In this article:
- Creating QR Labels
- Previewing Label PDF's in Your Browser
- Printing QR Labels
- Frequently Asked Questions
Labeling boxes manually is time-consuming, error-prone, and inefficient. Contents teams can prevent those problems by using QR codes to label and track boxes.
You can generate, print, and scan unique labels for every box on a pack-out—from the web app before the job, to the field app the moment packing starts.
Creating QR Labels
You can generate as many label sheets as you need, with multiple types of labels per job. Label design is flexible so the labels can be suited to your company's processes. *Label design is done inside Encircle; you do not need to use 3rd party printing templates or design softwares.
Creating Labels for One Job at a Time
- Open the job file and go to the Contents tab.
- Select QR Labels.
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Select a label size; we support Avery 5163 & 5164 labels, as well as thermal labels that are 4" x 2" and 4" x 6".
- Customize the label with tags, color coding, and text labels.
- Tags are often based on room or status, e.g, "kitchen", "to clean", "storage", "fragile", etc.
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Text labels most commonly include job details like address, job number, a place for initials, etc. This area will auto-populate with claim info.
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Use the preview area to see how your labels will look.
- Choose the number of sheets you wish to print. Avery labels are capped at 100 sheets per print, while thermal labels are capped at 1000 sheets per print.
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Click Export Label PDF. Please allow up to a minute for the PDF to generate; the more sheets you're printing, the longer it will take to generate.
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The file will automatically download to your computer's "Downloads" folder, or wherever you have your browser set to save downloads.
Creating Labels for Multiple Jobs at Once
If you want to generate labels for multiple jobs without opening each job file individually, you can do this in the org settings. *You will need admin permissions for this.
- Click the Settings icon ⚙️ in the left hand menu.
- Open the QR Labels tab.
- Select a Label Size.
- Add a custom Tag if desired.
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Enter a text label if desired. To bring in details from a job, click Copy Claim Info.
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Find the applicable job and click Select. This will associate this batch of labels with that Encircle job (labels can only be used
- Choose the number of sheets you wish to print. Avery labels are capped at 100 sheets per print, while thermal labels are capped at 1000 sheets per print.
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Click Export Label PDF. Please allow up to a minute for the PDF to generate; the more sheets you're printing, the longer it will take to generate.
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The file will automatically download to your computer's "Downloads" folder, or wherever you have your browser set to save downloads.
Previewing Label PDF's in Your Browser
If you have pop-ups enabled for Encircle, a preview of the PDF will open in a new tab of your browser window.
The first time you try generating a label PDF, the preview won't open if you have pop-ups disabled. You will likely need to allow pop-ups for Encircle, which you can do from the address bar or your browser settings.
Printing QR Labels
You can print labels with any standard or direct-thermal printer. Optimal printer settings will vary by model, so make sure to refer to the manufacturer's guidance on which label sheets are compatible, printer configuration, etc.
Avery's support center provides some general guidance, as well as printing recommendations for some common printer models.
Frequently Asked Questions
What printer types are supported?
Avery labels can be printed with any ink-jet or laser printer.
For thermal labels, you will need a direct thermal printer; these models apply heat directly to chemically treated, heat-sensitive paper, which turns black where heated. This is different than a thermal transfer printer, which is not supported. Encircle does not require a particular make or model. Just make sure that the printer can print labels that are 4" x 2" and 4" x 6".
Can I use generic labels?
For non-thermal printing, it is recommended to use brand-name Avery labels for the best experience.
For thermal printing, refer to the manufacturer's instructions regarding what labels are compatible. There are many are open-system printers (e.g., Zebra, Brother, Rollo, MUNBYN) that are compatible with generic direct thermal labels like these ones.
Can QR codes be re-used between claims?
No, they can only be used in one claim once in their lifetime. If a user scans a QR code that has already been used on another job, that box name is converted into a plain-text (manual) box label. When this happens, a warning will be visible from the Network Settings page.
QR code box labels are denoted with a QR icon. Plain-text box labels are denoted with a box icon.
What if we want to use manual box labels sometimes?
The majority of QR code steps are opt-in, meaning they should not disrupt for your workflow if or when you want to use manual box labels. QR codes are the default for box labels, but field users can select "add manually" when assigning an item to a box.
If you don't want to use QR codes at all, you can go into your user preferences and change the default behavior for box labels.
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