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Templates

Table of Contents

Overview

The Template Editor enables you to create and customize labels and documents for warehouse operations. Design professional barcode labels, packing slips, pick lists, and shipping labels with a visual drag-and-drop interface.

Key Capabilities:

  • Visual template designer with real-time preview
  • Support for multiple label sizes (2x1", 4x6", 8.5x11", custom)
  • Barcode generation (Code 128, Code 39, QR codes)
  • Dynamic field insertion for data binding
  • Element library with text, images, shapes, and barcodes
  • Template versioning and history
  • Print-ready PDF generation

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Before creating templates:

  1. Printer Configuration: Ensure label printers are configured
  2. Label Stock: Know your label dimensions (e.g., 4x6" thermal labels)
  3. Data Requirements: Identify what data fields to include
  4. Permissions: Admin or manager role with template management access

When to Use Templates

Templates are essential for:

  • Product Labels: SKU labels with barcodes for inventory tracking
  • LPN Labels: License plate number labels for pallet/case tracking
  • Shipping Labels: Carrier-compliant shipping labels with tracking
  • Pick Lists: Custom pick list layouts for warehouse operations
  • Packing Slips: Customer-facing packing documentation
  • Location Labels: Warehouse location identification labels

Template Browser

Access and manage your templates from the template browser:

Template Browser

Browser Features:

  • Search: Find templates by name or description
  • Filters: Filter by template type, size, or status
  • Preview: Thumbnail preview of each template
  • Actions: Edit, duplicate, delete, or print test labels
  • Organization: Sort by name, date modified, or usage frequency

Navigation Steps:

  1. Click Administration in the left sidebar
  2. Select Templates from the submenu
  3. Browse existing templates or create new ones

Template Types

The platform supports various template types for different warehouse operations:

Template Type Common Sizes Use Cases
Product Labels 2x1", 3x1" Small product identification labels
LPN Labels 4x6", 4x4" Pallet and case labels
Shipping Labels 4x6" Carrier shipping labels with tracking
Pick Lists 8.5x11" Warehouse pick list documents
Packing Slips 8.5x11" Customer packing documentation
Location Labels 2x1", 3x2" Warehouse location markers
Custom Templates Any size Specialized operational documents

Template Editor

The visual template editor provides a powerful design environment:

Template Editor

Canvas Workspace

The central canvas represents your label or document:

Canvas Features:

  • Zoom Controls: Zoom in/out for precise element placement
  • Grid: Alignment grid for consistent positioning (can be toggled)
  • Rulers: Measurement rulers in inches or millimeters
  • Snap to Grid: Automatic alignment to grid lines
  • Pan: Click and drag to move canvas view
  • Background: Set background color or image

Canvas Shortcuts:

  • Ctrl + Scroll: Zoom in/out
  • Space + Drag: Pan canvas
  • Ctrl + G: Toggle grid visibility
  • Ctrl + R: Toggle rulers

Element Panel

The left panel contains element types you can add to your template:

Available Elements:

  1. Text: Static or dynamic text fields
  2. Barcode: 1D barcodes (Code 128, Code 39, UPC)
  3. QR Code: 2D QR codes for URLs or data
  4. Image: Logos, icons, or graphics
  5. Line: Horizontal or vertical lines
  6. Rectangle: Boxes and borders
  7. Circle/Ellipse: Circular design elements

Adding Elements:

  1. Click element type in the panel
  2. Click on canvas to place, or
  3. Drag and drop to specific position

Properties Panel

The right panel shows properties for the selected element:

Common Properties:

  • Position: X, Y coordinates (in inches or mm)
  • Size: Width and height dimensions
  • Rotation: Rotation angle in degrees
  • Layer Order: Bring to front, send to back
  • Opacity: Transparency level (0-100%)

Text Properties:

  • Font: Font family selection
  • Size: Font size in points
  • Style: Bold, italic, underline
  • Alignment: Left, center, right, justify
  • Color: Text color picker
  • Data Binding: Dynamic field selection

Barcode Properties:

  • Type: Barcode format (Code 128, Code 39, QR)
  • Data Source: Static value or dynamic field
  • Height: Barcode height in inches
  • Show Text: Display human-readable text below barcode
  • Text Size: Size of barcode text

Creating Templates

Label Templates

Create a new barcode label template:

Step-by-Step Process:

  1. Create New Template
  2. Click New Template button
  3. Select template type: "Label"
  4. Choose label size (e.g., 4x6" thermal label)

  5. Enter template name and description

  6. Add Header Text

  7. Click Text element in left panel
  8. Click on top area of canvas
  9. Enter company name or header text
  10. Set font size to 18pt, bold

  11. Center align

  12. Add Barcode

  13. Click Barcode element
  14. Place in center of label
  15. Select barcode type: Code 128
  16. Bind to dynamic field: {{product.sku}} or {{lpn.number}}
  17. Set height to 1 inch

  18. Enable "Show Text" option

  19. Add Product Details

  20. Add Text element for product name
  21. Bind to: {{product.name}}
  22. Set font size to 14pt

  23. Position below barcode

  24. Add Additional Fields

  25. Quantity: {{quantity}}
  26. Location: {{location.name}}

  27. Date: {{current_date}}

  28. Save Template

  29. Click Save in top toolbar
  30. Template now available in browser

Document Templates

Create a packing slip or pick list template:

Layout Structure:

  1. Header Section (top 2 inches)
  2. Company logo (Image element)
  3. Company information (Text)

  4. Document title (Text, large font)

  5. Order Information (next 1.5 inches)

  6. Order number: {{order.number}}
  7. Customer name: {{customer.name}}
  8. Shipping address: {{customer.shipping_address}}

  9. Order date: {{order.created_at}}

  10. Items Table (main body)

  11. Column headers (Text elements)
  12. Repeating item rows (data table element)

  13. Dynamic fields: {{item.sku}}, {{item.name}}, {{item.quantity}}

  14. Footer Section (bottom 1 inch)

  15. Total items: {{total_items}}
  16. Notes: {{order.notes}}
  17. Signature line

Working with Elements

Text Elements

Text elements display static or dynamic content:

Static Text: - Enter text directly in properties panel - Use for labels like "SKU:", "Qty:", company name

Dynamic Text: - Bind to data fields using double curly braces - Example: {{product.name}} displays product name - Text updates automatically when printing for different products

Formatting Options: - Font family, size, style (bold, italic) - Text color and background color - Text alignment (left, center, right) - Line spacing and letter spacing

Barcode Elements

Barcode elements generate scannable barcodes:

Barcode Types:

  • Code 128: General purpose, alphanumeric
  • Code 39: Legacy systems, limited character set
  • UPC-A: Retail products (12 digits)
  • EAN-13: International retail (13 digits)
  • QR Code: 2D code for URLs, complex data

Configuration:

  1. Select barcode type
  2. Set data source (static or dynamic field)
  3. Adjust height (typical: 0.5-1.5 inches)
  4. Configure text display options
  5. Test scan with actual barcode scanner

Best Practices: - Minimum height: 0.5 inches for reliable scanning - Use Code 128 for SKUs and LPNs (supports full character set) - Always enable human-readable text below barcode - Leave 0.25" quiet zone (white space) around barcode

Image Elements

Add logos, icons, or graphics to templates:

Supported Formats: - PNG (recommended for logos with transparency) - JPEG (photos, backgrounds) - SVG (scalable vector graphics)

Adding Images: 1. Click Image element 2. Place on canvas 3. Click "Upload Image" in properties 4. Select image file from computer 5. Resize and position as needed

Image Tips: - Use high-resolution images (300 DPI minimum) - Logos should be PNG with transparent background - Keep file sizes reasonable (<1MB per image) - Position logos in header areas

Shape Elements

Lines, rectangles, and circles for visual structure:

Use Cases: - Lines: Dividers between sections - Rectangles: Borders, highlight boxes - Circles: Bullet points, badges

Styling Options: - Border color and width - Fill color and opacity - Dashed or solid lines - Corner radius (for rounded rectangles)

Dynamic Fields

Dynamic fields pull data from the system when printing:

Available Field Categories

Product Fields: - {{product.sku}} - Product SKU - {{product.name}} - Product name - {{product.barcode}} - Product barcode - {{product.category}} - Product category - {{product.description}} - Product description

LPN Fields: - {{lpn.number}} - LPN number - {{lpn.type}} - LPN type (pallet, case, each) - {{lpn.contents}} - LPN contents summary - {{lpn.location}} - Current location

Order Fields: - {{order.number}} - Order number - {{order.customer_name}} - Customer name - {{order.created_at}} - Order date - {{order.total_items}} - Total item count - {{order.notes}} - Order notes

Location Fields: - {{location.name}} - Location identifier - {{location.zone}} - Zone name - {{location.aisle}} - Aisle number - {{location.type}} - Location type

System Fields: - {{current_date}} - Current date - {{current_time}} - Current time - {{warehouse.name}} - Warehouse name - {{user.name}} - User who printed

Field Formatting

Apply formatting to dynamic fields:

Date Formatting: - {{order.created_at | date: 'MM/DD/YYYY'}} - 11/18/2025 - {{current_date | date: 'YYYY-MM-DD'}} - 2025-11-18

Number Formatting: - {{product.price | currency}} - $15.50 - {{quantity | number: 2}} - 100.00

Text Formatting: - {{product.name | uppercase}} - PREMIUM WIDGET - {{customer.name | titlecase}} - John Smith

Template Management

Editing Existing Templates

Modify templates after creation:

  1. Open template browser
  2. Click Edit button on template card
  3. Make changes in editor
  4. Click Save to update
  5. Previous version saved in version history

Duplicating Templates

Create variations of existing templates:

  1. Find template to duplicate
  2. Click Duplicate action
  3. New template created with " (Copy)" suffix
  4. Edit duplicated template as needed

Version History

Track template changes over time:

  • Each save creates a new version
  • Access version history from template browser
  • View previous versions
  • Restore older version if needed
  • Compare versions side-by-side

Deleting Templates

Remove unused templates:

  1. Select template to delete
  2. Click Delete action
  3. Confirm deletion (cannot be undone)
  4. Template moved to trash (30-day retention)

Templates in Use

You cannot delete templates that are actively assigned to products or operations. Reassign first, then delete.

Printing Templates

Preview before printing:

  1. Open template in editor
  2. Click Preview button
  3. Enter sample data or select record
  4. View print-ready output
  5. Adjust template if needed

Configure print options:

Printer Selection: - Choose target printer (thermal, laser, etc.) - Verify printer supports label size

Print Quality: - Draft: Fast, lower quality (testing) - Normal: Standard quality (daily use) - High: Best quality (customer-facing)

Quantity: - Number of copies to print - Batch printing for multiple labels

Batch Printing

Print multiple labels at once:

  1. Navigate to products, LPNs, or orders
  2. Select multiple records (checkbox selection)
  3. Click Print Labels bulk action
  4. Choose template
  5. System generates label for each selected record
  6. Send to printer

Best Practices

Design Guidelines

  • Keep It Simple: Avoid cluttered designs with too many elements
  • Contrast: Use high contrast (black on white) for barcode readability
  • Font Sizes: Minimum 10pt for readability at arm's length
  • Margins: Leave 0.125" margin around all edges
  • Test Prints: Always print test labels before production use

Barcode Standards

  • Height: 0.75-1.0 inches for reliable scanning
  • Quiet Zones: 0.25" white space on both sides
  • Resolution: 203 DPI minimum for thermal printers
  • Orientation: Horizontal barcodes scan more reliably than vertical

Template Organization

  • Naming Convention: Use descriptive names (e.g., "4x6 LPN Label - Warehouse A")
  • Categorization: Group templates by type or warehouse
  • Version Control: Include version number in template name for major revisions
  • Documentation: Add descriptions explaining template purpose and usage

Performance Optimization

  • Image Compression: Compress images without losing quality
  • Font Embedding: Use standard fonts to avoid embedding issues
  • Element Count: Limit templates to <50 elements for fast rendering
  • Testing: Test print speed with actual data before production rollout

Troubleshooting

Template Not Printing

Symptom: Template doesn't print or prints blank

Solutions: 1. Check printer connection and status 2. Verify printer supports label size 3. Ensure printer has paper/labels loaded 4. Check print queue for errors 5. Try printing from different browser 6. Restart printer and try again

Barcode Won't Scan

Symptom: Barcode appears on label but won't scan

Solutions: 1. Increase barcode height (minimum 0.75") 2. Ensure adequate contrast (black on white background) 3. Add quiet zones (white space) around barcode 4. Check barcode type matches scanner capabilities 5. Verify data source has valid value 6. Test with different barcode scanner

Dynamic Fields Not Populating

Symptom: Dynamic fields show {{field.name}} instead of actual data

Solutions: 1. Verify field syntax is correct (double curly braces) 2. Check field name matches available data fields 3. Ensure data exists for the record being printed 4. Review data binding in properties panel 5. Test with known good record

Layout Issues After Print

Symptom: Printed label layout doesn't match screen preview

Solutions: 1. Check printer DPI settings match template DPI 2. Verify label size in printer settings 3. Adjust margins in printer properties 4. Use print preview before final print 5. Calibrate printer if alignment is consistently off

Elements Overlapping

Symptom: Elements overlap or don't align properly

Solutions: 1. Enable grid and snap to grid 2. Use rulers for precise measurement 3. Check element layer order (bring to front/send to back) 4. Adjust element positions in properties panel 5. Zoom in for fine-tuned positioning

Support

For template assistance: