How To Create DLA Container Labels (MIL-STD-129R) with Loocey's DLA Label Maker

Overview

Learn how to create compliant DLA container labels (MIL-STD-129R) using Loocey’s DLA Label Maker. In this tutorial, we walk through generating Unit, Intermediate, and Exterior Container labels, adjusting label sizes, and using 1D and 2D barcodes for Zebra and other label printers. You’ll see how Loocey auto-fills key contract data, validates required fields, and generates print-ready PDFs to help you avoid errors and save time.

Step by step

The walkthrough covered in the video, written out so you can follow along inside Loocey.

1. Printing your DLA Container labels can be challenging, since DLA and VSM do not provide labels that are compatible with label printers such as Zebra printers.
2. Loocey’s Label Maker is designed to work with label printers and automatically fills in many required details from your RFQ and award data. This saves time on manual data entry and helps validate required fields to avoid costly errors.
3. Go to the Bidding Board and click on the Won tab.
4. This is a view we created specifically for listing awarded items.
5. Next, make sure the Award / Contract ID column is visible and move it to the left so it’s easy to see in the Won view.
6. You can do this either by dragging the column or by opening the column settings, selecting Move To, and placing it next to the NSN column.
7. Always remember to Save the view so your column changes and order are preserved.
8. For this example, we’ll enter an Award ID on one of the rows.
9. Now select the row, click the three-dot menu, and choose Label Maker.
10. This opens Loocey’s Label Maker.
11. You’ll notice that many fields are already filled in automatically, including the Award ID, NSN, Unit of Issue, Quantity, and Description.
12. At the top, we have the label size settings.
13. On the Settings tab, you’ll see label related settings, such as the size, Barcode Format and other settings.
14. By default, the label size is set to 3 inches by 2 inches, but you can easily increase or decrease the width, height, or font size to fit your label stock and printer.
15. Now let’s go back to the General tab and go over the fields:
16. Award / Contract ID – this is the awarded contract id, we’ll enter an example contract ID (SPE4A625T47CC)
17. However, if you close the label maker, and go and enter the Award ID in the table and reopen the Label Maker, this field will be auto populated.
18. NSN – the national stock number
19. Label Type – you can choose from Unit Container, Intermediate Container and External container.
20. For Unit Container, the quantity field should be the QUP or number of units required per unit, based on the contract
21. For Intermediate Container, the quantity field should be matching with the number of units packaged in the Intermediate Container
22. and same goes for Exterior Container type, the quantity entered should be the total number of units in the exterior container.
23. Then we have Your Cage field, which should be the cage of the company that was awarded the contract, followed by the Description field, which is the same as nomenclature
24. Next we have, Preservation Method, which should be specified in the contract
25. Followed by the Preservation date month and year selector and Part Number, Unit Of Issue and Shelf Life if any.
26. You can also use Additional Info Line to add any other details that are required per your contract.
27. Now, let’s change the type to Exterior Container
28. We’ll see a few changes, first the default label size for Exterior containers is 4 by 6.

Where this fits

This tutorial covers the Labels, Packaging & Post-Award part of Loocey DLA. MIL-STD-129R container labels, the Label Maker API and DLA packaging requirements.

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