Graphics in Address Labels

Word allows you to insert graphics into your documents with great ease. When it comes to address labels (or labels of any kind), inserting a graphic can be a real pain. This is because graphics, when inserted, rely on frames--and frames cannot be directly added in labels. There are a couple of ways you can insert graphics in your address labels, however. Perhaps the easiest way is to use AutoText to insert your graphics. Follow these steps:

1. In Word, insert your graphic within your document as you normally would.
2. Select the graphic.
3. If you are using Word 6 or Word 95, choose the AutoText option from the Edit menu. This displays the AutoText dialog box. (Your graphic should be shown at the bottom of the dialog box as your selected text.) (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. If you are using Word 97 or a later version of Word, choose the AutoText option from the Insert menu, then choose New from the submenu. This displays the Create AutoText dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
5. Type the name by which you want the graphic remembered.
6. Click the OK button. (In Word 6 or Word 95 you click the Add button.) The dialog box closes.
7. Choose Envelopes and Labels from the Tools menu. This displays the Envelopes and Labels dialog box.
8. Click on the Labels tab. The Envelopes and Labels dialog box appears. (Click here to see a related figure.)
9. Type the text you want to appear in your label.
10. Position the insertion point where you want the graphic to appear.
11. Type the name you defined in step 5. If there is other text immediately following what you just typed, make sure there is a space between the name and the following text. You should, however, make sure the cursor is positioned after the name and before the space.
12. Press the F3 key. This expands the AutoText entry. The result is a graphic in your label.

You can also use fields to insert your graphic in a label. You do this by following these steps:

1. Choose Envelopes and Labels from the Tools menu. This displays the Envelopes and Labels dialog box.
2. Click on the Labels tab.
3. Type the text you want to appear in your label.
4. Position the insertion point where you want the graphic to appear.
5. Press CTRL+F9 to insert a field.
6. Between the field braces, type Insertpicture followed by the path of the graphic file enclosed within quotes. (If you are using Word 6 or Word 95 the path does not need to be enclosed within quotes.)
7. Make sure the Full Page of Same Label radio button is selected.
8. Click on the New Document button. This creates a new document with your labels.
9. Press CTRL+A to select the entire document.
10. Press F9 to update the fields in the document. The field you entered in steps 5 and 6 are now replaced with your graphic.

Finally, you can use text boxes to insert graphics in your labels. The drawback, however, is that you cannot automatically create an entire sheet using the same graphic; you must work with each label on the page individually. To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Choose Envelopes and Labels from the Tools menu. This displays the Envelopes and Labels dialog box.
2. Click on the Labels tab.
3. Type the text you want to appear in your label.
4. Select the text (all of it) and right-click on it. This displays a Context menu.
5. Choose Paragraph from the Context menu. This displays the Paragraph dialog box.
6. Format the paragraphs to appear the way you want them, paying particular attention to indents. (For instance, if you want to place a half-inch-wide graphic to the left of your text, then you should indent the paragraphs by a half inch.)
7. Click on OK to close the Paragraph dialog box.
8. Make sure the Full Page of Same Label radio button is selected.
9. Click on the New Document button. This creates a new document with your labels.
10. Click on the Drawing tool on the toolbar. This displays the Drawing toolbar at the bottom of the desktop.
11. On the Drawing toolbar, click on the Text box button.
12. Create a text box the size of your graphic, placing it next to the first label on the sheet.
13. Choose the Picture option from the Insert menu. (In Word 97 or later versions of Word you will then need to choose From File.) Word displays the Insert Picture dialog box.
14. Select the graphic file you want inserted.
15. Click on OK. The graphic appears in your text box.
16. Select the text box.
17. Press CTRL+C to copy the graphic to the Clipboard.
18. Position the cursor somewhere else in your document. (Make sure the text box is not selected.)
19. Press CTRL+V to paste a new copy of the text box and graphic in your document.
20. Drag the new copy of the text box and graphic to one of the labels.
21. Repeat steps 19 and 20 until you have all your graphics placed.