Many modern enterprises use barcode scanner software and benefit from the technology. The barcode was patented in 1952, but it took time to become successful. Industry began using barcodes in the late 1960s.
Barcodes are used in every industry and context, from retail chains to manufacturing units, healthcare and many more.
Barcode technology tracks assets efficiently and retrieves data instantly with a single scan. Many organizations use barcodes because they make inventory and asset tracking precise.
Barcode Scanners
Barcode scanners are optical scanners that read a printed barcode, decode its data and then transfer it to a connected computer system.
Every barcode scanner contains decoder circuitry that analyzes the image of the barcode and the data provided by the sensor, then transfers it to the computer system the scanner is connected to.
Types of Barcode Scanners
Barcode scanners are distinguished by the technology they use to scan the barcode. Following are the main types of barcode scanners in use:
1. Pen Type Scanner
It consists of a light source and a photodiode to read a barcode. The tip of the pen is moved across the bars of the barcode at a uniform speed.
2. Laser Scanner
It is used in the same way as a pen-type scanner but uses a laser as its light source for reading the barcode.
3. LED Scanner
It uses an array of hundreds of tiny light sensors lined up in a row to measure the light reflected from the barcode, then reads and decodes it.
4. Camera-based Scanner
It works like an LED scanner but uses a 2D array to capture an image. The barcode that appears in the image is then decoded.
5. Omnidirectional Barcode Scanner
It projects scanning lines at the barcode from multiple angles. These scanners are mostly used in supermarkets.
6. Cell Phone Camera
2D barcodes like QR codes and Data Matrix codes can be scanned with the camera of a smartphone.
How Barcode Scanners Work
Barcodes are read as patterns of bars and spaces that are converted to numbers. Scanner technology has made scanning, reading and decoding barcodes easy, reading the black and white lines rapidly.
The scanned data goes to the scanner’s output or to a connected computer or system, which looks up the product’s information in the organization’s database.
These are the steps involved in scanning, reading and decoding a barcode:
- The scanner shines a laser or LED light onto the barcode.
- The light reflects off the barcode onto a photoelectric cell (an electronic component that detects light). The black bars reflect little light and the white spaces reflect most of it.
- As the scanner moves across the barcode at a uniform speed, the photoelectric cell generates an on-off pulse pattern that matches the white and black stripes on the barcode.
- The scanner’s electronic circuit converts the pulses into zeroes and ones (binary numbers), which are then sent to the connected computer system.
Barcode Scanner Software
Barcode scanner software captures the barcode data and transfers it to the connected computer system. It is an application that captures images and data to make work more efficient, and it works alongside your existing asset management software.
Also Read: RFID vs Barcodes: Which One is Better for Asset Tracking?
What Barcode Scanner Software Can Do
A. Capture, Read, and Deliver
- Scan barcode
- Deliver data to the database
- Collect associated data
- Auto-update to servers
- Auto-insert scans
- Fully integrated
B. Device Flexibility
- Barcode scanner apps work with smartphones, tablets, scan sleds and Android mobile computers.
- They use the device’s built-in camera, image capture and Bluetooth.
C. No-Code Solution
- No coding is needed: configure the solution by choosing from menus.
- Build and improve solutions without developers.
D. Quick Barcode Scanning
- Quick and accurate scanning of barcodes with the device camera.
E. Scans in Real-Time
- Scanned barcodes are stored in an online database and kept up to date between the cloud and the app.
F. Supports Custom Forms
- Ask multiple-choice, drop-down, voice-to-text or custom questions with each scan.
G. Auto-Update Feature
- Scans are synced between the scanner app and the cloud every few seconds.
H. Photos, GPS & Signatures
- Take pictures, record GPS location and capture signatures with the barcode scanner app.
Benefits of Barcode Scanners and Software
1. Improved Efficiency
Barcode scanner software lets you work more accurately and read data quickly. Scanner technology makes operations and tracking quick and accurate.
2. Reduced Errors
Clean data entry through scanning reduces errors, which helps the whole business and protects its reputation.
3. Cost-Efficient
Accurate data transfer keeps all the company’s ongoing processes efficient. When everything runs smoothly and without errors, you save the money that mistakes, problems and human error would otherwise cost.
4. Saves Time
Barcode scanner software saves a lot of time in organizing assets, inventory and products and in checking their quantity and quality. Scanning is far faster than doing the same work by hand.
5. Increased Productivity
Scanner technology increases productivity by updating inventory levels and asset movements digitally. Simple scanning apps also cut training time.
6. Business Intelligence
The software makes it easier to record and maintain data for every transaction or operation digitally, and to track it.
Also Read : How Useful is It to Barcode Kitchen Equipment in a Restaurant?
Barcode Scanning Belongs in Every Tracking Process
Barcode scanner software can be used by any business, institution or service provider. It improves operations and solves business problems. A barcode scanner app can also manage security, attendance, access control and asset tracking in institutions and organizations.
Barcode scanners make all of this possible, and today they are mobile as well as laser-operated. Barcode scanning is an important part of asset tracking and inventory management. It improves accuracy, reduces human errors and brings discipline to inventory management.