Getting Started with AccuArk Tools

AccuArk includes a dedicated Tools menu that gives you access to seven built-in printing utilities and one pricing simulation tool. These tools are designed to handle common business printing tasks without requiring third-party software. From generating barcodes and printing checks to creating employee ID cards and testing promotional pricing rules, everything is available directly within AccuArk.

Tool Overview

The following eight tools are available under the Tools menu:

Barcode Printer

Generates and prints barcodes in 11 formats including CODE_128, QR_CODE, UPC_A, EAN_13, CODE_39, and more. You can create single barcodes or batch-print entire sheets of barcode labels on customizable label grids. Supports exporting barcode images and copying to the clipboard.

Label Maker

Creates address labels, product labels, and custom labels with full Avery preset support. Select from common Avery label sizes or define your own custom dimensions. Each label can include multiple lines of text with independent font and alignment settings.

Price Tag Printer

Prints product price tags showing both regular and sale pricing. Supports batch printing for multiple products at once, making it easy to prepare tags for an entire shelf or display. Tags can include the product name, SKU, barcode, and pricing information.

Envelope Printer

Prints addresses directly on business envelopes. Integrates with your company information settings to automatically populate the return address. Supports standard envelope sizes (#10 business, #9 reply, A2 invitation, and more) with adjustable print positioning.

Check Printer

Prints bank checks with MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) line support. Includes automatic amount-to-words conversion so the written dollar amount is generated from the numeric value. Supports 6 check stock formats to match common pre-printed check paper. Payee, date, memo, and bank information fields are all configurable.

Paystub Printer

Prints employee payroll stubs with detailed breakdowns of earnings, deductions, benefits, and year-to-date totals. Pulls data from AccuArk's salary and payroll records. Supports customizable layouts with company branding and configurable section visibility.

Card Printer

Prints ID cards, loyalty cards, and gift cards with front and back design support. Includes photo placement for employee ID badges, customizable text fields, color backgrounds, and border styles. Offers 9 card size presets including CR-80 (standard credit card size), CR-79, and custom dimensions.

Test Promotional Pricing

Simulates discount and bundle pricing rules before you apply them to your live inventory. Enter a product, quantity, and customer type to see how active promotions, coupons, and bundle deals affect the final price. This tool does not modify any data — it is a read-only simulation for verifying that your pricing rules produce the expected results.

Accessing the Tools Menu

To access the printing tools, navigate to Tools from the main menu bar at the top of AccuArk's main window. The Tools menu appears after you log in, provided your user account has the appropriate permissions assigned. Each tool opens as a separate window within the main application, so you can have multiple tools open at the same time alongside other AccuArk forms.

Permission Requirements

AccuArk uses four permission codes to control access to the Tools menu. The tools you see depend on your assigned role and permissions:

Role visibility summary:

• Super Admins, Location Admins, and Managers see all eight tools
• Accountants see the general printing tools plus the Check Printer (six tools total)
• Employees see only the general printing tools (Barcode Printer, Label Maker, Price Tag Printer, Envelope Printer, and Card Printer)

If you do not see the Tools menu at all, your account does not have any of the TOOL_* permissions assigned. Contact your administrator to request the appropriate permission for your role.

Common Features Across All Printing Tools

All seven printing tools share a consistent set of capabilities:

• Template save and load — Save your current layout settings as a named template and reload them later. Templates are stored in the database and available from any machine.
• Real-time preview with zoom — A live preview panel on the right side of each tool shows exactly what will be printed. Zoom in and out to inspect fine details.
• Keyboard shortcuts — Ctrl+P opens the print dialog, Ctrl+S saves the current settings as a template, Ctrl+O loads a saved template, F5 refreshes the preview, and Escape closes the tool.
• Customizable fonts and colors — Choose font family, size, style, and color for text elements. Each tool provides font controls appropriate to its purpose.
• Paper size presets — Select from common paper, label, envelope, or card sizes. Choosing a preset automatically fills in the dimension and margin fields. You can also enter custom dimensions.

Recommended Setup Order

To get the most out of AccuArk's printing tools, follow this setup sequence:

1. Set up your company information — Navigate to Settings and fill in your company name, address, phone number, and logo. Several tools (Envelope Printer, Check Printer, Paystub Printer, and Card Printer) pull from these settings to auto-fill return addresses, company headers, and branding elements.
2. Create templates for frequently used formats — Open each tool you plan to use regularly and configure it for your preferred paper stock, label size, or card dimensions. Save these configurations as named templates so your team can load them with a single click instead of configuring settings manually each time.
3. Train staff on the tools relevant to their role — Employees who handle inventory may need the Barcode Printer and Price Tag Printer. Front desk staff may need the Label Maker and Envelope Printer. Managers and accountants may need the Check Printer and Paystub Printer. Focus training on the specific tools each person will use rather than covering all eight tools for everyone.