Q: Contacts - Mailing Lists & Printing Labels

I have an interesting technology question for anyone who cares to help me find a solution. I am using a late-model iMac Core i5 running MacOS 10.10 and considering an upgrade to 10.11 El Capitan.

This involves volunteer computer work for small not-for-profit groups using small databases.

For over 20 years, I’ve used a (now ancient) database program called MacEnvelope Professional form the now-defunct Synex of Brooklyn, NY. I maintain several databases for local volunteer organizations that hold work bees, reunions, business meetings, as well as publishing newsletters, bulletins, and announcement postcards. The Synex software has the ability to print out envelopes and labels (including sheets of labels) for easy addressing of postcards, envelopes, and packages. I typically use Avery sheets of 30-up labels so I can quickly print out address lists and even include return-address mailing labels as well. This makes mailers for groups a snap. The nice thing is, if a print job leaves rows of labels empty on the last page (or doesn’t take up one whole page) the Synex software allows you to choose which label to start your next print job on so you don’t waste any labels on a sheet.

The Synex software has been out of circulation for about 15 years, so there has never been any update since the late 1990s. I still run MacEnvelope Professional on my now-ancient G4-powered iMac running MacOS 10.4.11 in “Classic” (9.2.2) mode. (The G4 iMac is a secondary machine.) This makes it the only hardware my volunteer databases still run on.

Dymo label software can link with Apple’s Address Book (aka Contacts) software, but Demo LabelWriter printers and software are quirky and do not support label sheets. I could go that route if I had to, but I would probably have to import my databases manually.

If Dymo is my only solution, I could bite the bullet and go that route. But I’m still wondering if there’s another possibility out there:

1: runs on MacOS 10.10 or later.

2: stores and sorts snail-mailing addresses, possibly including phone numbers and other membership info.

3: can print out various kinds of labels, including Avery 30-up label sheets

4: can select which label on a label sheet to start a job

5: can print multiple return-address labels

6: stores each mailing list as its own database

7: can screen out a database to print out only certain records based on filter criteria.

Does such software exist, or am I going to have to stock up on Dymo labels, and use Dymo software? We have 2 Dymo LabelWriter 320 printers that we bought as refurbs several years ago. It would be awkward doing it this way, but it could be done. We would have to find a good supplier for labels to do it this way.

Any ideas?

If this doesn’t interest you, please disregard and accept my apologies.

Thank you and have a great day!

— WA