, no manual work.