Avery Business Cards

[Daniel Shanahan]

I may be missing something, but it appears to me that FMP does not have an Avery Business Card template. The card I am using is 3 1/2" x 2" with 1/2" margin on four sides. I'm making a custom layout for the card but I have to tweak the body height of 2", otherwise I only get four rows instead of five (10 cards per sheet). I'm spending way too much time on something that should be standard. Surely, I'm missing something, no? Surely, there is an Avery Business Card template with these dimensions in FMP10 that works like a charm. Right?

[Peter (duksis3)]

This is -how to make layout.

-Make rectangle 3 1/2" x 2" - you can set exact dimensions via -Object info.

-Insert all fields you want in correct positions inside rectangle - you design your Business card.

-Group rectangle and fields (let's call it Card).

-Duplicate Card.

-Drag both Cards until they are side-by-side (overall width must be 7").

-Align top.

-Group both Cards (let's call it Card Group).

-Position Card group on the layout top - position they must be. This depend from paper size you use and printer. Card group top left corner position:

from left side: (paper width-3 1/2"x2)/2 for your card size

from top: (paper height-2"x5)/2 for your card size

-Duplicate Card group 4 times.

-Set one of duplicates in the bottom:

from left side: (paper width-3 1/2"x2)/2 for your card size

from bottom: (paper height-2"x5)/2 for your card size

-drag 3 Card groups in approx. positions they must be. Don't touch upper and lower Card group.

-Align all 5 Card groups Left.

-Distribute all 5 Card groups vertically.

-In Print setup choose printer you use - not "Any printer".

-Make a test print.

-Make corrections if necessary.

-If all is OK, Ungroup all, Remove all 10 rectangles.

Do you knew that today old sizes are not so popular? Due the fact that practically all valets today have pockets for Credit cards, also Business cards are made Credit card size - 85mmx55mm.

Question is - how do you manage to cut printed sheets? Cutting by hand - you can get mad to cut 10 or more sheets by ruler and knife. Some of more advanced like knife must be used. I use Caslon Ltd. offered equipment - and even make "small business" with Business cards and FM. }:(

[David McQueen]

Question is - how do you manage to cut printed sheets? Cutting by hand - you can get mad to cut 10 or more sheets by ruler and knife. Some of more advanced like knife must be used. I use Caslon Ltd. offered equipment - and even make "small business" with Business cards and FM.

Avery, and also the office supply discount houses, have card templates that are "break off". They work quite well.

The original question is sound. FM gives a multitude of Avery Templates for page setups. I just have not seen the business cards in them. I have hunted through. They could be hidden somewhere, on some obscure number. I am guessing ( and it is purely at guess) that there could be a licensing issue.

I was hoping there would be an answer here that I hae missed something.

[Peter (duksis3)]

I have used such offered business cards. They are to thin.

That men - no "respect".

When you buy these office supplies offered cards, on pack (in general) is instructions how to make layout.

Thats your choice-spend time to get template or make in several minutes.

[Daniel Shanahan]

This is -how to make layout.

-Make rectangle 3 1/2" x 2" - you can set exact dimensions via -Object info.

-Insert all fields you want in correct positions inside rectangle - you design your Business card.

-Group rectangle and fields (let's call it Card).

-Duplicate Card.

-Drag both Cards until they are side-by-side (overall width must be 7").

-Align top.

-Group both Cards (let's call it Card Group).

-Position Card group on the layout top - position they must be. This depend from paper size you use and printer. Card group top left corner position:

from left side: (paper width-3 1/2"x2)/2 for your card size

from top: (paper height-2"x5)/2 for your card size

-Duplicate Card group 4 times.

-Set one of duplicates in the bottom:

from left side: (paper width-3 1/2"x2)/2 for your card size

from bottom: (paper height-2"x5)/2 for your card size

-drag 3 Card groups in approx. positions they must be. Don't touch upper and lower Card group.

-Align all 5 Card groups Left.

-Distribute all 5 Card groups vertically.

-In Print setup choose printer you use - not "Any printer".

-Make a test print.

-Make corrections if necessary.

-If all is OK, Ungroup all, Remove all 10 rectangles.

This sure seems like a lot of work to produce an Avery template! I managed to get the correct size on a label sheet: Header = .125", Body = 2" x 3 1/2", no Footer. This was also a lot of work - trail and error.

The label is for a client. He is using it for something other than a business card. Now, I wonder if it is possible to print business cards back to back or two-sided. I will make that a separate post.

Thanks for the replies. If anyone else knows of an Avery template for business cards in FMP, please reply.

[Daniel Shanahan]

I must recant my previous post - although I am able to get ten cards/sheet with a header of .125" and a body of 2", there is a small but noticeable "creep" towards the bottom of the card. That is, with each successive row, the text on the card is lower than the previous row (though still within the confines of the card).

This creeping might not be terrible, except that the card my client is using has an inner, shaded rectangle. Given this backdrop, the creep is quite noticeable.

I did a little more research: Avery has quite a few labels that are 2" x 3 1/2", horizontal, and ten cards/page. They are:

27871, 27881, 27882, 28371, 28873, 28876, 28877, 5371, 5376, 5377, 5870, 5871, 5876, 5877, 5878, 5882, 5911, 8271, 8371, 8376, 8377, 8471, 8476, 8571, 8865, 8870, 8871, 8875, 8876, 8877, 8878, 8879

Reference:

Avery 2 x 3 1/2" Labels

Of these, only one is in FileMaker: 5371. When I create a new layout as a label and choose 5371, I get a format that only displays eight per page instead of ten. In other words, the measurements are incorrect.

There is also an Avery business card label that prints eight per page. This is 8373 and it too is in FileMaker. And, like 5371, when I create an Avery label layout in FileMaker using 8373, the template measurement is incorrect, returning six cards instead of eight.

Now, am I missing something? It seems that if the template is loaded in FileMaker, it should work without the need for adjustments.

I welcome any thoughts.

Thanks.

[comment]

When I create a new layout as a label and choose 5371, I get a format that only displays eight per page instead of ten.

Do you have the correct paper size selected in Page Setup?

[Daniel Shanahan]

Do you have the correct paper size selected in Page Setup?

I do. US Letter. Also, formatted for my printer (HP Deskjet D4200 series), though it is the same if I have "Any Printer" selected.

[comment]

Try reducing the bottom margin size (in Layout Setup > Printing), until there's enough room for the remaining row (ignore the warning).

[Daniel Shanahan]

Thanks, comment. I did as you suggested and the fifth row (using the 5371 template) appeared. Unfortunately, there is still the "creeping" behavior with each subsequent row.

A little more on the measurements: first, I changed the bottom margin from .56" to .25". This worked, but still had the creep. So, I decided to find the first measurement that would add all five rows. That is .50" (in other words, .51" will show only four rows). Unfortunately, this still has the creep.

Again, if I was using a plain white 2" x 3 1/2" card, I think this creep would be barely noticeable. As it is, I am using a card with a shaded rectangle which makes it easy to see the downward migration of text on each row.

Any other suggestions? I feel like this is so close! I told the client that another option is to export the data and use Word, Pages, or Writer (NeoOffice). However, it would be much more convenient to keep it in FileMaker.

Reference:

See the business card here

[comment]

If the text gets progressively lower with each row, then the body part of layout is too tall, compared to the physical labels.

[Oldfogey]

I've done a lot of work with labels/cards of all kinds of sizes. Only once have I ever found a standard FMP label layout work properly. I just use custom sizes all the time. Very little messing about required.

[comment]

I believe you can edit the label template (located in Extensions/Labels) - if you need it often.

[Oldfogey]

Thanks for that info, Comment.

Looks very interesting and I just wish I'd seen it a few years ago.

(Sorry about the delayed response; been sort of out of action.)

[Adan Daroski]

printer model- hp officejet 4215xi all in one avery 8873 clean edge business cards.

on the actual business cards they say to use template 8371. I don't know why because I have tried both templates and

neither one works. They both print the first card fine then gets worse with each card. I have calibrated the printer but no luck.

[Daniel Shanahan]

FileMaker, FileMaker, cur me vexas?

I thought the business card label was all set, but the client called and said it was not correct. I readjusted the dimensions to the following:

Header: 25 px

Body/Position/Bottom: 165 px

Body/Size/Height: 140 px

As a reminder, this is the Avery label 5371. See attached file.

5371_Avery_Label.fp7.zip

[dshore]

Did this exchange produce a satisfactory result/answer?

I have a database with 90 members and would like to produce a membership card to each member and hopefully produce a document that has a logo, the members name and an expiration date - state of 'being a member in good standing' as well.

[Daniel Shanahan]

Did this exchange produce a satisfactory result/answer?

I have a database with 90 members and would like to produce a membership card to each member and hopefully produce a document that has a logo, the members name and an expiration date - state of 'being a member in good standing' as well.

It worked fine during testing. I've not heard from the client, so I presume it is working properly in the production version. There is still a slight horizontal creep (up or down, I cannot remember), but it seems to work fine, nonetheless.

Also, remember, if your cards are printed front and back, you will need to account for an odd number of cards, otherwise the front and back will not match. I solved this by including a blank record which I call a "spacer."

Wishing you success!