6Data Management β Feeding Data to Labels
If you need to print many labels with different content (e.g. 1000 different product names), you don't need to manually type 1000 times β just prepare a data source and let the label read it automatically.
6.1 What Is a Data Source?
A data source is where your data comes from. It can be:
- Excel file (.xlsx / .xls) β most common, simple and convenient
- CSV file (comma-separated text) β common export format from many systems
- Database (SQL Server / MySQL / PostgreSQL / SQLite / Access / Oracle) β enterprise use
- QIF file β financial data import format
6.2 Importing from Excel/CSV (Most Common)
Suppose you have an Excel spreadsheet with two columns: Product Name and Price. You want labels to show this data.
Prepare your Excel file. The first row should be column headers (e.g. "Product Name", "Price"), data starts from row 2.
In the software, go to Data β Import Excel/CSV.
In the dialog, click "Select File" and pick your Excel file.
Configure import parameters:
- If Excel (.xlsx), select the worksheet (Sheet1, Sheet2...)
- If CSV, choose the delimiter (usually comma, sometimes tab or semicolon)
- Check "First row as column headers" (strongly recommended)
- Set Data start row (usually row 2 since row 1 is headers)
Click "Preview" to see the data table β confirm it looks correct.
Click "OK" to import. Now you can bind label components to this data.
π‘ Tip: After importing, go to Data β Data Source Panel to view the imported data, browse records, and refresh.
6.3 Connecting to a Database
If you're using an enterprise database (e.g. SQL Server on a corporate server):
Go to Data β Database Connection.
Select the database type (e.g. MySQL, SQL Server).
Fill in connection details:
- Server: IP or hostname of the database server
- Port: Default 3306 (MySQL) or 1433 (SQL Server)
- Database name: Which database to connect to
- Username / Password: Login credentials
Click "Test Connection". If it says "Connection successful", the settings are correct.
Click "OK" to save. Then choose a table or write a SQL query to retrieve data.
6.4 QIF File Import
QIF is a data exchange format commonly used in financial software. If your bank or financial system exports QIF files, you can import them directly.
- Automatically parses transaction records (date, amount, description, etc.)
- Fields auto-map to label components
- Preview before confirming
6.5 Variable Management
Variables are "built-in values" you can use directly in labels without external import:
- System variables: Current page number ({page}), total pages ({total_pages}), current date/time ({date}), file name ({file_name}), etc.
- User-defined variables: Create your own, e.g. {company_name} = "Abiao Technology Co., Ltd." β reference it in any label
- Sequence variables: Auto-increment during printing, e.g. serial numbers 0001, 0002, 0003β¦