9" x 12" Envelopes

[SalesServiceGuy]

What is the best way to print on a 9" wide x 12" long envelope via the bypass? This size envelope allows you to insert standard 8.5" x 11" letter size sheets of paper inside. It is a very common envelope size in North America but Microsoft Word as recently as Office 365 does not list it as a standard envelope size.

I understand you can make a Custom paper size but the settings do not seem to stick in Word and you have to re -input the dimensions all of the time.

The usual way to print on envelopes is via the Mailings tab and select envelopes. This method does not allow my customer to print their company logo on the Return address so I am trying via the Page layout tab and experimenting with the 13" Legal (8.5" x 13") as it is the closest standard size that Microsoft offers.

I realize that you could print labels and attach them to 9" x 12" envelopes but the customer does not like this look.

Is there a better way?

[slimslob]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

Create and Customize Envelopes in Microsoft Word

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

I actually found this very same website before I created a thread on this forum. Thanks for your efforts.

The article does not provide any insight into how to import a customer logo into the return address area of the envelope.

Via the Page Layout method described above I was able to successfully import a logo and print a 13" Legal envelope but now the copier is expecting a second body page to be printed. I rechecked the envelope that I created and it is only a single page.

I can delete this second page via the Job Status button. I consider this to be a work around and not likely ideal to this high volume office.

I find it strange that Microsoft does not include this common 9" x 12" envelope size in their available choices. I have posted the same question on an official Microsoft Office 365 forum and will wait for their reply.

[slimslob]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

Searching "custom return address in word" found this. First part is the same then adds information for inserting your Logo. How to Put a Logo on an Envelope in Word | Chron.com

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

I resolved the issue. In my case, I am using a current model Toshiba e5005AC 50 cpm color copier with the latest Universal print driver.

The mistake that I made was that I went to Microsoft Word first and used their dialogue boxes to print on an envelope. This method works OK is you are using Envelope sizes already recognized by Microsoft like a #10.

What I should have done was to create the custom envelope size first in the Print Driver and gave it a unique name like 9 x 12 Envelopes.

Close Microsoft Word. Reopen Microsoft Word and go to Page Layout. Click on the Size icon and scroll down until you see 9 x 12 envelopes. Select.

Create your envelope with whatever graphics you want and select print.

Under Printer Properties, select your original paper size as 9 x 12 envelopes. Make Print Paper Size "same as original", select Bypass tray, select Thick 1 (the color graphics tended to break up when plain paper was selected as you are passing two sheets of paper through the fuser at the same time) and Landscape.

Print.

The output was perfect and the envelope did not crease or wrinkle plus the copier was not asking for another page.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

Searching "custom return address in word" found this. First part is the same then adds information for inserting your Logo. How to Put a Logo on an Envelope in Word | Chron.com

Thanks for looking for a solution!

[blackcat4866]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

Just as a side note: 9" x 12" envelope can be described as #10 1/2 Catalog Envelope. C4 Envelope is 9.02" x 12.76", kinda close.

Other paper sizes described as 9" x 12":
Arch A

Other close paper sizes:
RA4: 8.47 x 11.98
SRA4: 8.87 x 12.54

I'm entirely satisfied with your solution, but maybe you can skip the custom paper size aspects by picking a standard size. =^..^=

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

In my North American version of Word 2007, I do not have Arch A, RA4, #10 1//2 Envelope catalog and SRA4 listed in my drop down choices.

C4 is available and escaped my attention as it is described in metric. It looks to be a close approximation of 9" x 12". C4 is 229 mm x 324 mm where 9" x 12" is 229 mm x 305 mm.

I will test it on the weekend before my meeting with the customer on Monday AM.

Also, be sure the return address is not positioned in Word too close to the left side of the envelope. The copier might try and print over the flap which is the equivalent of three sheets of paper plus maybe a backing paper protecting the adhesive.

Thanks!

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

In another duh! moment,

Microsoft Word provides C4 envelope size (229 mm x 324 mm) to accommodate A4 paper size (210 mm x 297 mm).

LT size paper is 229 mm x 305 mm therefore you could print using the C4 envelope size without having to create a Custom paper size.

If by default Microsoft provides the A4/C4 combination it seems to be an oversight that they do not provide the LT/ 9 x 12 combination.

https://www.allcolourenvelopes.co.uk/info-help/envelope-size-guide.html

[blackcat4866]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

Unfortunately the Catalog Envelope sizes are not well known, and the US paper size standards aren't particularly consistent. But it sounds like the C4 could work for you.

The only reason I know about them is in assembling a spreadsheet of past and current paper size standards. The more I added, the more sizes there seem to be. My spreadsheet currently has 550 records (or 550 named sizes, some of which are the same size just different names, and some of which are different sizes but the same name). I can't explain the logic to this, and won't attempt to try to. =^..^=

[KenB]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

Hmmmm...C4.....Sounds like a good idea!

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

I have a couple of customers that still send out Xmas cards on all different odd sizes of paper with matching envelopes. I also have some other customers that use odd size pieces of paper as part of their internal procedures. A review of how to print on custom paper and envelope sizes is not a bad thing.

Sometimes their is some confusion between using Imperial and metric sizes to complete this task.

In Microsoft Word, usually at the very bottom of the first tab is "Word Options". Under Advanced, you half to scroll down to Display. Here under "Show measurement in units of:", you can change back and forth from Imperial to Metric.

[blackcat4866]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

Also probably not on your list:

Kiku (Japan): 8.94 x 12.05
E4 (Sweden): 8.622 x 12.205
11 or A5x2 or A4 (Soviet): 8.27 x 11.69
German Standard Fanfold: 8 1/2 x 12

Look for yourself:

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

One other hurdle I had to overcome, on my laptop, I have more than 10 different print drivers plus I have two copiers on the LAN.

It is not hard to imagine an office with a couple of printers, copiers and print drivers.

I went to test the 9 x 12 envelopes that I had created a custom paper size in my print driver but they would not appear in Word not matter what I did.

As it turns out my default printer is a different print driver than the one I was trying to print envelopes with.

Once I selected the correct print driver pointed at the correct copier, the custom envelope size showed up in my Page size options.

It took me half an hour to figure that one out.

[blackcat4866]

Re: 9" x 12" Envelopes

One other hurdle I had to overcome, on my laptop, I have more than 10 different print drivers plus I have two copiers on the LAN...

It's an occupational hazard. I had nearly 100 print drivers loaded to my old laptop (before Universal Drivers). I've only got 25 drivers on the new laptop, of which the Lexmark Universal driver makes a great short term driver to almost anything without department codes.