Fabrikatör's Label Printer turns a list of products into printable barcode labels. It works with Dymo LabelWriter, Zebra thermal printers, and any regular printer you already own (inkjet, laser, or a thermal printer without a dedicated integration).
This guide walks you through the whole flow, with extra detail on the printing step, since that's where most questions come up.
1. Two ways to start
a. Print directly from a purchase order (recommended)
Need barcode labels for the stock on a purchase order, to tag products as they arrive, speed up receiving, or get items shelf-ready? The Print barcodes button hands a PO's line items straight to the barcode printer, so you can generate printable labels in a couple of clicks. No exporting to a spreadsheet, no re-importing. And if you came from Stocky, it's the barcode printing you're used to, built right into your purchase orders.
Open the purchase order you want labels for. Any PO works: the button is on every purchase order's page.
In the actions card on the right, next to Share and Download, click Print barcodes.
The barcode printer opens in a new tab with the order's items already loaded.
You land on Step 2 (Configure), ready to design your labels.
Tip: the printer opens in a new browser tab. If nothing happens, check that your browser isn't blocking pop-ups for Fabrikatör, then click Print barcodes again.
What gets sent to the printer
Every line item on the purchase order is passed across, with the details you need to label it:
Product name
SKU
Barcode
Supplier SKU
Ordered quantity
Make sure your products have barcodes. Items without a barcode value still come through, but there's nothing to turn into a scannable barcode. Set the barcode on those products first if you need a label for them.
A secure, one-click handoff
Fabrikatör opens the barcode printer with a secure, one-time link rather than exposing your account, so there's no separate login to set up and nothing to copy across by hand.
The link works once and expires after 15 minutes, so it stays safe even if it's shared.
Need to open the printer again? Just click Print barcodes again. A fresh link is created each time.
If the link fails, you can also click Continue with manual upload to fall back to the manual option below.
Is the barcode printer part of Fabrikatör? It's a companion app that opens in its own tab at barcode-printer.fabrikator.io. Fabrikatör sends it your purchase order's items; you set up and print your labels there.
b. Upload or enter items manually
Open the Label Printer directly and either:
Upload a CSV or Excel file with your items, or
Type them in using the spreadsheet-style manual entry (Tab moves between cells, Enter commits the row).
You'll be asked to map columns (SKU, product name, quantity, price) so the app knows which column is which.
2. The 4-step wizard
Step 1: Upload Order
Get your items into the app: upload a file, enter them manually, or arrive pre-loaded from a Fabrikatör purchase order.
Step 2: Configure
Design your label:
Label size: pick a preset (e.g. Dymo 30336, 2" × 1", 2.25" × 1.25") or enter custom dimensions in millimeters.
Fields to show: SKU, product name, price, quantity, barcode, custom text. Toggle each on or off.
Field order: drag to reorder how they stack on the label.
Text sizes: set per field (S / M / L), plus a separate size for price.
Product name behavior: shrink to one line, shrink and wrap, or truncate with "…".
Barcode type: Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, QR, or Code 39.
Tip: when you pick the Dymo 30336 preset, the app applies a customer-tested set of defaults that fits SKU, name, and price nicely on the small multipurpose label.
Step 3: Preview
See exactly what a label will look like at true scale. The preview stays visible as you scroll and tweak, and updates immediately when you change any setting.
Step 4: Print
The big one. Full walkthrough below.
3. Step 4: Printing in depth
At the top-right of the card you'll see a toggle:
Print: send labels to a physical printer.
Download: save a PDF or CSV to print later or archive.
Below that you'll see three printer tiles: Dymo, Zebra, and Other. Each tile shows a status pill:
Ready: the printer service is running and a printer is available.
Not detected: the local service isn't running, or nothing is plugged in.
Loading: the app is checking. Give it a second.
Pick the tile that matches your setup.
3a. Dymo LabelWriter
What you need: Dymo Connect for Desktop installed and running on the same computer as your browser.
How to print:
Make sure Dymo Connect is running. The status pill on the Dymo tile should say Ready.
If you have several Dymos connected, choose the specific one from the dropdown.
Pick your label stock (30336 for the small multipurpose label, plus other common sizes).
Click Print to Dymo.
The app talks directly to Dymo Connect: no print dialog, no scaling surprises.
If Dymo doesn't show as Ready:
Open Dymo Connect and make sure it's actually running (check your menu bar or system tray).
Plug the printer in and turn it on.
Click Retry on the yellow banner in the app.
Still stuck? Click Troubleshoot. It walks through common fixes and shows a diagnostic log our support team can read.
Blank labels coming out? Usually a label stock mismatch. Make sure the roll loaded in the printer matches the stock you selected in the app.
3b. Zebra
What you need: Zebra Browser Print installed and running.
How to print:
Make sure Zebra Browser Print is running. The Zebra tile should say Ready.
Pick your label stock. The common ones are preset, including 2.25" × 1.25" (57 × 32 mm), 2" × 1", 3" × 2", 4" × 2", and 4" × 6" shipping.
Pick your printer resolution: 203 dpi (most common Zebra desktop printers) or 300 dpi. This has to match your actual printer, otherwise everything prints at the wrong size.
If you have several Zebras, pick the specific device.
Click Print to Zebra.
The app sends ZPL (Zebra's native format) straight to the printer.
"My labels print sideways / vertical across the label"
This is the most common Zebra issue we hear about. Try these in order:
Check the stock matches the roll. If your roll is 2.25" wide × 1.25" tall, make sure the app is set to 2.25" × 1.25", not 1.25" × 2.25". Swapping the two makes the printer treat the label as portrait instead of landscape.
Check the DPI setting. A 203 dpi setting on a 300 dpi printer (or vice versa) will scale things wrongly and can look rotated.
Do a test print from the Troubleshoot dialog. This bypasses your label design and prints a known-good pattern.
Still rotated after all that? Contact us via in app chat. Some Zebra models are set up in the driver to feed labels rotated, and we can add an orientation fix for your setup.
If Zebra doesn't show as Ready:
Open Zebra Browser Print and make sure it's running.
Some browsers block Browser Print until it's trusted. Browser Print's own settings page will walk you through allowing localhost.
Plug the printer in and turn it on.
Click Retry, then Troubleshoot if it doesn't come back.
3c. Other printers (browser print)
Use this option for any printer that isn't a Dymo or Zebra with the vendor service installed: regular inkjets and lasers, thermal printers with generic drivers, or Dymos/Zebras when you'd rather use the OS print dialog.
How to print:
Pick a stock preset or choose Custom and enter width × height in millimeters.
Decide if you need the Rotate 90° toggle (see below).
Click Print via browser. Your browser's standard print dialog opens.
In the dialog:
Set paper size to match your label (many drivers let you save a custom size).
Margins: None.
Scale: 100%. Never use "Fit to page", it will resize your barcodes.
Headers and footers: Off.
Print.
Once you've dialed it in, save the settings as a driver preset so you don't repeat this every time.
The Rotate 90° switch: when to use it
Some printer drivers assume portrait paper and rotate small labels sideways so they print vertically across the roll. If your preview looks right but the physical label comes out rotated, flip Rotate 90° on. That's exactly what it's there for.
3d. Download tab
Prefer to save a file and print later? Switch the toggle to Download:
PDF: a print-ready PDF. Choose between:
Grid layout: many labels per page on standard paper (A4 / Letter), useful for sticker sheets and inkjet/laser workflows. Pick how many labels per page.
Single label per page: one label sized to your exact label dimensions, ideal for feeding straight into a label printer's driver later.
CSV: export the mapped items (SKU, product name, quantity, price, currency) for use in other tools.
4. Common problems and quick fixes
Symptom | Try this |
Nothing happens when I click Print barcodes | Check that your browser isn't blocking pop-ups for Fabrikatör, then click the button again. |
Label prints sideways / vertical across the label | Zebra: check stock orientation and DPI. Other printers: turn on Rotate 90°. |
Barcode too small or cut off | Bigger label size, fewer visible fields, or change the overflow strategy in Step 2. |
No scannable barcode for some items | Those products have no barcode value in your catalog. Set a barcode on the product, then click Print barcodes again. |
Dymo / Zebra shows Not detected | Install and start the vendor service (Dymo Connect / Zebra Browser Print), plug in the printer, click Retry. |
Wrong price or currency on labels | Double-check column mapping on upload, or re-generate the link by clicking Print barcodes on the PO again. |
"Invalid or expired link" / the printer tab won't load anymore | The one-time link works once and expires after 15 minutes. Head back to the purchase order and click Print barcodes again to start fresh. |
Progress lost when you refresh | The app warns before you leave. Re-open the PO from Fabrikatör or re-upload your file. |
5. Keyboard tips
In the manual entry table (Step 1):
Tab: move to the next cell.
Enter: commit the current row and add another.
6. Getting more help
Something not covered here? Contact us via in app chat and include:
Which printer you're using (make and model).
Whether the preview looks correct.
A photo of the misprinted label if it's a print quality or orientation issue.
We'll get you sorted.