Any company with physical products or assets needs to print labels. When faced with the goal, “I need to print labels,” most IT managers start by setting up a print station. A basic label print station includes a PC, label printing software, and a label printer. As the company grows, they may add more and more label print stations: more PCs, more software licenses, and more printers.
Another thing happens when companies grow: they introduce new varieties of their products and completely new product lines. Now they need to print different labels for these new products, so they create more and more label files.
Growing companies may add new locations. Now they need to print labels in different physical locations – sometimes around the world!
Companies should transition from a “label printing” mindset to a “label management” mindset as they grow. Staying in a “label printing” mindset inevitably leads to inefficient systems prone to errors.
The difference between label printing and label management
Both label printing and label management have the end goal of getting accurate labels printed. The difference is that label printing is solely focused on the end result, without regard for the steps that come before. Label management takes a more holistic view of the entire labeling process and related systems.
What do we mean by label printing?
When you’re solely focused on the end goal of getting a label printed, you end up with a label printing process like this:
- Users interact with label files: End users with varying levels of training are responsible for finding, opening, editing, and printing labels.
- Users interact with label software: End users have a wide array of features available and may make unintended changes to label files.
- Data is manually entered: End users enter print-time data directly on the label or via a print form.
- Print jobs triggered manually: End users click “Print” within the label software for every print job.
- Some automation: There may be elements of automation, such as print forms or database connections, but the process still needs an end user to act.
What do we mean by label management?
Label management introduces control above the end user level:
- Roles are separated: Only certain employees design labels, and only certain employees approve labels. Print users can only print pre-approved labels.
- Smart label templates are used: Labels of similar sizes and layouts are consolidated to a single label template with variable data.
- Printing is automated: Label print jobs are triggered automatically by actions in a business system, like a work order being sent to production.
- Everything is tracked: Label revisions, print jobs, and data are all tracked in a label audit system.
- Software is centrally managed: Label software access is managed from a central server (cloud or on-premises), reducing the need for local installations.
Risks of a “label printing” mindset
Many companies start with a “label printing” mindset, and it serves their needs in the beginning. Companies with one location, a few products, and no regulatory requirements can get away with simple label printing for a while.
As a company grows, adds locations, expands its product offerings, and enters new markets, the “label printing” mindset can get messy.
- Difficult to manage: Companies can end up managing many single-user licenses of labeling software. Separate licenses may be on different versions and likely have varied renewal dates. IT spends a lot of time managing local software installations.
- Errors: With manual data entry, labeling errors are not a matter of “if” but “when.”
- Waste from labeling errors
- Regulatory compliance violations
- Recalls
- Wasted time: Entering manual data onto labels at print time takes production floor workers’ attention away from their main responsibilities. Correcting labeling errors often requires unexpected time from multiple departments, resulting in production delays.
Benefits of a label management system
A label management system solves the problems with a simple “label printing” mindset and offers even more benefits.
- Centrally managed: All aspects of the label management system are managed from a central server by admins with elevated permissions. Admins control settings, configure workflows, and assign roles to end users.
- Eliminates manual errors: Variable data is pulled in from the business system. Manual touchpoints are eliminated, so errors are too.
- Efficient: Print jobs are triggered automatically by actions in the business system. The elimination of labeling errors saves resources across the company.
Choosing the best label management partner
The best label management partner meets your company where you are today:
- They should offer various licensing options to fit your budget: buy a perpetual license for a higher upfront cost and lower long-term support cost or buy a subscription license to spread the full cost out over time.
- The ideal vendor should not lock you into a specific hosting model, i.e. force you to use a cloud-based application.
- Look for universal, low-code label management integration options. When a vendor locks you into a custom-developed integration, you’ll keep paying for maintenance and upgrades. Universal, low-code integration works with any system and isn’t impacted by upgrades.
To help determine if label management is right for your business, talk to an expert. To read a real-world example of how shifting from a label printing mindset to a label management approach can benefit your company, download the case study.
