Purpose
Templates turn a one-off design into a repeatable asset. This guide shows how to create, save, organize, and reuse label templates and shared elements so every job starts from an approved, correct base — the right size, the right fields, the right brand.
A good template library is the single biggest time-saver for teams that print recurring labels.
1. When to make a template
Promote a design to a template as soon as you will use its structure again. Typical triggers:
- A label size / media you print regularly (per printer or per product line).
- A brand layout: logo position, fonts, colors, legal text block.
- A data-driven design with fixed merge fields (
${name},${sku}). - A compliance layout (food, cosmetic, medical) that must not drift.
2. Save a template
Design once, cleanly
Finalize size, margins, fonts, colors, and field placeholders. Remove test content.
File > Save as template
Save it into the template library rather than as a normal .rb3l job file.
Mark what is fixed
Lock brand elements (logo, legal block) so operators don't move them by accident.
Leave fields empty
Keep ${...} placeholders, not sample data, so each job binds its own source.
3. Organize the library
A library only helps if people can find the right template fast. Structure it deliberately.
- Group by use (product line, customer) or by media (roll size, sheet).
- Adopt a naming convention (see next section) — consistency beats folders.
- Keep one canonical template per case; archive the rest.
- Store shared assets (logos, symbol sets, color swatches) alongside templates.
4. Naming & versioning
| Element | Convention & example |
|---|---|
| Descriptive name | What it is, not a date: food-jar-99x57-roll. |
| Media in the name | Size and media prevent wrong-size prints: ...-99x57-roll, ...-A4-24up. |
| Version suffix | -v2, -v3 when the approved layout changes; keep the old one archived. |
| Status | Mark -draft vs approved so operators only use released templates. |
5. Reuse in a job
Start from the template
Create a new job from the library entry; the correct size, brand, and fields are already in place.
Bind the data
Connect the CSV/Excel/API source so the placeholders fill with this job's records.
Make local edits only
Change only what this job needs; leave locked brand/legal elements untouched.
Preflight & print
Validate and print as usual — the template guarantees the baseline is correct.
6. Shared / team libraries
For a team, put the library where everyone reads the same version:
- Keep the master library in a shared/synced location, not on one laptop.
- Assign an owner for approved compliance templates.
- Distribute updates as new versions; communicate what changed.
- Periodically prune drafts and superseded versions.
7. Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause & fix |
|---|---|
| Operators edit the master | They opened the template as a file. Always create a new job from it; lock brand elements. |
| Wrong size printed | Ambiguous name. Put media/size in the template name. |
| Old layout resurfaces | No versioning. Use -vN and archive superseded templates. |
| Logo looks different per label | Local logo copies. Reference a shared asset from the library. |