First-Time Setup
Chapter 2 — Hardware Configuration

Connecting your label printers

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LESSON INFO

Audience

  • IT admins

Prerequisites

  • You can access a workflow that can print tags.
    • Receiving Orders, Inventory Items, Shipping Orders, or Receiving Order Import
  • You have a working Zebra Link-OS-compatible printer with an active network connection at the workstation or kiosk that will print.
  • You have Edit permissions at the Facility level.

Skills you’ll build

  • You can print a small set of item tags from a real workflow, then confirm barcode scanning and label legibility.
  • You can choose the intended printer when the system prompts for a printer selection.

LESSON OUTLINE

Concept

  • Tags support fast inventory identification and typically include:
    • Product Type
    • Assigned ID
    • Weight
    • Gauge
  • Barcodes must be easily scanned by facility RF guns or mobile phone cameras.
  • Printer setup has two practical outcomes:
    • The printer is enrolled/configured.
    • Tags print to the intended physical device when a workflow triggers printing.

Enroll the printer (Zebra Link-OS)

Enrollment String

  1. Copy the Enrollment String as sent to your email.
  2. Paste the string into an empty text file.
  3. Save the file as printer_setup.txt.

You will be provided with a proprietary enrollment string to register your printers to a specific instance of Themis-Trace.

  1. Send printer_setup.txt to the printer.
    • You may use TCP, FTP, or many other methods to send this string to a Zebra Link-OS printer. The method below shows using the printer driver.
  2. If using the printer driver method (Windows example):
    1. Open the PC’s settings.
    2. Find Printers & Scanners in your PC’s settings.
    3. Select your printer and click Manage.
    4. Select Printing Preferences.
      • Note: if you are using the v8 driver or later, the path will be Printer properties → Driver Settings.
    5. Go to the Tools tab.
      • Note: if you are using the v8 driver or later, the tab will be Settings.
    6. Select Action.
    7. Select Send file and click the ... button to browse.
    8. Find the file you saved in step 3.
    9. Click the Send button to send the file to the printer.
  3. NOTE: If you have any issues, please update your firmware and refer to the Weblink Guide.

Print a tag from a supported workflow

  1. Choose one of the supported contexts to access the Print Tag function:
    • Receiving → Receiving Orders
      • New
      • Import
      • Edit
    • Inventory → Inventory Items
      • New
      • Edit
      • “Updated Item ID” (edit path)
    • Shipping → Shipping Orders → Edit Shipping Order
  2. Select Documents → Print Tag.
  3. Select the intended printer, if prompted by the system.
  4. Print 1–3 tags for test purposes.

Safe edits

  • Prefer re-printing a small test set from a non-critical order or a single inventory item.
  • If printer choice is available, treat the printer selection as part of your control:
    • Always confirm the selected printer before printing.
    • Use consistent printer naming so the correct destination is obvious at selection time (example: Bay B vs Bay C).

Verification

  1. Confirm the printed label contains the required tag content:
    • Item ID
    • Assigned ID
    • Weight and UoM
    • Description
    • A barcode for the Item ID
  2. Confirm physical quality:
    • Text is legible.
    • Barcode prints fully within label margins.
  3. Confirm scan success:
    • Scan the barcode with an RF gun or phone camera.
    • Confirm the scan resolves to the expected inventory item context in your operational workflow.
      • The specs state the barcode must be easily scanned; they do not define the exact scan-to-screen behavior (see Missing context).

COMMON ISSUES

    • Likely cause: Printer firmware is out of date, or the file was not applied successfully using the chosen send method.

    • Checks:

      • Confirm the file name is exactly printer_setup.txt.

      • Confirm the driver navigation matches your driver version (v5 vs v8+).

    • Fix:

      • Update printer firmware.

      • Re-send printer_setup.txt.

      • Refer to the Weblink guide if needed.

    • Likely cause: Print quality is insufficient (ink shortage, printer malfunction, etc.).

    • Checks:

      • Confirm the barcode prints fully within label margins.

      • Confirm contrast and legibility.

    • Fix: Reprint a 1–3 tag sample after adjusting printer settings (outside of Themis-Trace), then confirm scan success again.

    • Likely cause: Incorrect printer selected when prompted, or ambiguous printer names.

    • Checks:

      • Confirm whether the workflow prompts for printer selection.

      • Confirm the selected printer matches the intended physical device.

    • Fix: Reprint a small test set and select the correct printer. If the problem recurs, update printer naming conventions so the correct target is obvious (for example, include bay/location in the name).