Tutorials

How to Print Labels from Notion on Automation

A step-by-step guide to generating barcode labels, inventory tags, shipping labels, and cart labels on automation directly from Notion using PDFOutput — set it up once and let the system handle it forever.

By Sanat Biswal · 2026-06-06 · 14 min read

How to Print Labels from Notion on Automation

Printing labels in Notion can be a tedious process as it would require manually setting the label template each time with a barcode and other things necessary.

Ideally you will need to export the data and feed the data back to another labeling software which would help in printing labels with the desired formatting.

But in this guide, I will explain step-by-step how a label can be generated on automation using PDFOutput — which includes barcodes, inventory tags, and cart labels in use.

Let's understand what kinds of labels can we print using Notion.

What Are the Different Types of Labels You Can Print from Notion?

Notion can support creating any types of labels.

Some of the key categories of labels that can be printed include:

  • Product Labels — Product labels include fields such as:
    • - Brand name (logo used) - Product name & description - Ingredients (Materials used) - Net weight (Volume) - Manufacturing & expiry date - Batch (lot number) - Country of origin etc.
  • Shipping Labels — Shipping labels include fields such as:
    • - Sender name and address - Recipient name and address - Barcode / QR Code - Dimensions - Carrier type - Handling instructions - Return address etc.
  • Inventory Labels — Inventory labels can include fields such as:
    • - Asset ID (serial number) - Barcode (QR code) - Asset description (category) - Department (owner name) - Location (zone) - Purchase date - Condition status (e.g., Active, Under Repair) etc.
  • Cart Labels — Cart labels can include fields such as:
    • - Product name & SKU - Price (MRP / sale price) - Barcode (QR code) - Aisle location - Stock quantity - Offer info - Unit of measure (e.g., per kg, per piece) etc.
  • Medical Labels — Medical labels can include fields such as:
    • - Patient name & ID - Sample (specimen type) - Collection date & time - Doctor name - Barcode ID - Storage instructions - Expiry date (for medications) - Dosage instructions (for prescriptions) etc.
  • Safety Labels — Safety labels can include fields such as:
    • - Hazard Type - GHS Symbols - Signal Word - Precautionary Statement - Manufacturer Info - First aid instructions - Regulatory Standard reference etc.

    We will keep the discussion on Shipping and Logistics labels as it will cover all that you need to generate other types of labels as well.

    But before that, let's look at the prerequisites that are essential for generating labels on automation.

    What Are the Prerequisites to Create Labels on Automation in Notion?

    In order to start generating labels using Notion, we need to have the following 2 things set up beforehand:

    1. Shipping Labels Notion Database

    This is the most important thing to set up and understand properly before we start setting up the automation.

    There are 2 ways to keep track of the shipping labels:

    • Using one database to track everything.
    • Using multiple databases to keep track of everything.

      • > Note: We will see how we can set up the automation using either one database or multiple Notion databases to create shipping labels with ease (discussed below).

      Let's understand both approaches…

      Approach 1 → Using one database to keep track of everything

      In this approach, we create all the required fields for the Shipping Label under one database (e.g., Shipping_Labels).

      Typical fields include:

    • Sender name and address
    • Recipient name and address
    • Barcode / QR Code
    • Dimensions
    • Carrier type
    • Handling instructions
    • Return address

      • Approach 2 → Using multiple databases to keep track of everything

      In this scenario, we will create the Shipping Labels setup across 3 databases:

      Database 1 — Sender Database (DB_Sender)

      The first database contains all sender details:

    • Sender Name
    • Sender Address
    • Sender Contact
    • City
    • State
    • Postal
    • Country
    • Labels Property (Relation property connected to Labels Database)

      • Database 2 — Recipient Database (DB_Recipient)

      The second database contains all recipient details:

    • Recipient Name
    • Recipient Address
    • Recipient Contact
    • City
    • State
    • Postal
    • Country
    • Labels Property (Relation property connected to Labels Database)

      • Database 3 — Labels Database (DB_Labels)

    • Tracking Number
    • Recipient Name (Relation property connected to Recipient Database)
    • Sender Name (Relation property connected to Sender Database)
    • Weight
    • Dimensions
    • Carrier
    • Handling Instructions
    • Return Address
    • Barcode (Image property)

      • 2. Preparing the Shipping Labels Template

      In this step, we will create and prepare a Shipping Labels Template which we can use to print the labels.

      For this demonstration, I have prepared 2 shipping templates to showcase how dynamic PDFOutput is when producing shipping labels using multiple templates.

      Shipping Label (Version 1)

      In this version, the Tracking Number and the Barcode are horizontally placed side by side at the top.

      !Shipping Label Version 1 Template

      Shipping Label (Version 2)

      In this version of the Shipping Label, the Tracking Number and the Barcode are placed one below the other in the format.

      !Shipping Label Version 2 Template

      > Note: The template for Shipping Labels is available for use at PDFOutput. You can duplicate the template to get started.

      How to Automate Shipping Label Generation Using PDFOutput

      In order to set up the automation in Notion for generating shipping labels, follow the steps below:

    • Connecting the Notion Database
    • Connecting the Template Source
    • Mapping Properties to the Template
    • Generating Labels on Automation

      • Step 1: Connecting the Notion Database

      Sign in to PDFOutput and click on New Automation (as shown below).

      !Creating a New Automation in PDFOutput

      Enter the automation name, e.g., Shipping Automation, and then click on the Create button (as shown below).

      !Naming the Automation

      Click on Connect Notion to connect your Notion account and add a Notion Database.

      !Connect Notion button

      Click on Select Pages to be able to select the Notion Database which you want to connect.

      !Select Pages option

      Now here comes the part where you connect the database in the right manner.

    • Under Approach 1 (single database), you will be required to connect only 1 database which has all the details.
    • Under Approach 2 (multiple databases), you will be required to connect multiple databases containing all the relevant details.

      • Single Database Approach

      !Single database selection screen

      Once you click on Allow Access, it will provide access to the database which can be used further for the automation process.

      Click on Change Notion Database and then search for the Shipping_Labels database in the selection window.

      !Searching for Shipping_Labels database

      Click on Next once the database is loaded to proceed to Step 2: Connecting Template File.

      !Proceeding to next step

      Multiple Databases Approach

      !Multiple database connection screen

      Click on Change Notion Database and then search for the Labels_Dashboard database in the selection window.

      !Searching for Labels_Dashboard database

      Once you click on Labels_Dashboard, it will also load the connected properties for Recipient_Dashboard and Sender_Dashboard — containing all the recipient and sender details.

      !Labels Dashboard with connected databases loaded

      Now that the databases are connected as required, let's proceed to connecting the template source.

      Step 2: Connecting the Template Source

      !Template source connection options

      There are several ways to connect the template source (as shown above):

    • Google Document
    • Word File
    • PDF File
    • Google Slides (for presentations)

      • In this step, we will proceed with setting up a Google Document as our template source.

      !Google Document template source selected

      Click on Select Document and it will allow you to choose a document from a list of options (as shown below):

      !Document selection options

    • Select Existing Document — If you already have a predefined template
    • Create Blank Document — If you want to start from a new blank document
    • Add Demo Document — Ideal for testing purposes, which adds the placeholders quickly
    • Select from Templates — Choose from a list of available templates

      • We will go with the last option: Select from Templates…

      !Selecting from Templates option

      Search for Shipping Label and it will show the template. Click on Use Template to create a copy and start using it.

      Click on Continue to Workflow to proceed to the Workflow tab.

      !Continue to Workflow button

      This brings us to the last step in the automation chain — mapping properties of the Notion Database to the template source.

      Step 3: Mapping Properties to the Template

      In this step, we will map the properties of the connected Notion Database onto the template source (Google Document) and set up the automation to run forever, continuously generating labels as PDFs.

      To map the properties, simply click on Copy and use Ctrl + V / Cmd + V to paste the properties onto the document.

      !Mapping properties from Notion to the template

      The mapping depends on whether you are using the single database or multiple database approach.

      Single Database Approach

      Under this approach, all properties connected to a single database are readily available, making it easy to add them directly onto the Google Document.

      !Single database properties panel

      In this way, you can simply copy and paste all the properties onto the document one by one to create the desired template.

      Once all the properties are mapped onto the document correctly, it's time to set up the automation to run.

      !Automation ready to be set up

      Click on Setup Notion Automation to activate and set up the automation (as shown below).

      !Setup Notion Automation button

      Once it's clicked, you can now start generating label PDFs directly within the Notion Database.

      Multiple Database Approach

      Under this approach, properties from all connected databases — such as Recipient_Dashboard and Sender_Dashboard — are displayed under one unified layout, which can be mapped directly onto the Google Document.

      A key difference between the multiple databases approach and the single database approach is that under multiple databases, the properties are pulled directly from the connected databases such as Recipient_Dashboard and Sender_Dashboard onto the document.

      This brings more power and control when setting up the correct properties to be placed into the document to be generated as PDFs.

      Step 4: Generating Labels on Automation from Notion Database

      Once the setup is complete, head back to the Notion Database and set your records to Ready to Generate — the automation will take care of the rest.

      Additional Options in PDFOutput

      Here are a few additional settings available in PDFOutput to enhance your label generation workflow:

      1. Preview Document

      !Preview Document button

      If you want to see a preview of the document after automation replaces the fields, click on the Preview Document button to see a live preview of the generated label.

      !Preview output result

      Once the preview is created, click on Edit Document to return back to the document in editor mode.

      2. Download PDFs

      !Download PDFs option

      Download PDFs has 2 options:

    • Download 3 PDFs — Produces 3 PDFs quickly, saves them onto the Notion Database and Downloads folder.
    • Download All PDFs — Produces PDFs in batches of 100 files at once.

      • 3. Google Drive Folder

      Allows you to save your PDFs onto a Google Drive Folder automatically.

      !Google Drive Folder integration

      4. PDF File Name

      Allows you to define the PDF file name by choosing a particular column from the available options — great for naming labels by Tracking Number, SKU, or any other field.

      Stop Printing Labels Manually — Let Automation Handle It

      Printing labels manually from Notion is time-consuming and error-prone — especially when you're dealing with barcodes, tracking numbers, and multi-database data like sender and recipient details.

      With PDFOutput, you set up the automation once and it handles everything automatically:

    • Fetches data directly from your Notion database (single or multi-database)
    • Populates the label template with barcodes, QR codes, and all required fields
    • Generates print-ready PDF labels on demand
    Whether you're printing shipping labels, inventory tags, cart labels, or product labels, PDFOutput gives you the flexibility and control to produce professional-grade labels at scale — directly from Notion.

    Ready to get started? Sign in to PDFOutput and generate your first batch of labels today.

    FAQs on Printing Labels from Notion with PDFOutput

    Can I print any type of label using Notion and PDFOutput?

    Yes. PDFOutput supports generating any type of label — including shipping labels, inventory labels, cart labels, product labels, medical labels, and safety labels — as long as the required data is stored in your Notion database.

    Do I need coding knowledge to set up label automation?

    No. PDFOutput is a no-code automation platform. Setting up label generation only involves connecting your Notion database, selecting a label template, and mapping fields using copy and paste.

    Can I use barcodes or QR codes in my labels?

    Yes. PDFOutput supports barcode and QR code fields. If your Notion database has an image property containing a barcode or QR code image, you can map it to your label template using the image placeholder format {{fieldname}}_{{width*height}}.

    Can I generate labels in bulk?

    Yes. Use the Download All PDFs option or Batch PDFs to generate labels in batches of 100 at a time directly within your Notion database.

    Can I use multiple label templates on the same Notion database?

    Yes. You can create multiple automations — each with a different label template — connected to the same Notion database. Select the appropriate template from the Choose Document field in your database to generate the corresponding label type.

    Can I save generated labels to Google Drive?

    Yes. PDFOutput supports automatic saving of generated label PDFs to a specified Google Drive folder, in addition to storing them in your Notion database.

    Ready to automate your label printing from Notion? Get started for free and create your first label automation in minutes.