Database label software

[Eric Boucher]

Hello,
I'm looking for advice on label design software. We are typically printing small bar code labels on the products we sell. Some customers want to add logos and stuff to their labels. We recently switched from a Zebra/Nicelabel Designer Pro set-up to an Epson C6500 to improve quality of the printed product. I am now looking for a design software that allows database imports. While the Nicelabel software worked fine, it was sometimes frustrating in regards to the design capabilities... Very far from what we're used to in the Adobe CS environment.

Typically, we set-up Excel file with all our information (designation, barcode info and quantity of labels to print) and then set-up the layout in Nicelabel and then automatically print everything. The Excel file includes separators between each different label so we don't mess up with applying the labels.

Can anyone recommend any software that would have good design capabilities? Or maybe suggest a different work process to achieve what we want to do?

Thanks!

 

[PDL]

You may want to have a look at this ---> Variable Data Printing, Variable Data Printing Software - Esko
Dynamic VDP for Adobe® Illustrator®. It is a plugin for Ai from which you can export your multiple variations of the design.
You can download a free trial. Good luck.

 

[prepressdork]

I wonder if perhaps you could use InDesign's Data Merge function? Regarding barcodes, many (linear) barcode symbologies tend to be nothing more than a font which you may be able to find online.

pd

 

[Eric Boucher]

You may want to have a look at this ---> Variable Data Printing, Variable Data Printing Software - Esko
Dynamic VDP for Adobe® Illustrator®. It is a plugin for Ai from which you can export your multiple variations of the design.
You can download a free trial. Good luck.

Thanks for the link. This looks very interesting, exactly what we need. I will look into. I'm not sure our usage can justify the price tag though... We'll see. Thanks again!

 

[Eric Boucher]

I wonder if perhaps you could use InDesign's Data Merge function? Regarding barcodes, many (linear) barcode symbologies tend to be nothing more than a font which you may be able to find online.

pd

Thanks. I'll have to look into that as well, I'm not sure we'll be able to deal with the quantity of labels to be printed that way. InDesign will generate as many pages as labels we need to print so that could potentially make very large files... We sometimes print up to 50 or 60 different labels, several 100s of each, sometimes 1000s...

 

[prepressdork]

Thanks. I'll have to look into that as well, I'm not sure we'll be able to deal with the quantity of labels to be printed that way. InDesign will generate as many pages as labels we need to print so that could potentially make very large files... We sometimes print up to 50 or 60 different labels, several 100s of each, sometimes 1000s...

Good point. Sadly, InDesign does not have the ability to compose to a PPML or VDX file that I am aware of. If it did, I believe that would help solve the issue you mention.

pd

 

[prepressdork]

Although I do not know how much it costs or its system requirements, another software that might be worth a look see is Bartender:

BarTender for Small Business

BarTender helps small businesses get set up with all of their label management and printing needs. Based on your needs, Starter or Professional may be right for you.

www.seagullscientific.com

pd

 

[Eric Boucher]

Although I do not know how much it costs or its system requirements, another software that might be worth a look see is Bartender:

BarTender for Small Business

BarTender helps small businesses get set up with all of their label management and printing needs. Based on your needs, Starter or Professional may be right for you.

www.seagullscientific.com

pd

Yes, I am looking at Bartender or Nicelabel, but both seem to be targeting the "office" crowd and not design. We've been using Nicelabel and it really has a Microsoft Word feel to it... Designing ability is very limited and most of the times frustrating...