How to Create a Postal Bar Code

Several approaches to creating the United States Postal Service POSTNET bar code are available for users of Microsoft Word. Use the Mail Merge Wizard to automatically add postal bar codes to letters and labels. The "Letters and Mailings" tool will add a postal bar code to an envelope or label if you check the "Delivery point bar code" box. The following steps are options for manually building postal bar codes in Microsoft Word Professional 2003 by typing Zip Code information into bar code fields.

Things You'll Need

• Blank envelopes or labels

Instructions

Manual Bar Code: Option 1

1. Choose "Tools, Letters and Mailings" and then "Envelopes and Labels" on the "Standard" toolbar. Select the "Labels" tab, then "Options." Under "Product number," choose from the "Options" list an address label at least 1.33 inches high and 4 inches wide. Click "OK."

2. Click "New Document." Click inside the first label. Choose "Insert" on the Standard toolbar. Click "Field" then select "BarCode." Click "Field Codes" then check "Barcode is a US Zip Code."

3. Type the full Zip Code from the first address on your list. Click "OK." After the bar code press "Enter" then type the full address including the Zip Code. Follow the same steps for each address label.

Manual Bar Code: Option 2

1. Click "Insert" then click "Field." In the "Field" window under "Categories" select "Numbering."
   Click "BarCode" after "Description." Click "Field Codes."

   After "BARCODE," type: \u "LiteralAddress". (The Literal Address is the actual Zip Code in the delivery point address ["00000-0000" or "00000"] including the quotation marks.) Click "OK."

   If the physical bar code appears, hold down the "Alt" key then press "F9" to show the field code. Copy the field code then paste it into the second label.

2. Click inside the next label then press either "F4," "Ctrl V," or use the "Paste" icon. Continue to move through the labels pasting the field code until it appears in all of the labels.

3. Type the delivery point addresses, complete with Zip Codes. Enter "Ctrl G." In the "Find and Replace" window click "Find." In the "Find what" window type the Zip Code you initially entered to build the field code. Click "Find Next" then click "Replace." At "Replace with" type the Zip Code for the new address.

4. After all Zip Codes have been updated using "Find and Replace," hold down the "Alt" key and press "F9." The correct bar codes for each address will show above the recipient names.

Tips & Warnings

• Wording and steps may vary depending on the edition of Microsoft Word used. Word 2003 Professional Edition was used in the preceding postal barcode setups.

References

• Troubleshoot Envelopes and Labels