labels - futura: help · 1. go to reportsxlabels to open the list of available labels as you...

Printing Labels

v2003.12.10

Futura SoftwareApplicationLabel User Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTSPrinting Labels

Set Up Label Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Apply Label Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Printing Defined Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Using Merge Codes to Print Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Setting up Bar Code Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Print only one (or a few) bar code label at a time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Use a BarCode Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Futura International, Inc. Printing Labels

Futura Software Application User Guide 1

Printing LabelsPrinting Labels in the Futura system consists of 3 basic procedures and a 4th optional process:

• Set up label definitions• Apply label definitions• Print Defined Labels• Use Merge Codes

Set Up Label DefinitionsYou may use labels for various purposes, but most likely for mass mailings to patients and insurance companies for billing, invoices, statements, and other notices (e.g., “We Are Moving Our Office” or “We Are Changing Our Hours”). Since using labels is a common and efficient way to get such mailings out, you can select from (and add) a variety of label formats/definitions and associate them with various documents in the system. In fact, almost any time you print a document, you will have the option to print pre-defined labels.

NOTE:• A long list of standard (Avery) label formats has already been included in the software for you. If

you don’t find the size you want to use, you can create your own and/or customize the size you need.

• See pages 4 and 6 for information about applying these label definitions, then printing labels.

1. Go to Setup Categories Label Definitions to display the list of available label definitions.

NOTE:There are several places in the software with which you can associate label definitions from this list.



2. Click Insert to display the Label Definition record.

3. Enter a description as a label type (e.g., 3 X 5 shipping label, color mailing label, bar code labels, etc.).

4. Enter the top and side margin measurements (distance from the edge of the sheet of labels to the edge of the first label on the sheet - see example below) in inches. (e.g., .25 or .10).

IMPORTANT! Some of the preset labels will have margins already filled in, it is very important that each time you select a new format, that you double check these margins to make sure they are compatible with the information you will be printing on the label (e.g., a label with a left margin of 100 may push the printed information so far to the right that it will not even appear on the printed label, etc.).

Example:

Top margin = distance from the top edge of the sheet of labels to the top edge of the first row of labels.

Side margin = distance from the left edge of the sheet of labels to the left edge of the labels on the sheet.

TOP MARGIN

S IDE

MARG IN

NAMEADDRESSCITY, STATE, ZIP



5. Enter a measurement for the gap margin (the amount of space between labels on a sheet).

Example:

6. Enter the height and width of the label in inches. 7. Enter the number of labels across and down on the sheet of labels you’ll be using.

• You can use a brand new sheet or a partially used sheet with blank labels still on it.

8. Enter the MPH, MPW, and MPB numbers if you need to adjust the labels by small increments (i.e., maximum paper height, maximum paper width, and maximum paper bottom/margin).

IMPORTANT!Adjusting the MPH, MPW, and MPB should be done with caution as they can move the labels into positions that may cause printing to be off kilter. It is recommended that you contact Futura if you want to make any adjustments to your label position using these settings.

9. Click Save to store the new label format. • This new label will now appear in the list.

IMPORTANT! Once you have the label definitions set up, you will need to apply them to a label “format” - see page 4.

NAMEADDRESSCITY, STATE, ZIP

GAP MARGIN



Apply Label Definitions:You can use the label definitions to select a set of labels for printing. To do so, you will want to set up the label with the information that you want to have printed. You can either enter specific information (e.g., your company address to print return address labels) or use merge codes so that you can use variable information from items stored within the system (e.g., merge codes that will extract and print a patient name, address, city, state, and zip code for mailing).

• Find out how to use merge codes by reviewing page 8.

1. Go to Reports Labels to display the list of labels you have defined (see page 1). • Until you add one or more labels, “<None>” will appear in the list as shown below.

2. Click Insert to display the Label record.



3. Enter a label description (e.g., Return Address, Patient Statement Address Label, etc.).

4. Select a label definition (e.g., Avery 4021, Avery 4043, etc. - see page 1 for more information).

5. Enter the text (i.e., format) you want to have printed on the label (e.g., your company address or merge codes - see page 8).

NOTE:• If you are using merge codes, you may want to use the Test button BEFORE SAVING it to print

a sample of the labels to make sure the information is placed on the label the way you want it. Once you click the Test button, go to step 1 under “Printing Defined Labels” on page 6.

• If you are creating a barcode label, see page XX to find out how to enter that specific information.

• If you want to print the labels now WITHOUT SAVING them, click Run, then go to step 1 under “Printing Defined Labels” on page 6.

6. Click Save to store the label and close the record.



Printing Defined Labels 1. Go to Reports Labels to display the list of labels you have defined and formatted

(see pages 1 and 4).

2. Click Run Label to display a list of data stored in the system will appear. • This is the information that will work with the merge codes you have entered.

3. Select the appropriate item from the list to display the Label Start At window:



4. Enter the number of the label at which you want to start printing (e.g., if you are only printing a from partial sheet of labels and you have already used labels 1-5 on the sheet, you would enter 6 to begin printing on the 6th label).

NOTE:Remember that the system first counts the labels left to right, then goes to the first label in the next row, and continues the counting from left to right - see diagram below:

5. Click OK to display the Load Printer prompt. 6. Load the appropriate labels into the printer. 7. Click OK to begin printing the labels.

Label 1 Label 2 Label 3 Label 4







Using Merge Codes to Print LabelsUsing Merge Codes allows you to extract variable information from records stored within the database for the purpose of inserting this information into form documents such as labels (this includes bar code labels).

Example:You can insert merge codes into a label format to extract the name and address of each patient in the system. Since it wouldn’t be efficient to have to sit and enter this information for each patient, you can insert the merge codes and the system will pull the information from each patient record and insert it in the label in the position you specify.

1. Go to Reports Labels to open the list of available labels as you defined (see page 1).

2. Double click on the label you want to use for printing to display the record with the information for that label.

3. Place the cursor in the position at which you want to place the merge code (this will also be where the information extracted by the merge code will be printed).

Example:

HINTThis is where you will begin adding your bar code label information (see page of this guide 11 for more information).

Cursor

Click here to open Options menu.



4. Click Options to open the Options menu.

5. Click Insert Merge Code to display the Select Merge Code list.

SHORTCUTYou can also press F2 to display the Select Merge Field list.



6. Select the code that represents the information you want to insert for printing. • The code will be displayed where the cursor was placed in step 3. • Repeat steps 3 through 6 until all the information you want to print in the

document has been included.

Example:

• In this example, merge codes have been inserted that will extract the patients’ name, first and second portions of the patient’s address (e.g.,street address, then apartment number) and the patients’ city, state, and zip code.

7. Click Save to save the merge codes in this label format.

New Merge Codes added.



Setting up Bar Code LabelsUsing bar code technology (labels and a scanner) can make your inventory record more efficient by making checking in, distributing, and ordering quicker and more accurate. If your company uses a bar code scanner to help with inventory control, you can create your own bar code labels within the Futura application. When you create the bar code label, you will be telling the system to go a specified item, find the inventory code for that item (the recommended identifier for a bar code), and translate it into “bar code” format.

• See page 14 of this guide for information about setting up your bar code scanner.

IMPORTANT!Besides the inventory code, you can have the system “translate” any of the information stored in a field within the inventory component of the application (e.g., description, unit of measure, etc.). To do this, you will need the identifying code for the specific field from which you want to pull information. Please contact Futura Technical Support, let them know what field you want to use, and they will give you the specific identifying information for that field.

Just remember, that what field you use will affect any reports that you want to run on your inventory, so be selective when deciding which information you want included on the bar code.

1. Set up your inventory, complete with inventory item numbers

IMPORTANT!The inventory item numbers (and/or any other information you are using to create the bar code) MUST be entered for each item of inventory for which you will be printing bar code labels. Otherwise, there is nothing for the system to translate into bar code format.

HINTPlease refer to section 8 of the Futura User Guide for details about setting up your Inventory.

2. Set up the label definition (see page 1 of this guide). 3. Follow steps 1 through 4 under Applying Label Definitions on pages 4 and 5 of this

guide. 4. Enter the field identifier for the field from which you want the system to pull

information.

NOTE:As previously stated, the recommended field for creating a bar code is the inventory code field. The identifier for this is <<*2027!184>>. You must enter it exactly as shown here (with the asterisk and exclamation point). If you want the number to appear with the translated bar code, add a few lines of space after you enter the identifier, then add the identifier without an asterisk (i.e., <<2027!184>>. Be sure to include the exclamation point as shown in both cases. The identifier without the asterisk will be the one that causes the actual inventory code number (text) to print. You can have it print above or below the bar code itself by placing the identifier without the asterisk appropriately (see example on next page). If you don’t use the double entry without the asterisk, then only the bar code format will print.



Example:

5. Print the labels using the instructions shown on page 6 of this guide. • This method will allow you to print several of the same bar code labels.

We used this entry... to get this label format.(asterisk on bottom identifier) (inventory code under the bar code format)

To print the inventory code number under the bar code format:

To print the inventory code number above the bar code format:

We used this entry... to get this label format.(asterisk on top identifier) (inventory code above the bar code format)

We added line spaces here... to get more space here.

You can add space between the inventory code and number as needed:

We used this entry... to get this label format.(no asterisk, only one identifier) (no inventory code appears at all)

To print the bar code format only (with no accompanying inventory code):



Print only one (or a few) bar code label at a time:Using the usual printing method as shown on page 6 of this guide, you can print several labels of the same bar code. However, there may be times when you want to print only one label for a specific item. The following procedure shows you how to do this.

1. Go the to Inventory Product record of the item for which you want to print an individual bar code label (see Section 8 - Inventory of the Futura User Guide for details).

2. Right click on the page to display an options menu.

3. Select Print Label to display the list of available labels.

4. Select the appropriate label.



5. Click Run Label to display the Label Quantity window.

6. Enter the number of labels you want to print for this specific item. 7. Click OK to display the Label Start At window. 8. Follow steps 3 through 7 on pages 6 and 7 of this guide. to finish printing the label(s)

for the specified item.

Use a BarCode ScannerIf you are using bar code labels, you’ll need to install and enable a bar code scanner can make your inventory record more efficient by making checking in, distributing, and ordering quicker and more accurate.Before a user can actually use the scanner with the software, you’ll need to enable that setting in User Rights (see Section 9 of the Futura User Guide for more information about User Rights).

IMPORTANT!Be sure that you purchase a barcode scanner that is used in conjunction with a keyboard. Follow the manufacturers instructions for use, then use the following procedures for use with the Futura software.

1. Go to Admin Company User Rights to display list of available users on the system (e.g., clerical, supervisor, etc.).



2. Select the user for which you want to enable the bar scanner option. 3. Click Edit to open the User Rights window for the selected user.

4. Click on the Uses Barcode Scanner option to activate the option. 5. Click Save to store the new setting for the selected user.

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