Industry Trends

The Avery 5167 & 18660 Template Checklist: How to Avoid My $450 Mailing Mistake

If you're about to print a batch of mailing labels using Avery 5167 or 18660 templates, stop. Seriously, pause for a second. I'm a marketing coordinator handling our company's print and promo orders for the last six years. I've personally made (and documented) a dozen significant mistakes, totaling roughly $2,100 in wasted budget. The worst one? A botched 5167 label run that cost us $450 and a week's delay on a direct mail campaign. Now I maintain our team's checklist to prevent others from repeating my errors. This guide is that checklist.

This is for anyone—office managers, small biz owners, e-commerce sellers—who needs to print these specific labels without the headache. It's a no-fluff, step-by-step walkthrough. There are 5 key steps, and I'll warn you now: most people skip Step 3, which is exactly where things go wrong.

Step 1: Confirm You're Using the Right Template for Your Product

This sounds obvious, but it's the most common starting point failure. The numbers 5167 and 18660 refer to specific, physical label sheets with precise dimensions and layouts. Grabbing the wrong template file is a one-way ticket to misaligned prints.

What to Do:

• Check the box. Literally. Find the product number on your Avery label package. It should say "5167" or "18660" clearly. Don't guess based on the sheet size alone.
• Know the difference. Both are for 1" x 2-5/8" labels (like address labels), but they have different sheet layouts. The 5167 has 30 labels per sheet (6 columns x 5 rows). The 18660 has 80 labels per sheet (4 columns x 20 rows). Using a 5167 template on an 18660 sheet means your print will be wildly off.
• Download the official template. Go directly to the Avery website (avery.com/templates) or use the built-in templates in your software (see Step 2). Don't use a template your colleague emailed you in 2019—standards can update.

I once ordered 500 sheets of 18660 labels but used a 5167 template I had saved on my desktop. The result? Every single address was printed in the wrong spot, rendering all 500 sheets useless. That was $450 straight to the recycling bin. Lesson learned: always verify the product number against the template name.

Step 2: Choose and Set Up Your Software Correctly

Your software choice dictates your setup process. Avery templates are widely compatible, but "compatible" doesn't mean "automatically perfect." You have to guide it.

Option A: Using Microsoft Word or Google Docs (The Built-in Wizard)

• In Word: Go to Mailings > Labels > Options. Select "Avery US Letter" as the vendor, then scroll to find either "5167" or "18660." Click OK, then click "New Document." This creates a perfect table grid.
• In Google Docs: Click Add-ons > Get add-ons and search for "Avery Label Merge." Install it, then use it to select your template. This is way more reliable than trying to import a .DOCX file.

"According to Avery's official support pages, using the built-in template wizard in Word or the official Google Docs add-on eliminates 95% of alignment issues caused by manual setup."

Option B: Using Design Software (Like Canva or Adobe)

Here's where the boundary of expertise comes in. Avery provides templates for these programs, but the setup is more manual. I'd rather work with a tool that's designed for the job than fight with one that isn't.

• Download the PDF template from Avery.com for your specific product (5167 or 18660). This PDF acts as a guide layer.
• Import this PDF into your design file as a bottom layer. Set the opacity to 50% and lock the layer. Design your labels within the outlined boxes.
• Before printing, turn off or delete the guide layer. Printing with it on is a classic, embarrassing mistake.

Step 3: The Critical Pre-Print Preview & Printer Settings Check

This is the step everyone skips because they're in a hurry. Hitting "Print" without this check is how my $450 mistake happened. You must preview at the actual size (100%).

The Checklist:

1. Zoom to 100% in your PDF or document viewer. Can you clearly see the dotted template lines around each label? If not, your scaling is wrong.
2. Check your printer dialog box settings.
   • Paper Size: Must be "Letter" or "8.5 x 11."
   • Scaling: Must be set to "None" or "Actual Size." "Fit to Page" will ruin everything.
   • Paper Type: Select "Labels" or "Card Stock." This adjusts the print speed and heat, preventing smudging.
3. Do a single-sheet test print on plain paper. Hold the test print behind a blank label sheet up to a light or window. Do the boxes align perfectly? If yes, proceed. If no, go back to Step 2.

Honestly, I'm not sure why printer drivers sometimes default to "Fit to Page." My best guess is it's a legacy setting for web pages. But for labels, it's a total deal-breaker. This check takes 90 seconds and saves you from wasting an entire box of labels.

Step 4: Aligning and Feeding the Label Sheets

Even with a perfect digital setup, physical printer feed can cause slight shifts. This is about mechanics.

• Use the manual feed tray if your printer has one. It's more precise than the main tray. Load only a few sheets at a time to prevent jams.
• Check the paper guides. The stack of label sheets should be snug against the guide, but not so tight that it bows the sheets. A loose guide causes skewing.
• Print a sample run of 2-3 sheets first. Check the alignment on the second and third sheet. Sometimes, feeding can cause a gradual drift. If you see it, stop and realign the stack in the tray.

Step 5: Final Verification Before Mass Production

You've done a test sheet. It looks good. Now, before you print all 50 sheets for your mailing, do this final verification.

• Check the top, bottom, left, and right margins on your test sheet. Is any text or border dangerously close to the edge of the label? Remember, most printers have an unprintable margin (usually 0.1-0.2 inches).
• Verify the most important info. For address labels, that's the postal code and address line. For name badges, it's the name. A typo here is just as bad as a misalignment.
• Peel a test label. Does it come off the backing cleanly? Does the adhesive feel right? Is the print smudged? This is your last chance to catch a problem with ink saturation or paper type.

Common Pitfalls & Final Reminders

Even after following this checklist, I sometimes second-guess myself. What if the printer grabs the sheet funny? The few minutes until the first clean sheet emerges are always a bit stressful. Here's what else to watch for:

• Template Version Drift: Software updates can change how templates render. The process I outlined was accurate as of January 2025. Software changes fast, so if something looks off, re-download the template from Avery's site.
• Bleeds Aren't Usually Needed: For standard address labels with white borders, you don't need to design with bleeds (color extending to the edge). That's for full-bleed labels, which are a different product. Don't overcomplicate it.
• Inkjet vs. Laser: Use labels made for your printer type. Laser labels on an inkjet printer (or vice versa) can cause melting, smudging, or jamming. It's a red flag if the packaging doesn't specify.
• Bottom line: Printing labels is simple, but it's not forgiving. Rushing any of these steps is a gamble. Using this checklist, we've caught 31 potential errors in the past year. It's a five-minute routine that saves money, time, and a whole lot of frustration. Now go print with confidence.