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8.04 Multiple Columns/Mailing Labels

Formatting with Multiple Columns/Mailing Labels

The default layout of a report is designed so that each detail record uses the entire width of the page and each row is printed one after the other. Sections aren’t designed to only use a partial page width. However, if you want to print mailing labels or a multi-column report, then you need to use sections that are small enough that they can be repeated across the page. Setting the Format With Multiple Columns option does just that.

The Format with Multiple Columns option is only available for the Details section. When selecting this option, a Layout tab appears in the dialog box. This tab lets you set the column width and spacing so that your information is put into multiple columns. You can also set whether the records go down the page first and then to the next column, or go across the page first before going down to the next row. Figure 8-6 shows the options on the Layout tab.



Figure 8-6. The Layout tab of the Section Editor.

The only problem with using the Layout tab is that it takes a little experimentation to get the formatting right. Precision is a necessity when printing labels and making a mailing list could take some work. You are much better off using the Mailing Label Report Wizard to create mailing labels. As Figure 8-7 shows, using the Mailing Label Report Wizard lets you pick from a list of standard Avery numbers for the label format.



Figure 8-7. The Mailing Labels Report Creation Wizard.

Most labels fit into one of the standard Avery formats and unless you are using a custom designed label, you can let Crystal Reports do all the work. This makes it easy to create mailing labels that are printer perfect the first time!

Notice in Figure 8-7 that nowhere on this dialog box is there a property that sets how many columns a report has. This is because Crystal Reports calculates how many columns there are by adding up the label width and label gap to see how many labels will fit. It puts as many labels as possible onto the page. As you adjust the label size, the Number Of Labels section in the bottom right-hand corner changes to tell you how many labels are on each page.

After you create a report using the Mailing Label Report Creation Wizard, you cannot go back to the wizard to change the label size. The Mailing Label Report Creation Wizard is only available when creating a new report. Modifying the label format requires using the Layout tab of the Section Expert.