Print Label Designer 1.1: better WooCommerce labels and printer calibration

WooCommerce labels have two jobs: show the right order data and land in the right place on the paper. A reusable template helps with the first. Calibration, readable text and a clear view of background jobs help with the second.

I have released DawsonyWeb Print Label Designer 1.1.0 with new controls for both sides of that workflow. Free gains printer calibration, text fitting, element locks, improved alignment and whole-template copies. Pro adds better queue visibility, separate failure filters and safer rule copies.

A WooCommerce label designer that generates PDFs on your site

Print Label Designer lets you build custom labels using WooCommerce order, shipping, customer and product data. You can add text, images, shapes, barcodes and QR codes, then generate a PDF manually in the free plugin.

Templates can produce labels per order, line item or quantity, on single labels or arranged sheets. Pro adds generation from order events, background jobs, private document history and dedicated email or manual print workflows.

This is for custom labels and documents. It does not buy postage or produce a carrier-approved shipping label by itself. PDF generation also does not mean a physical label has been printed: direct printer transport is not included.

Printer calibration for label sheets and custom stock

If a label prints at the wrong size, first check the PDF page dimensions, the paper selected in the printer driver and whether the print dialog is scaling the document. Print at actual size or 100 percent. An offset can correct positioning, but it cannot correct a driver shrinking the entire page.

Version 1.1 adds a calibration PDF containing stock outlines, offset crosshairs and 10 mm markers. It contains no customer data, so you can test placement on plain paper before using label stock.

Horizontal and vertical printer offsets let you move the artwork without changing the stock positions. Positive X moves right and positive Y moves down. Compare the plain-paper test against the real sheet or roll, then check a printed barcode with the scanner you actually use. The stock and calibration guide explains these controls.

Shrink-to-fit text for longer WooCommerce values

A template that looks tidy with a short product name can fail when a longer name reaches the packing desk. Addresses, product options and reference numbers also vary. I would test the longest plausible values before using a template for live dispatch.

The new Shrink to fit option reduces text size within its box down to the minimum size you choose. Keep font size remains the default. If the text still cannot fit at the minimum, PDF generation stops with an error rather than silently promising readable output.

Use a minimum that remains useful on the printed label. Making every field smaller is not a substitute for giving important information enough space. Check the final PDF and a physical sample, including any machine-readable codes.

Lock important elements and copy a complete design

Element locks protect a selected element's position, dimensions and removal until you unlock it. That is helpful once a logo or barcode has been placed correctly and you are adjusting the surrounding text.

Rotation-aware alignment improves edge and centre positioning for rotated elements. Whole-template duplication creates an independent copy of an existing design, so a new stock size or product variation does not need to start from an empty canvas.

I would keep a checked base template, copy it for the new use and name the variation clearly. These are layout controls, not a replacement for staff permissions or a review of the final printed label.

Build and check your first WooCommerce labelThe designer, live WooCommerce fields, manual PDFs and new calibration tools are included in Free.
Get Print Label Designer FreeRead the setup guide

Pro: see which part of the label workflow failed

A background job can fail while generating a PDF, or generate successfully and then fail while sending an email or performing an output action. Those are different problems and should not be treated as the same state.

Print Label Designer Pro 1.1 adds dashboard job counts and separate Generation failed and Output action failed filters. A ready PDF with a failed email action remains downloadable. The Documents and Print queue screens also have independent pagination, making larger histories easier to work through.

This gives staff a clearer route to the item that needs attention. It still does not prove email delivery or physical printing. Check those outcomes separately, and avoid repeatedly sending a message when its previous delivery outcome is uncertain.

Pro: copy rules without immediately enabling them

Rule duplication creates a disabled copy, so you can adjust the conditions and selected template before switching it on. The rule editor also uses the WooCommerce statuses available in your store.

Start with one clear event and a small set of test orders. Check that the rule matches the intended orders, that the generated PDF contains the correct data and that any configured email reaches the intended test mailbox. If jobs do not run, inspect Scheduled Actions and the site's cron setup rather than assuming the printer is at fault.

What is included in Free and what needs Pro?

• Free: the visual designer, WooCommerce bindings, barcodes and QR codes, sheet layouts, manual PDFs, calibration, text fitting, element locks, alignment and template copies.
• Pro: order-event automation, background PDF generation, private document history, dedicated email and manual print workflows, queue counts, failure filters, pagination and rule copies.

PDF generation runs on your WordPress server. Templates need appropriate data bindings and a valid barcode value where a code is used. A particular carrier, printer or third-party field extension still needs its own checks.

Updating the label plugin to 1.1.0

Back up your database and plugin files, update Free to 1.1.0 first, then update Pro. The plugin requires WooCommerce, WordPress 6.8 or later and PHP 8.1 or later. Follow the installation guide, especially if you are moving from the earlier Dawsony Label Studio package.

After updating, open a saved template, generate a sample PDF and print one label at actual size. Test automation separately before enabling it for customer orders. That is more useful than discovering a long address or an incorrect printer setting during a busy dispatch session.

Need labels that fit your order workflow?Try the plugin or tell me what your packing desk needs to produce. I also build custom WooCommerce workflows when an existing plugin only covers part of the job.
Compare Free and ProScope a WooCommerce workflow