How To? – How To Use Label Planet’s Text Box Label Templates

Template Tuesday Presents...how and when to use text box label templates to print labels.

One of the formats we provide for our Word label templates is Text Box Label Templates. In this week’s Template Tuesday, we’ll explain what these label templates are, when to use them, and how to use them to design and print your own self adhesive labels.

What Are Text Box Label Templates?

Here at Label Planet, we provide label templates for all of our label sizes. We supply a range of template formats to suit the various designs that our customers may wish to create. One of these is our text box label templates format.

In this format, your label template will include a text box in each of the blank labels on your sheet.

Each text box has a centralised layout and allows your text to fit neatly within each blank label. You can use the text boxes as they are or change them to suit the design you are creating.

When Should You Use Text Box Label Templates?

Our text box label templates are designed to create sticky labels that are printed with text only. The text boxes are set up to ensure that your design fits neatly within your blank labels. So you don’t have to worry about making too many adjustments yourself. These label templates are brilliant for beginners who haven’t designed self adhesive labels at all. They’re especially useful if you’re not confident using Word’s tools to adjust a label template to perfect your alignment. This label template does most of the work for you. All you need to do is replace the text in each text box and choose any style elements that you want to add to personalise your design. Of course, you can also use these label templates if you’re more of a template expert but you want a label template that speeds up the process of adding your design.

How Do You Use Text Box Label Templates?

Left click inside the first text box. This will allow you to select the existing placeholder text and delete it. Type in the text you want printed onto your sticky labels. Repeat this process for each of the text boxes or use copy and paste to speed things up…

• Select and copy the text you have entered into the first text box. Click into the second text box, delete the existing text, and then paste your text into that text box. Repeat for each of the text boxes in your label template. OR…
• Delete all of the text boxes – EXCEPT FOR THE FIRST ONE. Select the first label (including the text box) by positioning your cursor in the bottom left corner of the first label and triple clicking the left button on your mouse quickly. Copy this selection and then paste it into the rest of your blank labels.

You can simply replace the existing text with your own text and print your sticky labels. Alternatively, you may wish to add some additional design features. When working with text-based designs, the main ways to add design elements is to alter the font and to add elements like a coloured background or image.

If you wish to do this, we recommend setting up your design in the first blank label, removing the rest of the text boxes, and using copy and paste to fill in your label template.

How To Change The Font Of Your Text Box

You can change the font of your text BEFORE or AFTER adding your text.

• BEFORE: Delete the existing placeholder text from the first text box. Select your font and style options using the “Font” section of the HOME tab and/or the “WordArt Styles” section of the DRAWING TOOLS FORMAT tab. Then type in your required font.
• AFTER: Delete the existing text from the first text box and type in (or paste in) your required text. Select your text and then apply your preferred font and style options.

You can also change the style of the text box itself. For example, you can add a border or coloured background to your text boxes. Click on the DRAWING TOOLS FORMAT tab at the top of the page to change the format of your text box using the tools in the “Shape Styles” section.

Take care when adding coloured backgrounds and borders. You need to consider the shape and layout of your label size to avoid white edges appearing on your printed sticky labels. If you add a coloured background, your text box must fill each blank label (or overlap it slightly if possible). If you use a border, make it thick enough to overlap the edges of your blank labels. This increases the overall size of your text box, so you may need to resize your text box to get the correct alignment.

How To Add Images & Backgrounds To Your Text Box Label Template

You can add images or additional text boxes next to the existing text boxes.

Adding Additional Elements Next To Your Text Box

First, reduce the size of the existing text box to make room for your addition. Next, use the INSERT tab to insert your image or text box (or paste an image / text box copied from elsewhere). We recommend making sure your image is the right size before pasting it into your label template. We also recommend changing the Wrap Text format to Tight. To do this, select your image and click on the PICTURE TOOLS FORMAT tab that appears at the top of the page. Click on “Wrap Text” and select “Tight”. This will allow you much greater control over the positioning of your image within your label design.

Adding Additional Elements Behind Your Text Box

Alternatively, you could add an image or background colour behind your text box.

When adding a background image, you need to make your text box transparent as they are solid white in colour by default. Select the text box and click on the DRAWING TOOLS FORMAT tab at the top of the page. Click on “Shape Fill” and select “No Fill”. Next, insert your image. You may need to resize the image to fill your blank label. You should also change the Wrap Text format to Tight. Next, select your text box and click on the DRAWING TOOLS FORMAT tab. Click on “Bring Forward” and select “Bring To Front”. This will layer your text box on top of your image.

You can also add a background colour by changing the colour of the template itself (which is basically a table). Select the table by moving your cursor to the top left of the table until it turns into a four headed arrow. Left click once to select the table. Now you can click on the TABLE TOOLS DESIGN tab at the top of the page and use the “Shading” option to add a background colour. Remember that this colour will ONLY apply to your template. If you want your text boxes to match, you will either need to add the same colour background to your text box or make your text box transparent. Both can be done using the “Shape Fill” option in the DRAWING TOOLS FORMAT tab.

Remember, if you are adding any additional elements we strongly recommend setting up your design in the first blank label. Delete the existing text boxes from the rest of the label template. Then select your first completed label. Place your cursor in the bottom left corner and triple click the left button quickly. Copy your design and then paste it into the rest of your blank labels.

Download A Text Box Label Template From Label Planet

To download any of our label templates, simply head on over to our Label Templates home page. Click on your label shape and then select your label size from the list. This takes you to the individual Label Template information page for your self adhesive labels. Our label template download links can be found in the middle of this page. You will find our text box label templates under the Word Templates column. Decide if you want a portrait or landscape text box label template (if applicable) and left click once on the purple link to start the download process.

Your label template will usually be downloaded to your Downloads folder. If you are asked if you want to open or save the file, we recommend choosing save. We also recommend opening Word (or other word processing software) first and using “File” > “Open” to locate and open your label template. Remember, the file will probably be locked for security reasons because you downloaded it from the internet. There should be a yellow banner going across the top of the page. Click on the Enable Editing button to unlock the label template.

You should be able to see the layout of your sticky labels in the form of a dotted grey outline. If you cannot see this outline, Table Gridlines are turned off. To turn them on again, left click once anywhere in the middle of the page to bring up the TABEL TOOLS LAYOUT tab. Click on the “View Gridlines” button on the left hand side of the ribbon.

Next Week On Template Tuesday – How To? How To Use Label Planet’s Mirrored Text Box Label Templates