Document routing label layouts

This article describes how to create layouts for license plate, container, custom, and wave labels. It also provides guidelines for using the Zebra Programming Language (ZPL) used to create the layouts.

Document routing label layouts define the way that labels are laid out and the data that is printed on them. You configure the printing trigger points when you set up mobile device menu items and work templates.

The information in this article applies to all document routing label layouts, including the layouts for license plate labels, container labels, custom labels, and wave labels.

You can print highly complex labels, provided that the printing device can interpret the text that is sent to it. For example, a ZPL layout that includes a bar code might resemble the following example.

^XA~TA000~JSN^LT0^MNW^MTD^PON^PMN^LH0,0^JMA^PR2,2~SD15^JUS^LRN^CI0^XZ
^XA
^MMT
^PW320
^LL0160
^LS0
^FT20,58^A0N,28,28^FH\^FDLabel:^FS
^FT20,81^AAN,18,10^FH\^FD$LicensePlateId$^FS
^BY1,3,17^FT20,106^BCN,,Y,N,N,A
^FD$LicensePlateId$^FS
^PQ1,,,Y^XZ

As part of the label printing process, the text $LicensePlateId$ in this example will be replaced with a data value. Several widely available label generation tools can help you format the text for the label layout. Many of these tools support the $FieldName$ format. In addition, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management uses special formatting logic as part of the field mapping for the document routing layout.

To see the values that will be printed, go to Warehouse management > Enquiries and reports > License plate labels.

Turn this feature on or off

If your system doesn't already include the features described in this article, go to Feature management and turn on the Enhanced license plate label layouts feature. As of Supply Chain Management version 10.0.21, this feature is turned on by default. As of Supply Chain Management 10.0.25, this feature is mandatory and can't be turned off.

Custom number formats

You can customize the formatting of numerical field values that are printed by using codes that have the following format.

$FieldName:FormatString$

Here is an explanation of this format:

  • FieldName is the name of the data field (such as Qty).
  • FormatString defines how the data must be printed.

The following examples show how you can customize the work quantity (Qty) field:

  • To always show four digits (by using zeros as placeholders), use $Qty:0000$. For example, if the quantity is 10, the label will show "0010."
  • To always show two decimal places, use $Qty:0.00$. For example, if the quantity is 10, the label will show "10.00."

For a complete list of the available number format strings, see Custom numeric format strings.

Custom string formats

You can remove the first characters of a string by using the following field and format code.

$FieldName:#..$

Here, # specifies the number of characters to skip. For example, to print a Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) license plate number that doesn't include the first two characters, use $LicensePlateId:2..$. In this case, the license plate number 0011111111111222221 will be printed as "11111111111222221."

Custom date/time formats

The following example shows how you can control the format that is used to print dates.

$PrintedDate:dd-MM-yyyy$

In this example, the date April 30, 2020, will be printed as "30-04-2020."

For a complete list of the available date/time formats, see Custom date and time format strings.

If a data field contains multiple lines (that is, lines that are separated by line breaks), you can print an individual line by using the following format.

$FieldName[#]$

Here, # is the line number that you want to print. (Use 1 for the first line.)

For example, your system has an AdditionalAddress field that stores the following multiline address:

Contoso Inc.
123 Street Name
Some City, Some State

You can print this address, one line at a time, by using the following codes.

Code Text that is printed
$AdditionalAddress[1]$ Contoso Inc.
$AdditionalAddress[2]$ 123 Street Name
$AdditionalAddress[3]$ Some City, Some State

You can print from a display method by using the following format.

$DisplayMethod()$

You can combine this format with other types that were described earlier in this article. For example, you have a display method that is named DisplayListOfItemsNumbers(), and you want to print the first item number of this method. In this case, you can use the following code.

$DisplayListOfItemsNumbers()[1]$

For more information about how to set up and print labels, see the following articles: