Generate Libre Barcodes
How to generate barcodes with a libre font and then merge the barcodes into Avery labels using Avery Label Merge add-on?
This article describes how to create barcodes with a libre barcode font and then merge the barcodes into Avery labels using Avery Label Merge add-on.
Merge barcodes created with libre font into Avery labels
Step 1: Start Avery Label Merge add-on
Start Avery Label Merge add-on by clicking on Extensions > Avery Label Merge > Start to display the Avery Label Template Box and the Avery Label Merge sidebar.
Step 2: Select source data file
From the Avery Label Merge sidebar, click on Select Spreadsheet to select the Google Sheets file that contains the barcode source data.
Once selected, the name of the spreadsheet (e.g, Company Products) appears in the File field.
Step 3: Select Google Sheets tab
From the Sheet drop-down menu, select the tab in the Google Sheets file that contains the barcode source data.
Step 4: Check source data
Make sure the first row in the Google sheet contains column names (e.g, Product Name, Barcode, Barcode Label). These column names are going to be used as *|merge fields|* in the Google Docs label template.
To be able to merge, there needs to be at least one row of data under the column names.
The Barcode column should contain the barcode source data.
The Barcode Label column contains a formula that adds an * before and after the barcode value. This formula format is required to create barcodes that can be scanned by barcode readers.
Step 5: Select Avery label template
Click on the Label / Envelope field to display the list of available Avery label templates and select for example, the Avery 05161 Avery label template, and then click on Apply.
Once an Avery label template is selected, the Avery Label Template Box changes to the size of the selected template.
Step 6: Insert and format merge fields
Insert *|merge fields|* into the Google Docs label template by clicking in the desired location within the Label Template Box, selecting a merge field from the Merge Field drop-down menu, then clicking on Add. Repeat these steps for all the required *|merge fields|*.
Format the *|merge fields|* as required.
*|Merge fields|* are the column names found in the first row of data in the selected Google Sheets file.
Step 7: Download Libre Barcode 39 Text font
Download Libre Barcode 39 Text font if it is not available by clicking on More fonts from the Font drop-down menu.
Type libre barcode, select the font you want to use, and then click on OK. Here, we are using Libre Barcode 39 Text font.
Step 8: Apply Libre Barcode 39 Text font
Highlight the *|Barcode Label|* merge field, and then select Libre Barcode 39 Text font to convert the *|Barcode Label|* merge field into a barcode.
Step 9: Merge Avery labels
Click on Merge Labels to begin the label merge process to generate libre barcodes in Avery labels.
Step 10: Check generated Avery labels
After a message appears that confirms the number of generated Avery labels (the number of rows merged), choose either to display the merged labels in a Google Doc and/or a PDF, and then check if the labels appear correct.
The files that contain the created labels are now automatically saved on Google Drive.
Step 11: Print barcodes in Avery labels
In the newly created Google Doc, click on the Print icon to print the generated Avery labels containing the libre barcodes.
NOTE: Read this article about how to print labels using Google Docs, and how to avoid labels becoming misaligned.
Migrate your barcode source data from Microsoft Excel
If your source data to generate libre barcodes is stored in Microsoft Excel, you can import the source data into Google Sheets and use Avery Label Merge add-on to generate Avery Labels containing libre barcodes. Refer to this article for more information.