How to Print Barcode Labels for Products

A barcode label that scans first time, sits straight on the pack and shows the right price is the difference between a smooth counter and a queue. Most label problems are small, and they are easy to avoid if you follow the same order each time: choose the size, design the label, calibrate the printer, test one label and only then print the batch. This guide walks through that process using the label designer in AIFFICIENTO.

What you need

• A label printer, or a normal printer that can print on A4 sheets.
• Label stock that matches the size you choose, either rolls for shelf and product labels or A4 sticker sheets.
• A USB barcode scanner at the counter, so you can check each label the way a customer's item will be checked.
• Products saved with the correct barcode, name and price. A label is only as good as the product record behind it.

Step 1: choose the label size first

Measure the label you will print on, in width and height. Design for that size, not the other way round. The designer works with roll sizes, and with A4 sheets using 2-up and 3-up layouts, which place two or three labels across the sheet.

Sheet layouts suit small items, such as cosmetics, stationery or jewellery tags, where you need many labels quickly. Rolls suit grocery shelf tags and item labels that you print in bulk and apply one by one.

Print a test sheet on plain paper first, then hold it against your label stock. This catches a size mistake before you waste a sheet of labels.

Step 2: build the label in the designer

Add the fields you need: the product name, a second-language name such as Urdu, the barcode and the price. Keep the barcode large enough to scan, and leave a plain white margin around it. Preview the label before you print, and check the text is inside the edges.

Keep the layout consistent across products. When every label has the name in the same place and the price in the same format, staff can spot an error at a glance.

Step 3: calibrate the printer

Calibration tells the printer where one label ends and the next begins. Without it, the print can drift up or down the label, and the barcode may be cut at the edge. Use the printer calibration option in the label settings, follow the prompts, and print one label to check the result.

Recalibrate every time you change label stock, because the gap or mark between labels can differ from one roll to the next.

Step 4: test print and scan

Print a single label, then check three things:

• The text sits inside the label, and nothing is cut off.
• The barcode is complete, with its white margin still intact.
• The label scans at the counter on the first attempt.

If it does not scan, make the barcode larger, widen the white margin or print at a higher quality setting. Do not print a full batch until one test label scans cleanly.

Step 5: print the batch

Choose the products and how many labels each one needs, then print. For a delivery, print one label for each shelf position, or one per unit if your shop labels each item. Check that the price on each label matches the system price before you print, because a batch printed with an old price is wasted paper and an awkward conversation at the counter.

Common problems and fixes

• The label shifts up or down. Recalibrate, and check that the label stock matches the size you set in the designer.
• The print is too light. Check the darkness setting on the printer, and check the ribbon if your printer uses one.
• The barcode will not scan. Enlarge the barcode, check the white margins, and clean the printer head if it is streaky.
• The label shows the wrong price. Update the product price first, then reprint. A label printed before a price change still shows the old price.
• Two products share one barcode. Stop and correct the records before printing. A barcode should belong to one product only.

About the barcode itself

The designer prints the barcode saved on each product. If a product has no barcode yet, add one to its record before printing, and do not reuse a code from another product. Keep a list of the codes you create for your own items, so the shelf and the till always agree.

Storing label stock

Label rolls and sticker sheets are sensitive to heat, damp and dust. Keep them in a dry drawer, away from the sunny side of the counter, and close the packet after use. A roll that has been left open can curl or pick up dust, and both cause misfeeds. When you open a new roll, run the calibration again, even if the size looks the same.

Checking the label at the counter

A label that looks right on the desk can still fail under the scanner. Test each new roll or sheet at the counter scanner, the same one your team uses every day. Scan the printed barcode at the angle a cashier naturally holds the pack. If the scan takes more than one attempt, widen the white margin or enlarge the barcode, then print a fresh test label. Consistent scanning matters more than a perfect print.

Keep labels in step with prices

Labels go wrong after price changes. Use bulk price changes to update the products that changed, then reprint the labels for those items in the same session. Doing both together keeps the shelf and the till in step from the first customer onward.

Print when stock is received

The best time to print shelf labels is when goods arrive, after the purchase is saved and the prices are set. That order keeps the label, the purchase and the system in sync. If you scan the supplier bill first using bill scanning, the purchase data is ready when you print.

A scenario: a grocery moving 80 items

Picture a grocery owner moving 80 items to new shelves. She chooses a 3-up A4 sheet, prints one test sheet on plain paper and checks the alignment. She calibrates the printer for the sticker stock and prints a single sheet. She scans one label at the counter, then prints the rest. Done this way, the shelf and the till should show the same price from the first day.

For the full designer, see the barcode labels page. When you want to try it on your own shelves, start the 30-day free trial. It needs no credit card, and it gives you the label designer along with the rest of the POS. Download the apps from the download page, and check the pricing page for the plans.