Is Microsoft Publisher being discontinued? What will really change for your labels?

There is a lot of confusion surrounding Microsoft Publisher. “Publisher is being discontinued” is not entirely accurate, but neither is “nothing is changing”. What happens depends entirely on how you purchased Publisher.

If you’re printing labels today using Publisher, now is the time to do two things: check which scenario applies to you, and back up your existing designs. Both will take less time than you might think.

1. You have Publisher as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription: Microsoft has stated that Publisher will no longer be part of Microsoft 365 after October 2026, and that subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit their files in Publisher after that date. In the explanatory notes accompanying that announcement, Microsoft specifies 1 October 2026. If this applies to you, the application will be removed from your suite.
2. A perpetual licence (Office 2021, Office LTSC or a standalone version): In this case, support will simply end on 13 October 2026. The software will continue to work and your files will remain accessible. However, you will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes or technical support. It is therefore a stopgap, not a solution. You still have some time, but it is not unlimited.

Here’s how to find out which of the two applies in 30 seconds:Open Publisher and go to File Account. Does it say ‘Microsoft 365’ or ‘Subscription product’? If so, scenario 1 applies. Does it show a year, such as ‘Office Professional 2021’? If so, scenario 2 applies.

Do this this week, whatever you decideSearch your PC, network drive, OneDrive or SharePoint for files with the .pub extension and save them as PDF files via File Save As. This way, you’ll keep a visual reference of each design even when Publisher is no longer available.

Microsoft refers users to Word for labels. That’s sufficient for an address sticker, but if you’re printing labels that need to be scanned, checked or archived, you’ll run into the same limitations in Word as you do in Publisher: no control over your label printer, no link to your database or ERP system, no quality control for your barcodes, and no record of who changed which design and when.

Anyone who is currently rushing to convert everything to Word simply because they have to will end up doing the same work all over again within a certain period of time.

So this isn’t a problem you need to solve, but rather an opportunity to resolve an issue that has been around for some time. Companies that make the switch to proper labelling software can then print directly from their own systems, with barcodes that are formatted correctly and operators who can no longer accidentally tamper with the design.

Those PDFs are important, but make sure you understand what they’re for. Label software cannot import .pub or PDF files and convert them into an editable label template. This applies to every software package on the market.

Your PDF therefore serves as your visual reference: proof of what your label looked like, with the correct dimensions, text and layout. Based on this, each template is recreated once in the new software.

That sounds like a tedious job, and as a one-off task, it certainly is. But that’s exactly when you start to see a return on your investment: in Publisher, you often end up with ten separate files containing variable fields, with the data coming from your Excel spreadsheet or database. The time you invest once pays for itself every week thereafter.

The trial versions, the consultation, and our assistance in choosing the right package are all free of charge. A quote is, of course, also free.
We do charge for services such as customizing your templates, integrating with your systems, and training your employees. We always provide a quote upfront, so you know exactly what to expect before we begin. Plus, it’s a one-time cost: once your templates are set up, you manage them yourself.

Would you rather do everything yourself? That’s perfectly fine. Download the trial version, get started, and give us a call if you get stuck.

There is no single ‘right’ labelling software. It depends on what you’re printing, how many people are involved, and whether you need to import data from another system.

Do you mainly print to order: signs, cable labels, safety signage, small batches?
That’s the closest you’ll get to what you do with Publisher today, and you won’t need a heavy-duty platform. Brady Workstation is made up of apps designed specifically for those tasks and works directly with your Brady printer. Ask us about Brady Workstation and we’ll help you work out which apps you need and which you don’t.

Do your labels need to retrieve data from Excel, a database or your ERP system?
In that case, you’ll need proper labelling software, and there are two excellent options:

• Would you like to design, print and manage everything in a single environment? Take a look at Loftware Nicelabel
• Do you operate multiple branches and want to manage them centrally via the cloud? Discover Loftware Cloud Automation or Bartender Cloud
• Do your operators need to print flawlessly without altering the design? Take a look at Loftware Forms
• Are you looking for a powerful design platform with comprehensive barcode support? Discover BarTender

Not sure which one you need? That’s exactly why we offer all three platforms. Download the trial versions and compare them for yourself, or let us take a look and save yourself the hassle of figuring it out.