This guide will show you how to set-up and start printing labels easily from PDFs to your label printer of choice.
⚡ Important Note: Some Instinct set up is required before you can utilize this feature and Zebra printers will have conflicting label orientation settings from DYMO. Please let us know if you will be using a Zebra or DYMO printer and which label type you’ve purchased and have an admin contact us at support@instinct.vet to enable PDF Labels.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need to Get Started
You can use any model DYMO LabelWriter or Zebra Label Printers. We also support 3 DYMO brand label options that are easy to find at any office supply store.
- Hardware: DYMO LabelWriter or Zebra Label Printer (any model will work, as long as they can print our supported label sizes below)
- Software: Corresponding DYMO or Zebra printing software/driver from their website.
- Supported Labels and Sizes:
- DYMO LabelWriter Name Badge Labels 30857 (2 1/4″ x 4″, 57mm x 104mm) – Compatible with both Zebra and DYMO printers.
- DYMO LabelWriter Shipping Labels 30323 (2 1/8″ x 4″, 54mm x 104mm) – Compatible with DYMO printers only.
- DYMO LabelWriter Large Shipping Labels 30256 (2 5/16″ x 4″, 59mm x 104mm) – Compatible with DYMO printers only.
Then have a member of your hospital’s admin team contact us at support@instinct.vet to let us know which label printer you’re using (DYMO or Zebra) and which of the 3 above labels you’ve purchased.
If you are still using the LabelValue Veterinary Labels from our previous DYMO Integration with DYMO Web Connect Service, it is best to continue utilizing the integration until you’ve finished your stock of LabelValue Labels as these off-brand labels are still not compatible with the DYMO 550 model, and require a specialized custom page set up to use with our PDF Label Printing feature.
Printing Configuration Set Up
The initial set up is only needed once per computer, or can be applied by your IT department to your label printer shared across your network.
For Windows OS with DYMO/Zebra, or Mac OS with DYMO
- Download the latest printer driver for your printer model from either DYMO or Zebra and follow the software’s install instructions
- Insert your label paper into the printer
- For DYMO, orient the label roll so that its printing surface will face DOWN as it passes over the roller
- For Zebra, orient the label roll so that its printing surface will face UP as it passes over the roller
- If needed, configure your label printer settings to the below specifications depending on your type of label printer, labels, and operating system:
DYMO LabelWriter Name Badge Labels 30857 (2 1/4″ x 4″, 57mm x 104mm) – Compatible with both Zebra and DYMO printers.
- Size: width 2.25″ / 57mm & height 4” / 102mm
- DYMO System Page Size: 30857 Badge Label
- DYMO Chrome Page Size:
- For Windows: 30857 Badge Label
- For Mac: custom 54.02×100.84mm
- ZEBRA System Page Size: 2.25×4.00
- ZEBRA Chrome Page Size: 2.25×4.00
DYMO LabelWriter Shipping Labels 30323 (2 1/8″ x 4″, 59mm x 104mm) – Compatible with DYMO printers only.
- Size: width 2.125″ / 59mm & height 4″ / 102mm
- DYMO System Page Size: 30323 Shipping
- DYMO Chrome Page Size:
- Windows: 30323 Shipping
- Mac: custom 54.02×100.84mm
DYMO LabelWriter Large Shipping Labels 30256 (2 5/16″ x 4″, 59mm x 104mm) – Compatible with DYMO printers only.
- Size: width 2.3125 / 59mm & height 4” / 104mm
- DYMO System Page Size: 30857 Badge Label / Shipping Address
- DYMO Chrome Page Size:
- Windows: 30857 Badge Label / Shipping Address
- Mac: custom 58.76×101.6mm
For Mac OS with Zebra
How to Install your Zebra label printer on Mac
Printing a Label
When filling a Prescription or printing a Patient Label, clicking the corresponding button will initiate a PDF request in the bottom left hand corner.
Your computer’s default PDF viewer will automatically open. Clicking Print in your PDF viewer opens a print preview, allowing you to direct the label to be printed to the desired label printer on your network.
💡 Important Note: When you switch from one printer to another, your computer changes the default printer to the last printer you used. Please always double check your printer destination so as not to inadvertently print Chart documents or Invoices to your label printer.
Default Print Preview:
1. Select the label printer you want to print to
2. Paper Size: this is your label size
3. Layout: Portrait Orientation
4. Scale %: 100% or Actual Size. The goal is to not have the line borders print out on your label
Adobe Acrobat Reader Option:
- From Adobe Acrobat print dialog
- Select the label printer you want to print to
- Fit and Choose paper source by PDF page size selected in the Paper Sizing
- Select Auto or Portrait Orientation
- If this is not working, click the “Page Setup…” button and confirm that the options have the correct page size selected for your label.
During Print Preview, you may notice the label dimensions displayed along the top of the label to help remind you which paper size to select when printing. This text will not print out on your label.
Print Label Sheet (PDF)
If desired, you can also print a full label sheet on your laserjet printer using this Rx label sheet paper.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Please make sure the signalment for this patient is completely filled out (Age, Birth Date, Gender, Species, Breed). This can be edited by clicking Admin (calendar icon within left sidebar) and selecting the patient name under ‘Patient Registration’. If any signalment information is missing, the label will not print.
- If your label printer prints one or more blank labels before / after / in between correctly printed labels, or the labels to not align correctly (printing starts or stops in the middle of a label), press the feed button on the front of your printer. If it advances more than one label, or it does not advance a full label, then it is most likely caused by a label issue. In this case, please confirm that the labels have been loaded correctly and that you are also using genuine DYMO labels.
- Ensure your label printer is routinely cleaned per printer instructions, and that the internal ‘slider’ is situated correctly so multiple labels aren’t printing back to back. The below picture is an example of the slider on a DYMO brand printer:
- If labels are still misaligned, please recalibrate your printer to make sure it is aligning the labels properly. Also ensure the correct label paper size is selected when printing (the label dimensions are displayed along the top of the label).
Auto Calibrating a Zebra Printer:
- Open printer
- Move arrow to align with mark or gap on labels. The arrow needs to be aligned to the middle of the gap furthest to the left.
- Hold down Pause and Cancel buttons for 5 seconds
- Printer will spit out 2-3 labels while it calibrates.
- Printer is calibrated.
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