Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Making Use of Extra Labels.

Making Use of Extra Labels

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 25, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


A common use of Word is to print labels on different types of label stock. Many WordTips have focused on how you can do this. It is possible, however, to have "extra" labels left over at the end of a print run. For instance, suppose you run a mail merge for labels to 97 clients, and each sheet of labels has 30 labels on it. This means you will need four sheets of labels, and you would waste 23 labels on the last sheet.

To save those labels, don't merge directly to your printer. Merge to a new document instead. Then, scroll down to the last name in the merged document. Notice the blank cells in the table—these are the blank labels in your print run.

Position the insertion point in one of the blank cells and type your name and return address. You can then copy and paste the return address into all the other blank cells. Now when you print your label sheets you can keep the return-address labels at the end of the print job and use them when you pay your bills. This certainly is a penny-pinching alternative to wasting the last labels on the last sheet.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1289) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Making Use of Extra Labels.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Selecting Text Orientation for an Axis in Microsoft Graph

Microsoft Graph allows you to easily create charts from numeric data, without the need to use Excel. This tip explains ...

Discover More

Updating Multiple PivotTables at Once

PivotTables are a great way to process huge amounts of data and make sense of that data. If you have a number of ...

Discover More

Using Duplex Printing

Want to print on both sides of a piece of paper? Some printers have the capability to do two-sided printing ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More WordTips (menu)

Saving Money on Printing Labels

Labels can be expensive, and a little common sense will help you waste less money as you try to get your labels to appear ...

Discover More

Doubling Your Money

Make your money last longer by using your head when printing labels. Here's a great example of how you can double the ...

Discover More

Vertically Centering Labels

Want the text printed on your labels to be centered vertically? It's not that hard, and this tip shows the easiest method.

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is four minus 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.