Importing data

AzureLabel allows you to import data from various sources and use this data when printing labels. Imported data can be linked to label elements so that printed labels display values from the imported data.

This makes it possible to print labels with dynamic content, such as different product names, prices, barcodes, or other fields. Depending on your print settings, a single data record can produce multiple printed labels, including multiple labels for each design that belongs to the label.

AzureLabel supports importing and combining data from multiple sources using different import schemes.

Import settings

1. Open the import settings.

   

2. Add a data source.

   

3. Select the source type and, if necessary, specify the source name.

   

4. Set up a connection to the source and configure how data is read.

   

5. On the Data Fields tab, read the data fields from the source 1 and make additional settings for data fields 2 if necessary.

   

   If necessary, remove unnecessary data fields and/or add additional data fields, which, for example, will be calculated.

   If the data field contains the number of labels to be printed, mark this with the corresponding checkbox.

   If the data field contains barcodes, mark this with the corresponding checkbox.

6. Optionally, configure the data processing that occurs after the data is read from the source.

   

7. Optionally, configure how the imported data is added to the Label Print Data.

   

8. Click OK.

Example: setting up data import from an Excel file

In this example, we will use the example file included with the program. The first line of the file contains the column names. Your file may be different, for example, it may not contain column names or may use different column names.

1. Click the Import Settings button.

   

2. Select Add new settings. If this window does not appear, skip this step.

   

3. Go to the Connection tab and select your Excel file.

   

4. Go to the Reading tab and specify the row number that contains the column names. In our case, this is the first line.

   If your table does not contain column names, set this value to 0.

   

5. Go to the Data Fields tab and click Read data fields from source.

   

   The column names will appear in the list.

   

   If you do not want to import some columns, you can remove them from this list.

   

6. Test the import by clicking on Test Import.

   

7. Click OK.

Importing data from multiple sources

In the Multisource Configuration section, you can select and configure different data import scenarios:

1. Import from all sources. All data sources will be imported sequentially.
   All distinct data fields from all sources are combined into a single table structure.
   Records from each source are appended as rows. If a source does not contain a particular field, the corresponding value is left empty.
2. The first source is related to the other sources. You can choose how the first source is linked to and affects the other sources.

   

   • Filter
   • Left join
   • Join
   • Right join
   More details are provided below.
3. Import from a user-selected source. Before importing, a dialog box appears that allows the user to select the source.

The first source is related to the other sources

We will describe various scenarios with examples. Suppose you have two data sources:

1. The first data source contains barcodes and website links.

   

2. The second data source contains barcodes and item details.

   

Set up import settings for each source, then connect the first source to the second one using the Barcode field.

Now, when importing data, the relationship between sources will be taken into account.

Filter

From the second source, only records whose barcodes are present in the first source (filter) will be imported.

Left join

All data will be imported from the first source. The imported records will then be expanded with data from the second source if the barcodes match.

Join

Data will be imported from the first source and expanded with data from the second source where barcodes match.
Records without matching barcodes will be excluded from the final result.

Right join

All data will be imported from the second source. The imported records will then be expanded with data from the first source if the barcodes match.