Beginner’s Guide to Making Custom Labels in Spreadsheets

You don’t need fancy software to make professional-looking labels. Whether you’re organizing your home, shipping packages, or labeling products, you can create custom labels using just a spreadsheet tool like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets—and a printer.

This beginner-friendly guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start creating, designing, and printing custom labels—no design background required.

Why Use Spreadsheets for Labels?

Spreadsheets may not seem like a design tool, but they offer:

• Simplicity: Easy to set up and edit.

• Automation: Fill labels from a list (names, addresses, products).

• Flexibility: Customize font, layout, and content exactly how you want.

• Free Tools: Google Sheets is free, and Excel is widely available.

What You’ll Need

• Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets

• A printer

• Label paper (like Avery 5160 or other standard formats)

• (Optional) Microsoft Word or Google Docs for mail merge

Step 1: Decide What You’re Labeling

Before you build anything, be clear on what kind of label you need. Common examples include:

• Mailing labels

• Product tags

• Pantry jars

• Event name tags

• Inventory or barcodes

Write down the fields you want on your label (e.g., Name, Address, SKU, Price, etc.).

Step 2: Create a Spreadsheet with Your Data

Open a blank spreadsheet in Excel or Google Sheets.

Example for Mailing Labels:

First Name	Last Name	Address	City	State	ZIP Code
Sarah	Lee	123 Elm Street	Dallas	TX	75201

Tips:

• Keep headers in row 1.

• Each label = one row.

• Avoid merged cells or empty rows.

If you're making pantry or storage labels, your spreadsheet might look like:

Item Name	Category
Flour	Baking Goods
Pasta	Dry Goods

Step 3: Choose Your Label Format

You have two main options:

1. Direct formatting in the spreadsheet (great for simple labels)

2. Mail merge with Word/Docs (ideal for multi-row data like addresses)

Option 1: Design Directly in the Spreadsheet (Great for Simple Labels)

This method is great for:

• Pantry labels

• Price tags

• Inventory markers

How to:

1. Adjust cell size to match label dimensions (e.g., 2.625” x 1” for Avery 5160).

2. Type your text directly or use formulas to pull from data rows.

3. Add borders and center-align the text.

4. Use Wrap Text and adjust font size/style for readability.

5. Duplicate cells for multiple labels on the same page.

You can then print the sheet directly onto blank label paper or use full-sheet sticker paper and cut them out.

Option 2: Use Mail Merge for Auto-Filled Labels (Great for Address or Name Tags)

If you’re using Excel + Microsoft Word:

1. In Word, go to Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels.

2. Choose your label type (e.g., Avery 5160).

3. Select your Excel file as the data source.

4. Insert merge fields (like «First Name» «Last Name»).

5. Click Finish & Merge > Print Documents.

If you’re using Google Sheets + Google Docs:

1. Install the Labelmaker add-on (free).

2. Choose your label layout.

3. Connect your Google Sheet data.

4. Merge into a Google Docs document.

5. Print directly from Docs.

This creates perfectly formatted sheets with each row of your spreadsheet turned into an individual label.

Step 4: Customize the Design

Spreadsheets support basic design tools that are more powerful than you might think.

Easy ways to customize:

• Fonts: Use bold or playful fonts depending on your purpose.

• Borders: Add gridlines or boxes around cells.

• Colors: Use background fills or font colors for categories or visibility.

• Images (optional): Insert logos or icons if using Word/Docs.

• Formulas: Create smart labels (e.g., “Price: $”&B2).

Step 5: Print Your Labels

Before printing on label paper:

• Do a test print on regular paper.

• Hold it behind your label sheet to check alignment.

• Adjust margins or scaling settings if needed.

Print settings to check:

• Scale: Set to “100%” or “Actual Size”

• Paper size: Match label sheet size

• Margins: Choose “None” or “Narrow” if using spreadsheets directly

Pro Tips

• Use Formulas for things like:
  =A2 & " " & B2 & CHAR(10) & C2 & CHAR(10) & D2 & ", " & E2 & " " & F2
  (for multi-line address labels in a single cell)

• Save a blank template so you don’t have to set it up again.

• Group labels by color or type using conditional formatting (great for inventory).

Final Thoughts

You don’t need expensive software to make beautiful, practical labels. With a little setup in Excel or Google Sheets, you can create customized labels for virtually anything—quickly and affordably.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder why you ever paid for pre-printed options.