• Barcode label protection is important because damaged or faded barcode labels can slow operations, increase costs, and harm inventory accuracy and customer satisfaction.
• UV exposure, extreme temperatures, moisture, frequent handling, abrasive surfaces, and chemicals are the most common causes of failed barcode scans.
• Synthetic materials like polypropylene and polyester offer greater durability than paper, while specialized labels handle extreme or unique conditions.
• Protective options such as UV coatings, lamination, and barcode label protectors help extend label lifespan.
• Placing labels on clean, smooth, flat surfaces and avoiding seams, curves, and high-touch areas will improve longevity and scan reliability.
• High-quality printers and scanners, along with regular test scans, ensure consistent barcode readability.

When it comes to inventory management, barcodes still reign supreme. However, their usefulness hinges on whether or not they can scan properly. Just one faded, smudged, or damaged barcode can bring your operations to a standstill, causing errors, delays, and frustrated employees.

The good news? Protecting your barcode labels doesn’t require a massive investment or complex procedures. With the right materials and proper placement techniques, you can ensure your barcodes remain scannable for years to come.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about protecting your barcode labels. From choosing durable materials to proper placement best practices. So if you’re curious how to extend the life of your barcode labels, you’ve come to the right place.

Why barcode label protection matters for small businesses

Before diving into barcode label protection strategies, it’s important to understand what’s at stake. When barcode labels fail, the ripple effects can impact every aspect of your operation. Here’s how damaged or faded barcode labels can impact your business.

Operation slowdown

Unreadable barcodes force employees to enter product information manually, slowing down processes like receiving, picking, and shipping. When this happens, you’re going to lose time and open yourself up to the possibility of human error.

Increased costs

When your barcode labels fail, you’ll need to replace them, which means additional materials and labor costs. This may not seem like a big deal at first, but over time, these resources are going to add up quickly. More importantly, the downtime caused by scanning issues can cost far more than the cost to replace your barcode labels.

Customer satisfaction

Scanning issues in warehouses can lead to shipping errors and delayed orders. In retail environments, damaged barcodes can create chaos at the checkout. Both situations will result in unhappy customers.

Inventory accuracy

When barcodes become unreadable, tracking inventory becomes incredibly difficult. The ripple effect of this can lead to poor demand forecasting, which can, in turn, cause stockouts or excess inventory.

Common causes of barcode label damage

For effective barcode label protection, you’ll first need to know what the most common causes of damage are. Here are the usual suspects.

Environmental factors

• UV Exposure breaks down both ink and adhesive over time, causing labels to fade and peel. This is particularly problematic for products stored near windows or in outdoor environments.
• Extreme temperatures can weaken adhesives and cause labels to curl, crack, or fall off entirely.
• High humidity and moisture can cause labels to lose adhesion, while direct water exposure can smudge ink and make barcodes unreadable.

Physical damage

• Frequent handling of products will cause barcode labels to wear from friction and contact with other surfaces.
• Abrasive surfaces such as rough packaging materials, concrete floors, and metal shelving can scratch or tear labels during normal operations.
• Chemical exposure from cleaning products, oils, and other solutions can dissolve adhesives or damage label materials, particularly in industrial environments.

Choosing the right label materials

Protecting your barcode labels starts with assessing your specific environment and use case. Will your labels be exposed to sunlight? Extreme temperatures? Rough handling? From there, you’ll be able to choose which label material is appropriate. 

Paper vs. synthetic materials

While cost-effective, paper labels are best suited for indoor environments with minimal handling. They’re lifespan is considerably shorter than other types of materials, so you should only use them for products with short shelf lives or temporary labeling.

On the other hand, synthetic materials like polypropylene and polyester labels offer superior durability and resistance to moisture, chemicals, and physical wear. This increased durability comes with a higher upfront cost, but these labels will have a much longer lifespan and provide better long-term value. 

Specialized label options

If you’re storing inventory in outdoor or high-humidity environments, weatherproof labels are your best friend. These labels resist water damage and maintain their adhesion even in the most challenging environments.

For those working in industrial environments, you should consider chemical-resistant labels. These can withstand exposure to oils, solvents, and cleaning chemicals without degrading. 

Cold storage environments will need specialized freezer-grade labels. The adhesive on these labels is designed to maintain their bond at low temperatures and won’t become brittle once frozen.

If you need increased security on high-value items, tamper-evident labels show clear evidence if anyone attempts to remove them. These are a great option that provides both protection and security.

Protective coatings, lamination, and label protectors

Sometimes, no matter what type of label you choose, you’re going to need some added barcode label protection. Luckily, there are options out there to add protective layers to your barcode labels, which will significantly extend their lifespan.

UV-resistant coatings

For labels exposed to sunlight or bright artificial lighting, UV-resistant coatings prevent fading and maintain barcode readability. These coatings are great for retail displays near windows, outdoor storage, and products stored in transparent containers.

Lamination

Laminating barcode labels creates a protective barrier against moisture, UV rays, and physical damage. The transparent protective film prevents scratches and makes labels easier to clean without damaging the barcode itself. 

Barcode label protectors

If you want the benefits of lamination without the headache of having to laminate multiple labels, then label protectors are the next best thing. These transparent, adhesive coverings, made of durable materials like mylar or vinyl, shield printed labels from wear and tear. They guard against moisture, smudging, fading, tearing, and chemical damage, ensuring that labels remain legible over time—even in demanding environments such as warehouses, or industrial facilities.

Strategic label placement

Where you place barcode labels significantly impacts their longevity and scannability. Poor placement can expose labels to wear and tear through unnecessary handling. Always place barcode labels on a surface that will be scannable without having to move the item around. 

When you apply labels, ensure the surface is clean and dry. Also, avoid dust, grease, and moisture to prevent reduced adhesion, which can cause labels to fail prematurely. Labels adhere best to smooth, flat surfaces. Avoid textured areas, seams, or curved surfaces whenever possible.

Lastly, consider the temperature of the environment. Apply labels when both the surface and atmosphere are at moderate temperatures. Extreme heat or cold during application can affect adhesive performance.

Here are some common placement mistakes to avoid:

• Placing labels over seams or edges.
• Positioning labels on curved surfaces that distort the barcode.
• Placing labels where they’ll be covered by other packaging or equipment.

Hardware considerations

How long a barcode label will last starts with print quality. A crisp, high-contrast barcode is easier to scan accurately. Some printers produce sharper, higher-quality barcodes than others, and the same goes for scanners. Higher-quality scanners can read barcodes faster and more reliably, even when slightly faded and worn.

For dependable results, tools like the inFlow Portable Printer ensure clean, consistent barcode printing, while the inFlow Smart Scanner delivers fast, accurate scanning to keep your workflows moving smoothly.

Pro tip: Try to perform test scans on your newly printed barcodes whenever you can. Catching print issues early can save hours of troubleshooting later.

Measuring barcode label protection effectiveness

Like anything in business, you should always track the success of your barcode label protection efforts. This will help you identify what works best for your specific use case. Some key metrics to keep in mind are:

• Label lifespan—Monitor how long labels remain scannable in different environments. 
• Replacement frequency—Track how often labels need replacement to identify problem areas or successful protection strategies.
• Scanning success rate—Monitor barcode scanning success rates to identify declining performance before complete failure.

Use performance data to refine your protection strategies, focusing resources on the most effective approaches for your specific needs.

Conclusion

Barcode label protection is an investment in operational efficiency, cost control, and customer satisfaction. When you choose appropriate materials and implement proper placement techniques, your businesses can ensure their barcode systems remain reliable and cost-effective. If you want to know how the right software can amplify the benefits of your barcodes, then check out inFlow. Our software has a built-in barcoding system and comes with loads of other great features, including reorder points, real-time inventory tracking, purchase and sales orders, and a whole lot more.

The post How to Protect Your Barcode Labels: A Complete Guide for Small Businesses appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

• The difference between 1D vs 2D barcodes lies in how each stores data. 1D barcodes store data linearly and are read from left to right, while 2D barcodes store data on both the x and y-axis.
• 2D barcodes feature built-in error correction, making them more reliable even if partially damaged. They can also store more data while often being smaller than 1D barcodes.
• 1D barcodes are more affordable and widely supported, whereas 2D barcodes require barcode scanners with a 2D imager and software that supports 2D barcodes.
• Both types of barcodes have plenty of real-world use cases. 1D barcodes remain dominant in retail, inventory management, shipping, and manufacturing, while 2D barcodes are increasingly used in healthcare, ecommerce, marketing, and interactive product packaging.
• Businesses moving to 2D barcodes may need to upgrade their hardware, change their workflow, and train their employees, especially if they rely on older laser-based scanners.
• inFlow supports both 1D and 2D barcodes, offering barcode generation, custom label printing, and scanning to help businesses improve accuracy and streamline inventory management.

Of all the business tools in use around the world, none are quite as widespread as barcodes. They’ve been a cornerstone of business operations since their introduction in the 70s, and that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. That’s not to say that barcodes won’t continue to evolve. With technological advancements, we’re starting to see a shift from the 1D barcodes that have dominated the landscape to 2D barcodes.

As the barcoding landscape changes, many businesses are curious about the differences between 1D vs 2D barcodes. So, today, we’ll be going over those differences and why you might want to consider using one over the other.  

1D vs 2D barcodes: what’s the difference?

In super simple terms, 1D vs 2D barcodes can be broken down into how each stores data. Barcodes may look like meaningless black-and-white patterns to the human eye, but machines can read them instantly.

You can think of a 1D barcode as reading a book. There’s really only one correct way to read it: left to right. Similarly, barcode scanners read 1D barcodes in a single, linear order. For this reason, we sometimes call them linear barcodes. These are the barcodes traditionally found on product packaging, shipping labels, and inventory tags. 

2D barcodes work a bit differently. Rather than a single, linear orientation, they store information on both the x and y-axis. While this makes them more complex, it also means they can hold much more data. 

For example, the most common 1D barcode is the universal product code (UPC), which can hold up to twelve characters. By comparison, the QR code, a popular 2D barcode, can hold up to 7089 characters, depending on the character type.

Despite this difference in data density, 2D barcodes are often physically smaller than their 1D counterparts. 

What other differences are there between 1D and 2D barcodes?

Of course, as the newer of the two barcode types, 2D barcodes have a few extra features. One of the most notable ones is error correction. 2D barcodes use Reed-Solomon error correction to fill in the gaps and recover lost data. This makes their error rate much lower despite carrying many times more characters. 

Similarly, 2D barcodes tend to be more readable despite their size. This makes them better suited for applications requiring speed and accuracy.

2D barcodes can be more expensive

While 2D barcodes are overall more capable, one point in favor of 1D barcodes in the 1D vs 2D barcodes debate is their affordability. 

This has more to do with the technology needed to read 2D barcodes than the format itself. Because 2D barcodes store data on two different planes, scanners read the information differently. This means not all barcode scanners can read both 1D and 2D barcodes, and the ones that can are usually more expensive. 

In fairness to 2D barcodes, though, the price gap between the two formats has shrunk dramatically. And this hasn’t gone unnoticed. GS1, the official supplier of global barcodes, plans to move over entirely to 2D barcodes by 2027. That’s one of the great things about technology. As it improves, it tends to become more affordable as well.

Overall, 2D barcodes are more versatile than 1D barcodes, so it’s no real surprise that 1D barcodes are slowly being phased out. For now, though, they have their place. 

Real-world use cases: 1D Barcodes

What makes 1D barcodes so great is their accessibility. While you’ll still need to purchase official GS1 barcodes to sell your products in any major retailer, you can create your own barcodes for other purposes. Here are some of the most common use cases for 1D barcodes:

• Retail & Point of Sale (POS)— UPC and EAN barcodes are the standard for product labeling in retail stores across the globe. These 1D barcodes enable fast and accurate checkout and help businesses track their inventory levels in real time as they make sales. 
• Warehousing & Inventory Management—Barcode symbologies such as code 39 and code 128 are great 1D barcode options for internal inventory management. You can create these barcodes using a free online barcode generator or font, making them attractive to small businesses on a tight budget. These barcodes are great for receiving, picking, packing, and shipping.
• Shipping & Logistics—1D barcodes are essential for tracking shipments and managing supply chain logistics. Businesses can scan barcodes to monitor parcel movement and delivery status in real time. 
• Manufacturing & Assembly—Production facilities handle a lot of inventory due to all their raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished products. 1D barcodes are an inexpensive way to track these items as they travel through the manufacturing process. 

Real-world use cases: 2D Barcodes

The added character count of 2D barcodes brings many more possibilities. Some of these use cases are:

• Product Packaging—QR codes have started to be implemented on product packaging to link customers to instructional videos, nutritional facts, reviews, promotional offers, and more. 
• Ecommerce—Just because you don’t have a physical store doesn’t mean you can’t reap the benefits of barcodes. Ecommerce shops can use 2D barcodes for digital receipts and even mobile payments. 
• Healthcare—Hospitals and labs are environments where having more information readily available is invaluable. That’s why we see 2D barcodes on patient wristbands and charts that store medical histories and medications. Medication packing also uses 2D barcodes to track expiration dates, lot numbers, and dosages. 
• Advertising & Marketing—QR codes are popping up everywhere these days, from posters and advertisements to restaurant menus. We can use them to claim promotional codes, access social media pages, or place an order at a restaurant. Since 2D barcodes are capable of storing URLs, the possibilities are endless. 

Transitioning from 1D barcodes to 2D barcodes

If you’re already using 1D barcodes and considering switching to 2D barcodes, there are some common roadblocks you should keep watch for.

Hardware upgrades

We mentioned above that scanners need a 2D imager to read 2D barcodes. Many older laser scanners don’t have this feature, so you may have to replace all your barcode scanners.

The good news is that smartphones can scan QR codes with their cameras, so if you’re strapped for cash, you can get by using your cellphone. This is a great option for inFlow users since we have a mobile app, which means you can scan your items right inside of inFlow from one device. 

Barcode printers are another piece of hardware you should consider upgrading to ensure the best print quality. While 2D barcodes make use of error correction, they’re not foolproof. A greater data density also means more opportunities for corruption or damage. A smudge or two might not make a difference, but error correction can only compensate for so much. Ensuring print quality might require more upfront costs but could save time- and money- in the long run. 

For best results, use a printer specifically designed for the job. The inFlow Portable Printer delivers crisp, high-resolution labels that ensure 2D barcodes remain scannable, even in tough warehouse conditions. It’s compact, wireless, and designed to handle both 1D and 2D barcode printing. It’s perfect for warehouses, job sites, and on-the-go use.

Workflow adjustments & employee training

Not all systems and workflows support 2D barcodes. This could require a major overhaul of your systems, software, and workflows. Additionally, if you introduce new hardware or equipment, more training will be necessary to bring everyone up to speed. 

Depending on your industry, you may also need to consider potential regulations. It’s your duty to know what those regulations are and ensure compliance. This may include the need for additional employee training, such as in the healthcare industry, where sensitive patient information is commonly involved. 

How inFlow can help with both 1D and 2D barcodes

No matter which type of barcode you choose, having the right software is crucial. Our software inFlow is built to support both 1D and 2D barcodes. With inFlow, you can:

• Generate barcodes for products, locations, or asset tracking. 
• Design and print custom barcode labels with our built-in label designer.
• Scan barcodes with your mobile device, the inFlow Smart Scanner, or any other barcode scanner. 

By leveraging inFlow’s barcode inventory system, businesses can improve their accuracy and optimize inventory tracking and order fulfillment. Whether you use UPC, Code 39, or QR codes, inFlow has you covered.

The post A Comparison of 1D vs 2D Barcodes Every Business Should Know appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

• The difference between EAN vs UPC barcodes is their length and where in the world businesses use them. 
• Businesses in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world use the 13-digit EAN barcode. They include a manufacturer code, product code, check digit, and country code. 
• Businesses in North America use the 12-digit UPC barcode. They have a manufacturer code, product code, and check digit but do not have a country code.
• EANs were adapted from UPCs to accommodate international markets.
• Both barcodes are part of GS1’s global standards. This means you can use either format depending on where you do business.
• When you purchase barcodes from GS1, you’re actually buying a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), which you can encode as either an EAN or a UPC based on your business needs.
• Choosing between EAN and UPC depends on your market: use EANs for EU and global markets, UPCs for North America, and consider both if you’re selling worldwide.

In the early 1970s, history was made when the first item marked with a barcode was scanned in a supermarket. Since then, barcodes have become an integral part of the global supply chain and the heart of modern inventory management. Two of the most widely used barcodes are EAN (European Article Number) and UPC (Universal Product Code), and for businesses operating in the EU, it’s essential to understand the difference.

In this article, we’re going to break down the differences between EAN vs UPC barcodes. We’ll start by exploring their origins and then provide valuable insights on how to implement them. So, if you’re a small-to-medium-sized business in the EU or are considering expanding into global markets, this guide is here to help!

What are barcode symbologies?

Barcodes come in many shapes and sizes. We call these different types of barcodes symbologies. Symbologies are systems that encode data into visual patterns for scanning devices to read. 

Each barcode symbology has unique characteristics, such as the number of digits, supported characters, layout, and so on. EAN and UPC are the two most common barcode symbologies. For the sake of this article, we’re going to focus on those two specific types: EAN vs UPC. 

A brief history of UPC and EAN barcodes

The Universal Product Code (UPC) was the first barcode to be scanned back in 1974 in the United States. It would begin a new era of not only customer checkout but also inventory management as a whole. However, as time went on and global trade began to expand, it became apparent that an international barcode standard was needed.

So, in the late 70s, the European Article Number (EAN) was introduced, specifically designed to accommodate European markets. Over time, EAN evolved to meet global standards, and today, it’s known as EAN-13. 

GS1, a non-profit responsible for barcode standardization worldwide, manages both UPC and EAN barcodes.

What is an EAN barcode?

An EAN barcode also called an EAN code or EAN number, is a 13-digit barcode (hence the name EAN-13). Although “European” is in the name, it’s not exclusively used in Europe. In fact, EANs are standard across Europe, Asia, and most other international markets outside of North America. For this reason, EANs are also often referred to as international article numbers. 

What is a UPC barcode?

The Universal Product Code (UPC) is a 12-digit barcode standard in North America. It includes the same information as an EAN, including the manufacturer’s code, product code, and a check digit for error detection. However, it doesn’t have the thirteenth digit, which represents the country of origin. 

EAN vs UPC: what’s the difference?

The only real difference between EAN vs UPC is the length of characters in the barcode. That’s really it. They’re both linear barcodes that provide nearly identical functionality. The region you use for each barcode is what sets them apart.

GS1 uses both UPC and EAN barcode symbologies to encode Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs). When you purchase barcodes from GS1, you’re actually buying the GTIN, not the barcode. You have the choice to encode your GTIN in either a UPC or an EAN, depending on where you’re located.

Here is an example to help illustrate. Let’s say I want to relay a message to someone. I could write out an email, or I could write a private message. The message I’m sending is exactly the same, but how I’m sending that message is different. That’s how barcode symbologies work!

When to use EAN vs UPC barcodes

Whether you need an EAN or UPC will depend on where you’re doing business. For example, if you’re business operates out of the EU but you export goods to the US, you may need a UPC. If you operate entirely in the EU or anywhere outside of North America, you might need an EAN. If you’re doing business all over the world you may even need both.  

Luckily, so long as you’re working with official GS1 barcodes, EAN and UPC are effectively interchangeable. This is because of a 2005 initiative by GS1 called GTIN Sunrise 2005, which successfully made EANs readable in relevant areas.

How to implement UPCs or EANs?

Now that you know the difference between EAN vs UPC, you’re probably looking to set up your own. The most important thing is that you get official barcodes straight from GS1.  

You can create and use custom barcodes, but those should only be for in-house use. Obtaining a UPC or EAN is pretty straightforward. Here’s what the process looks like:

1. Go to your local GS1 website (ex. GS1 US, GS1 UK, etc.).
2. Select whether you would like to purchase a “Company Prefix” or a single GTIN.
3. Decide whether you want a UPC, EAN or both.
4. Once you have made the purchase GS1 assigns you a unique GTIN.
5. In your GS1 account, assign the GTIN to a specific product with details like product name, size, and description.
6. After assignment, your product officially has a GTIN, which you’ll use to generate the barcode.
7. If your GTIN is 12 digits, it’s ready for UPC barcode generation.
8. If your GTIN is 13 digits, it’s ready for EAN barcode generation.
9. To convert your UPC to an EAN, add the leading zero, for example: 012345678901 → 0012345678901.
10. To convert your EAN to a UPC, remove the leading zero, for example: 0012345678901 → 012345678901.
11. Use the tools provided in your GS1 account to generate high-resolution barcodes for printing. 

Note* If your EAN doesn’t have a leading zero you will need to register a separate GTIN if you need a UPC for that product. For this reason, it’s a good idea to think about your company’s future needs before registering for your GTIN.

Inventory barcode software to make sense of it all 

For any business in the EU, understanding the differences between EAN vs UPC barcodes is essential to ensure compliance with regional standards. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle. Once you have your barcodes, you’ll need a way to utilize them. This is where our barcode inventory software inFlow can make all the difference.

inFlow is inventory management software with a built-in barcode system. Our software simplifies inventory management, making it easy to assign, track, and manage both EAN and UPC barcodes.

We even have you covered when it comes to hardware. Our inFlow Portable Printer makes it easy to create barcode labels for your products, and with our inFlow Smart Scanner you can scan your barcodes with lightning-fast speeds.

So no matter where in the world you’re located, inFlow can help you along your barcoding journey.

The post EAN vs UPC Barcodes: Key Differences and Best Practices for SMBs appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

• Small businesses can create barcodes in Excel using a barcode font such as Code 39 to avoid additional software costs.
• Barcodes enhance operational efficiency in many ways, like tracking inventory, organizing shelves, labeling documents, and managing pallets or containers. 
•  Implementing barcodes doesn’t require technical know-how and has minimal to no start-up costs. 
• Barcodes reduce human error, speed up processes, and improve customer satisfaction.
• While creating barcodes in Excel is a budget-friendly solution, it has limitations compared to specialized software like inFlow, which offers advanced barcoding and inventory management features.

It’s no secret around here how much we love barcodes. Few things provide the same amount of value and function when it comes to managing inventory. In addition to tracking product flow, barcodes are great for a myriad of other applications. For instance, you can use them for asset tracking, barcoding shelves, documents, and warehouse pallets or containers.

If you’re having an inventory-related issue, barcodes may help alleviate it. Small businesses, however, may find implementing them daunting. They require some know-how and a bit of extra hardware, but the truth is that just about anyone can implement barcodes at little to no additional cost.

For example, many small businesses create barcodes in Excel when they’re just starting out. You read that right– Excel. Today, we’ll be going over how to create barcodes in Excel and why it might make sense for your business. 

Why are barcodes so important? 

First things first, though: why? If we haven’t made that abundantly clear by now, the answer is simple: barcodes are incredibly useful.

For example, you can place a barcode on a warehouse shelf and code it to carry information for every product on that shelf. This can help employees locate products more quickly and increase customer satisfaction by reducing customer lead time. 

You can also use QR codes on documents to quickly link to valuable resources and information. This could significantly increase the efficiency of your shipping and receiving process, saving your employees time.

Another popular use case is LPN barcodes. These barcodes are placed on pallets, shipping containers, and other warehouse moveables and are integral to managing inventory in large, busy warehouses.    

In short, barcodes have many different uses. Their use cases are really only limited by your imagination. 

How barcodes in Excel work

Not all barcodes are the same. For example, a QR code is a type of barcode, but it’s distinctly different from the black-and-white stripes you see in stores. We refer to different barcode formats as barcode symbologies. Some of these symbologies are easily accessible through barcode fonts, and these fonts are how you create barcodes in Excel.

It’s as simple as installing your barcode font and then typing it in Excel like any other font. From there, you can create barcodes using alphanumeric characters. 

Why create barcodes in Excel?

Strange as it may sound, there’s a few reasons to create barcodes in Excel. For starters, it’s fairly easy and accessible to just about anyone. Businesses tend to use Excel for one thing or another, so it’s really just expanding its use case.

Investing in a new system or software is going to cost money. There’s no way around it. However, if you create barcodes in Excel, software you’ve already bought and paid for, you save on purchasing something new. This means you can start to get the benefits of barcodes at no added costs to your business.   

How to generate barcodes in Excel

First, you’ll need Excel (duh).

Next, you’ll need a barcode font. For this guide, we’ll use the Code 39 barcode font. This font initially only had 39 characters, hence the name. However, it has since expanded to contain up to 43 individual characters and is widely used for internal inventory management. We created our own free Code 39 barcode font, which you can download below. 

<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; display: inline-flex; flex-direction: column;"><a class="inflow-button" href="https://www.getdrip.com/forms/381769907/submissions/new" data-drip-show-form="381769907">Get the inFlow Code 39 font</a><span class="disclaimer">You are minutes away from typing out barcodes</span></div></div>

Installing and using the barcode font

Once you’ve downloaded the font, you’ll find two TTF files: machine-readable and human-and-machine-readable. If you want the characters to appear below the barcode when you type it out, you’ll want to download the human-and-machine-readable. Otherwise, you can download the machine-readable version.

Installing and using the barcode fonts works like any other font. Once installed, you simply select the font from the list of available fonts, and like magic, your keystrokes will now generate barcodes.

One thing to keep in mind when generating barcodes is that for a scanner to read them, you’ll need to start and end each code with an asterisk (*). These symbols are a way of telling the scanner when to start and stop reading the code. So, for example, if you want to create a barcode for M32D67G, you would need to type *M32D67G*.

Setting up your barcode generator in Excel 

Now that we have our barcode font ready, it’s time to create a spreadsheet in Excel that will act as our barcode generator. We’ll only need two columns: columns A and B. We’ll use column A to type in the characters of our barcode, and column B will be the cell that will generate the barcodes. The setup process looks like this:

1. Start by formatting column A so that it leaves numbers as plain text rather than equations or scientific notation. To do this, right-click column A and select “Format Cells”.
2. When the context menu appears, select the “Number” tab.
3. In the “Category” column, select “Number” and click “OK”.
4. To automate the process of putting asterisks on both sides of our text, we can enter the following formula into column B: =”*”&A1&”*”
5. Once you input the formula, apply it to the entire column. You can do this by selecting the relevant cell and then dragging down from the bottom right of said cell.
6. To finish your barcode generator, select column B and change the font for the entire column to the barcode font you installed.   

Important: We assume you’re also using columns A and B, but you can use any of them. You’ll need to adjust the formula, but that’s simple. For C1, replace A1 in the formula, F4 for F4, and so on. 

Creating your barcodes in Excel

Now that you have the spreadsheet set up, things are pretty simple. Whatever you type in column A should appear in column B as a barcode. And since we set the formula in column B to include the asterisks, we don’t need to worry about those in our codes.  

And that’s it! Now, you have a barcode generator in Excel. What codes you use for your products is really up to you. You may want to use random numbers and letters or build in some sort of naming convention. The important thing is that you connect those codes to your products in whatever system you’re using to track your inventory.    

What to do after you’ve generated your barcodes

Generating barcodes in Excel is great, but now what? Once you have your barcodes ready, you can print them out and attach them to your inventory. There are several options when it comes to barcode label printers, but if money is an issue, a standard office printer would work just fine.

For a more reliable and warehouse-ready option, consider the inFlow Portable Label Printer. It’s compact, wireless, and built to handle warehouse environments—perfect for printing barcode labels directly from your phone or tablet. Whether you’re labeling shelves, products, or pallets, this printer is your new best friend.

The same goes for barcode scanners. While there are a number of options depending on your use case, the camera on a smartphone can also function as a barcode scanner. How the scanner functions will depend on which software you use with your barcodes. For example, if your inventory sheet is in Excel, a scanner could populate cells simply by scanning a barcode.

You can use the same function to search for a barcode in your Excel sheet. Just hit Ctrl + F to bring up the find menu and scan your barcode. It should populate into the text line, and from there, you can quickly look up the inventory connected to that barcode. 

How inFlow’s built-in barcoding system can help

Now that you know how to create barcodes in Excel, you can start to use them in your business. Keep in mind, though, that this isn’t a perfect solution. It gets the job done, but there are some inherent limits to using Excel as a barcode generator. 

It’s also worth mentioning that if you’re using Excel to generate barcodes, you’re also using it to track your inventory. While Excel is certainly an option for managing your inventory, when it comes to getting the most out of barcodes, it falls short.

Software solutions like inFlow offer inventory management with built-in barcoding functionality. Our software allows you to create detailed product listings that include all the information about your inventory, including pictures. We enable you to generate barcodes for your products and design custom barcode labels with our built-in label designer.

With inFlow, you get more than just a barcode generator. You get a full-fledged inventory management system at an affordable price.

The post How to Generate Barcodes in Excel for Inventory Management appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

• You can create a barcode using a free UPC barcode generator, but it will not be genuine.
• Universal Product Code, or UPC, refers to barcode symbology used in North America and other parts of the world.
• A UPC barcode is encoded with a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) through a not-for-profit organization known as GS1.
• GS1 is the sole provider of globally accepted UPC barcodes. 
• Most retailers, like Amazon and Walmart, require a product to have an active GTIN encoded into the UPC. 
• It’s best to avoid UPC barcode resellers to avoid potential legal issues.

Since the explosion of ecommerce in the past decade, products have been getting into the consumer’s hands in record time. Anything we could ask for is just a few clicks away from being at our doorstep within 24 hours. Many contributors make that possible, but a major one is barcodes. They streamline the entire supply chain by making inventory management quick, easy, and more accurate. Despite their importance, however, figuring out how to actually obtain them can be confusing– and a bit headache-inducing. 

Today, we’ll be going over what Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodes are, why they’re so crucial for modern businesses, and other things, such as whether or not you can use a free UPC barcode generator. 

Why are barcodes so important?

The average consumer only regularly sees one use of barcodes: to tally up their total at checkout. And while that’s undoubtedly one of their primary use cases, they offer much more behind the scenes.

Barcodes are great for tracking inventory levels, keeping an eye on asset usage, and you can utilize LPN barcodes to enhance your warehouse management. You can even use barcodes on shelves and documents. The possibilities are endless. However, because they keep track of sales, they’re also an essential part of accounting. 

They’re not quite a necessity– some businesses that primarily offer services, for example, may not need them. However, most common services like electrical and plumbing often need to track their components and equipment internally. 

In short, they’re a critical component of running a modern business. There’s a reason practically every business under the sun uses them– things are just more difficult and time-consuming without them. 

UPC barcode definition

For starters, lets go over what is a UPC barcode. A UPC barcode refers to a specific barcode symbology businesses in North America and many other parts of the world use on their products. You’ve almost certainly seen one of these barcodes somewhere; they’re on basically every item in every store. These barcodes are encoded with a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), registered by GS1 (more on GS1 below).  

Now, if you search “UPC barcode generator,” you’re bound to find a few online barcode generators that are totally free to use. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with using these barcode generators; you’ll undoubtedly get a UPC barcode from them. However, the barcodes they produce won’t be authentic. This means they won’t be registered with GS1 or recognized globally by other organizations.  

Most popular retailers require products to have officially registered UPC barcodes for their products to ensure their authenticity. Even online retailers like Amazon and Walmart require them for products to be listed on their sites.

Who is GS1?

Now, you’re probably wondering: Who is GS1, and why do they matter? GS1 is an essential figure in the business world—it is the only official global provider of UPC barcodes. That might seem strange, considering that most markets try to avoid monopolies, but GS1 is a not-for-profit organization, and they’re not doing this to line their own pockets. They aim to bring standardized systems worldwide. Of course, barcodes are a significant part of that. 

Nowadays, the global supply chain involves hundreds of different countries. Imagine if every country developed its own barcodes independently of one another. This would make it incredibly difficult to maintain the supply chain and make collaboration nearly impossible. The role of GS1 is to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding processes, including barcodes.

Do free online UPC barcode generators work?

Plenty of tools online claim to be free online UPC barcode generators. However, the reality is that the UPC barcodes generated by these tools lack the most critical component that makes UPCs valuable, and that’s the GTIN.

If you use an online UPC barcode generator, your barcodes will work fine within your barcoding software, but that’s about it. If you’re just generating barcodes for in-house use, then there’s no real problem with that. However, if you want Amazon, Walmart, and other large retailers to recognize them, you need to go through GS1. 

Where to find an authentic UPC barcode generator?

There’s a few different ways to get your hands on authentic UPC barcodes. The easiest, most obvious way is to order them straight from GS1. When you purchase from GS1, you have two options: buy them individually or license them under a company prefix. Depending on how many barcodes you license, both the initial and annual fees will vary. For 1-10, there’s a $250 initial fee and $50 annual. 1-100 is $750 and $150 respectively. To 1,000, it’s $2500 and $500. The prices continue to increase at both 10,000 barcodes and 100,000 barcodes. 

Licensing under a company prefix has benefits, most of which apply to businesses operating in multiple locations and/or countries.

Alternatively, you can use a UPC barcode generator from authorized partners. inFlow’s GTIN barcode shop is the easiest way to purchase retailer-ready UPC barcodes. Just enter your product and company information, and head to check out—no renewals– just a one-time $30 fee per barcode.

Once you have your official UPCs, you’ll need a reliable way to print and apply them. The inFlow Portable Label Printer makes it easy to generate professional barcode labels wherever you are. With wireless connectivity, mobile compatibility, and rugged durability built for warehouses, it’s the perfect companion for printing GS1-compliant UPC labels on demand.

What about UPC resellers?

It’s best to avoid UPC resellers for several reasons. First, they may be illegally selling you something they do not own. The only UPC barcodes that can be legally resold are those created before the 2002 lawsuit.

In 2002, the Uniform Code Council, or UCC, who would later become GS1, lost a class action suit. As a result, the owners of any barcodes before 2002 can legally sell them. And to be clear, there’s a ton of them out there. However, they don’t count as an active license, meaning retailers like Amazon and Walmart won’t accept them. 

And then there’s also the illegal part of things. If the barcode doesn’t fall into that category, it’s a registered business asset belonging to someone else. That means it’s something they can’t legally sell you, and you can’t legally use it either. 

Getting all UPCs directly from GS1 or authorized partners like us is the best option. While there is a small initial investment, it will save you massive headaches down the road.

The bottom line is that GS1 is the only true UPC barcode generator.

The post Understanding UPC Barcode Generators and How They Work appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

• Barcodes for manufacturing have various benefits, such as improved shipping and receiving, end-to-end traceability, better equipment management, and cost tracking.
• Manufacturers should only consider GS1 barcodes for finished goods
• You can create free, custom barcodes for internal tracking of components and assets.
• Flexible barcode creation options include barcode fonts, generators, or integrated software.
• A functional barcode system requires barcodes, a scanner, a printer, and software.

We may not realize it, but behind the scenes, barcodes play an essential part in our everyday lives. They’re a vital part of the global supply chain, ensuring the smooth flow of goods from the beginning of the product journey til the end. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the supply chain would simply not function as efficiently as it does today without barcodes. 

While it’s true that most businesses can benefit from adopting barcodes, manufacturers, in particular, stand to benefit the most. But why is that? And what should you, as a manufacturer, keep in mind when implementing barcodes for manufacturing?

Why are barcodes for manufacturing important?

Simply put, manufacturers use barcodes for more things. For example, retailers typically use barcodes to track product stock levels and inventory movement. Some may also use them for a handful of other use cases, such as barcoding on shelves, documents, or expensive business assets.

On the other hand, manufacturers need to track all that and more. The manufacturing process generally has more moving parts than the average retailer. Manufacturers need to source a variety of different materials and components, keep track of what they use and don’t use, and track what stage of the process individual components are in. A barcode tracking system lets them keep track of that process in real-time.

In short, there’s a lot of moving pieces, and using barcodes makes it easier to track everything. Luckily, most inventory management systems include some sort of barcode functionality. So, chances are, even if you’re not using barcodes yet, you should be able to get started with them quickly enough. That’s assuming you’re using the right barcode manufacturing software. 

Using a barcode system isn’t outright necessary, but lacking one can be crippling, as competitors will have a distinct advantage. 

The benefits of barcodes for manufacturing

Manufacturers who utilize barcodes will see several benefits across their organization. Some of the major advantages are:

• Tracking stock levels – barcodes help monitor stock levels in real-time, making it easy to track raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods.
• Improved shipping and receiving – barcodes help streamline the pick-pack-and-ship workflow and make shipping and receiving fast and easy. 
• Traceability – barcodes provide end-to-end traceability so you can easily track all your components as they travel through the manufacturing process.
• Equipment tracking – manufacturers can use barcodes to manage expensive equipment and machinery, ensure it’s always where it should be, and monitor its state of repair. 
• Cost tracking – accurately tracking cost of goods manufactured (COGM) is among the most essential things a manufacturer can do, and barcodes make this process much simpler.

Do manufacturers need registered GS1 barcodes?

There are a few ways to get barcodes for manufacturing. The “official” way is to purchase them through GS1. They’re a non-profit business entity that seeks to connect places around the globe using the same barcode language. If manufacturers make their own unique product in-house, it’s a good idea to register it with an official GS1 barcode. 

With that said, that doesn’t mean manufacturers need to use GS1 barcodes for the whole process. If anything, it’s a bad idea. 

The reality is that GS1 barcodes are great for product authenticity and traceability and are a requirement if you want to sell your finished goods in major retail stores. However, there is no need to use them throughout the manufacturing process. You should reserve GS1 barcodes for finished products that are ready for sale.

So what about all the other barcodes you’ll need? You’ll be happy to hear you can make those barcodes in-house completely free! Here’s how.

How do you create barcodes for manufacturing?

Unlike GS1 barcodes, when you create your own barcodes, they won’t be recognized by any outside organization. This means the only barcodes that matter to the outside world are the ones on your finished products. So feel free to create custom barcodes for all your components, assets, shelves, and anything else you want to track internally. 

You have a few options to create barcodes for manufacturing:

• Barcode font – A barcode font isn’t much different from any other font you see in Word or Google Docs. Instead of changing the style of letters and numbers, a barcode font takes alphanumeric characters and translates them into barcodes.
• Barcode generator – A barcode generator is a tool used to generate barcodes in various barcode symbologies. Many free barcode generators are available online, each with varying functionality. 
• Barcode manufacturing software – If you use barcode manufacturing software, chances are there may be a built-in barcode generator. For example, inFlow allows you to quickly generate barcodes of various symbologies with the click of a button. You can even create QR codes!

Where should you use barcodes?

The great thing about barcodes is just how versatile they can be. Manufacturers can use barcodes for many things, including barcoding components, shelves, documents, assets, finished products, etc. LPN barcodes, for example, are used by manufacturers to track the contents of large moveable bins. 

Manufacturers can use barcodes for their subassemblies and all of the components that go in a bill of materials (BOM). The bill of materials is a recipe that lists all the components that go into manufacturing a finished product. It’s a crucial tool for any manufacturer, and using barcodes to collect the necessary components for a BOM will increase speed and accuracy. 

The possibilities are endless when it comes to barcodes for manufacturing! 

What will you need to get started?

Using barcodes for manufacturing is essential for modern businesses, but the barcodes themselves are just one part of a system. You’ll need a few more things to get up and running. Every barcode system has four key components: barcodes, scanners, printers, and barcode manufacturing software.

In terms of a printer, any office jet printer will do if you’re looking for the cheapest option. Still, we recommend investing in a dedicated label printer for high-volume printing environments. A great option is the inFlow Portable Label Printer. It’s compact, wireless, and built to handle demanding warehouse conditions. It’s perfect for printing barcodes on the fly, whether you’re labeling raw materials or finished goods. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with inFlow’s software, making setup and daily use incredibly easy.

For a scanner, you can get by using your smartphone if money is an issue. But if you’re scanning a lot, investing in a barcode scanner is best. There are many different options for both of these, so we recommend reading our articles on barcode scanners and printers to better understand which one would be right for you. 

Wrapping up

While there are new technologies that seek to improve on barcodes, at the time of writing, they’re prohibitively expensive. Barcodes remain the primary method that manufacturers use to track their workflow and material/component levels. That won’t be changing anytime soon.

The post Barcode System for Manufacturing: What You Need to Succeed appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

• Companies use an LPN barcode in logistics to track and trace.
• LPN stands for “license plate number.”
• Businesses place LPN barcodes on warehouse moveables like crates and pallets to track them more efficiently.
• Warehouse managers often use moveables as a means of categorizing products. 
• The workflow requires standard barcoding equipment: Barcode generator, scanner, printer, and software.  

Warehouses are a common pain point for businesses. In other words, they’re large, expensive, and require a lot of resources to maintain. At the same time, though, warehouses are a piece of critical infrastructure. They provide storage space for products and are ultimately responsible for getting orders out the door.

Consequently, an optimized warehouse means an improved customer experience, which can give one company an edge over the others. 

To improve operations, warehouse managers use many tools for inventory management, a popular one being LPN (license plate numbers) barcodes. Barcodes are an outright necessity in modern-day business and have countless use cases across various industries. An LPN barcode is one of those use cases. So: what are LPN barcodes? How can they help businesses improve warehousing processes? 

What is an LPN barcode?

Despite the name, an LPN barcode doesn’t actually have much to do with license plates. Businesses attach an LPN barcode to a larger, movable object, like a crate or pallet. They then use these barcodes to track the moveables as they travel through the warehouse. 

The barcodes themselves make use of the same technology as other barcodes. They store information by encoding it into a series of black-and-white stripes. Barcode scanners can read these patterns and translate them into human-readable data. 

In that sense, an LPN label is more of an organizational tool than anything else. It’s just a different application of already existing technology.

Why do businesses use LPN barcodes?

Warehouses are very often an organizational nightmare. The average consumer might picture neat lines or shelves of products, but that’s far from the case. Space is expensive, so businesses have a vested interest in using it as efficiently as possible. That means stacking products all the way to the ceiling, which often necessitates heavy equipment like forklifts.

All of this space and equipment, in turn, necessitates more employees, which can create a very chaotic and stressful environment. Notably, the warehouse industry sees a 49% turnover rate in the US– and 150% for Amazon. We won’t make any claims about the warehouse industry, but the chaotic work environment likely plays a role. 

From the perspective of a business, a chaotic work environment is a liability. It might sound ridiculous, but misplacing a pallet or crate in a building as large as a warehouse is easy. That’s why they use LPN barcodes. Unlike typical barcodes, which are tied to individual products, an LPN barcode identifies a “container.” These containers may contain multiple items with various SKUs and are an excellent way for businesses to help organize their warehouses. 

Amazon LPN barcodes

The most notable company to use LPN barcodes is Amazon. In fact, it’s to the point that their almost synonymous with the company. Many people call them an Amazon LPN label, or an Amazon LPN barcode. And that’s true– Amazon does make regular use of an LPN barcode system. However, it’s a little bit different. 

Up above, we illustrated just how chaotic the warehouse environment can be. Amazon is the single largest online retailer in the world (and the second largest retailer, period), and their warehouses are much larger and more chaotic.

This means the amount of product traffic is higher than average– both in and out. In 2021, the National Retail Federation estimated that 21% of all online merchandise during the holiday season was returned. That’s a lot of returns. 

One of the ways Amazon uses LPN barcodes is by separating returns as they arrive. This sections off returns from shipments and provides a physical way of tracking returns. Amazon operates on such a large scale that mistakes are commonplace. Their use of an LPN barcode system helps reduce mistakes and increase visibility.

What does a business need to implement LPN barcodes?

There are four necessary components to any barcode system. An LPN barcode system is no exception. Your business will need the following: a barcode generator/designer, a printer, a scanner, and barcode software. 

In terms of barcode scanners and printers, the inFlow Smart Scanner and inFlow Portable Printer make an excellent pairing. The Smart Scanner is a rugged Android device with inFlow pre-installed. It’s perfect for scanning LPN barcodes and updating inventory in real-time. Combine it with the Portable Printer, and your team can print labels wirelessly from anywhere. It’s a powerful duo designed with mobility in mind to make LPN workflows fast and frustration-free.

The barcode generator creates barcodes, the printer… prints them, the scanner reads them, and the software ties them all together. If one of these components is missing, things fall apart. It’s important to remember that barcodes are a simple but powerful business tool. Whoever uses them dictates their usefulness, but the key requirements don’t change. 

LPN barcodes best practices

If you, as a business owner, are looking to implement LPN barcoding, here are some best practices to consider beforehand. 

Make LPN labels accessible  

As with any barcode, it’s important to place it somewhere employees can easily access it. While that’s the most important requirement, it’s also far from the only one. It needs to be easy to find, hidden from the elements, and ideally does not require external tools (like a flashlight) to read.

Make LPN barcodes obvious

At the end of the day, businesses use LPN barcodes to separate equipment or products. Meanwhile, some even use LPN barcodes as a way of marking products that are close to expiring. Many businesses do this by directly marking the physical barcode with “LPN.”

Tune the system to your work, not the other way around

The usefulness of barcodes depends on the implementation. LPN barcodes are meant to streamline warehousing processes. It’s important to tune the system to your work instead of changing a business to suit the system. The system itself is malleable– with a little creativity, a solution will arise.

Create a sorting method

Like any inventory management technique, LPN barcodes are only as useful as you make them. With that in mind, settle on a sorting method that makes sense for your business. For instance, you could use an LPN label to store products that sell well together, or you could use them to store products deemed deadstock. The choice is yours. 

Final thoughts

An LPN barcode is really just a barcode at the end of the day, and it does what they all do. It stores information. In this instance, though, businesses often use them to separate a certain class of product or equipment. Using them can streamline warehouse processes or open the door to new organizational methods.

The post A Step-by-Step Guide for Implementing LPN Barcodes appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

• An Amazon FNSKU barcode is an Amazon-exclusive barcode that they use for fulfillment by Amazon.
• Merchants who choose to enroll in FBA will have their products stored, sold, and shipped by Amazon. 
• However, enrolling in FBA requires using an Amazon FNSKU barcode for products.
• The merchant can create, print, and place the FNSKU barcode on their products themselves, or alternatively, Amazon will do so for a fee ($0.55 per unit). 
• ASIN and FNSKU are not the same thing. An ASIN is product-specific. The FNSKU is merchant-specific.

If you own, operate, or manage an online retail store, there’s a good chance your products are on Amazon. Even if they aren’t exclusive to the ecommerce titan, there’s a good chance they’re on it. That probably means you’ve heard about the FNSKU code Amazon uses. 

An FNSKU code used by Amazon serves a function similar to a SKU (Stock Keeping Unit). FNSKU, in this case, stands for fulfillment network stock-keeping unit, and it plays a significant role in Amazon’s fulfillment process, specifically for merchants using FBA.  

So, what does an Amazon FNSKU barcode do? Why do merchants in fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) need them? There’s a lot to go over today, so let’s get started. 

What is an FNSKU? 

An FNSKU is a barcode that’s unique to Amazon. The company assigns each product enrolled in FBA its own unique FNSKU. Amazon uses these barcodes to connect merchant products to the correct account and track inventory movement. Amazon requires all FBA-enrolled products to have a FNSKU. 

I’m sure you’ve been scrolling through Amazon and have seen a fair number of identical products with varying price points. Different merchants sell these products, and if both sellers are members of the FBA program, FNSKU barcodes will allow Amazon to ensure that they are shipping the proper inventory to the customers.

But before we go any further, let’s quickly talk about what fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) means for merchants.

What is fulfillment by Amazon? And why is it important? 

It’s important to note that just being on Amazon leads to greater visibility and, in many cases, sales. That’s not to say that putting your product(s) on Amazon guarantees success– far from it. However, it is true that Amazon is crucial to many online retailers. As of 2023, they hold a 37.6% market share in the US. That’s a lot of traffic. 

Since the company’s inception in 1996, they’ve continued to branch out into other industries. For example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains the world’s leading cloud provider. FBA is another way for them to remain competitive. 

Merchants who enroll their products in FBA have their fulfillment completed by Amazon. That means Amazon stores, sells, and ships your product all on their own– for a fee, of course. Generally, though, that fee ends up being worth it. Amazon effectively takes on the role of a 3PL (3rd party logistics) and handles warehousing and shipping. 

Not everything is rosy, though. Merchants that don’t enroll in FBA perform fulfillment by merchant (FBM), meaning they sell and ship independently. In 2023, FBM merchants faced increased fees, which drew the FTC’s attention. Essentially, merchants felt penalized for not using the FBA program. While there are benefits to enrolling in FBA, make no mistake: it’s one way that Amazon manipulates the market.

How do merchants obtain an Amazon FNSKU barcode? 

Now that you know what an FNSKU is and the role it plays, there’s another important question. Is FBA an attractive option to you? And if so, how do you get FNSKUs for your products?  

There are a few different ways. Generally, though, once a merchant enrolls a product in FBA, Amazon assigns that product a FNSKU. Once it exists, there are a few ways to get it onto the product. 

The first would be to attach the FNSKU barcodes yourself. The FNSKU codes Amazon provides for eligible products are easy enough to print, provided you have the proper barcode label printer. If you’re looking for a reliable option built specifically for fast-paced workflows, the inFlow Portable Printer is a great choice. It’s wireless, compact, and optimized for warehouse environments. It makes it easy to print high-quality FNSKU labels right where you need them, whether that’s in your office or fulfillment area.

Once a product receives its Amazon FNSKU barcode, it’ll appear in your Seller Central under the “Manage Inventory” option. 

From there, find the FNSKU in question and right-click. This should show an “Edit” option with a drop-down menu. Open it and select “Print item labels.” A file should download; this is your FNSKU. Now you can print it and place it on your products.

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle, you can opt for the second option: to pay Amazon to place the FNSKU label on product lineups instead. There is a per-unit fee of $0.55, however. So, for 100 units, a merchant pays $55. For 1,000 units, it’s $550. These fees may seem small initially, but depending on your business model, the costs add up quickly. 

Mistakes to avoid

At the end of the day, Amazon FNSKU barcodes aren’t much different from “normal” barcodes. Just think of them as propriety barcodes that Amazon uses for a very specific reason– to keep identical seller products separate. Merchants that don’t research ahead of time are likely to make mistakes. Here are some common ones to avoid. 

Lack of knowledge 

A common issue among new FBA sellers is not understanding the system. On the face of it, FBA seems like a really great thing. And it can be– but there are rules that merchants need to follow. Failing to research ahead of time could lead to consequences down the line. 

Bundling FNSKUs 

Selling products as part of a bundle is common on Amazon. However, merchants must remember that if part of FBA, every individual product must have a unique FNSKU. That includes products sold as a bundle. 

Reusing FNSKU barcodes

Something interesting about FNSKUs is that they never expire or change. This also means they are non-reusable. Once they correspond to a specific seller’s product, you can’t change them. You’ll have to start over with a new Amazon FNSKU barcode.

Where should the FNSKU barcode go?

Something that often gets overlooked is where to place the barcode. It’s an overall simple task, but it can be tricky. Once placed, a barcode label is hard to remove, but finding that spot can prove challenging. 

As a good rule of thumb, place your Amazon FNSKU barcode in a place that’s easy to see and access. If possible, place barcode labels on an area of the product that you can see without moving the product around. So, for example, you might want to place it on the front of the box rather than on the bottom. Wherever you put it, ensure it’s protected and won’t be easily torn or smudged.

The Value of FNSKU Barcodes in Amazon’s Ecosystem

Amazon’s FNSKU barcodes are critical in ensuring the smooth and accurate fulfillment of orders within the vast FBA network. Using FNSKU barcodes correctly helps Amazon maintain accurate inventory levels and avoids costly errors that could disrupt your business. For more about barcodes, check out our Ultimate Barcoding Guide. By avoiding common mistakes and adhering to best practices, sellers can ensure that their products reach customers promptly and correctly, increasing customer satisfaction and business growth.

The post Everything to Know About an Amazon FNSKU Barcode appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

• Asset barcode tracking involves tracking physical assets using barcodes to minimize errors, cut costs, increase productivity, and create a digital trail of asset usage.
• Implementing a barcode asset tracking system requires three main components: inventory software, a barcode printer, and a barcode scanner.
• Asset tracking has the most benefits for companies with a lot of physical assets that are very expensive.

No matter what sort of business you run, chances are that you’ll have assets to manage. “Asset” can refer to many different things. It can be a warehouse, equipment, even employees, or something intangible like a brand name. For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on how to manage and track physical assets through an asset barcode. 

Not every asset needs barcode asset tracking, however. While a barcode asset can improve productivity, implementing too many can have the opposite effect. So: what is an asset barcode? What role does it play in barcode asset tracking? And which assets should you consider slapping a barcode onto? Let’s find out. 

What classifies as an asset? 

The textbook definition of “business asset” is as follows: property that a business uses in its operations. This can encompass real estate, inventories, buildings, machinery and other equipment, patents, franchise rights, and copyrights. 

Another noteworthy business asset that we should address is intellectual property or IP. This includes things like business logos, brand names, concepts, and so on. Television shows, movies, novels, and other works of fiction are good examples of intellectual property.   

As you can see, “business asset” refers to a lot of different things. Some of those things are physical objects, while others are not. This article will focus on physical assets because, well, you can’t put a barcode on something that doesn’t physically exist.  

What is asset tracking?

As the name suggests, asset tracking refers to the practice of keeping track of assets while they’re on the move. Businesses do this for many different reasons. Some work with extremely expensive equipment, for example. Others may do so to track who has a piece of equipment and where they are. Typically, they achieve this by using an asset barcode.

Why should businesses track assets?

The biggest reason a business uses an asset barcode is to minimize errors, cut costs, and increase productivity. An asset barcode can tell you where the relevant piece of equipment is and who’s using it. This creates a digital trail that tells where valuable equipment is, and who’s currently responsible for it.

Asset tracking can also yield valuable data. The digital trail a barcode creates is useful in gauging activity across different areas, such as how often you use the asset, when it was last repaired, and what state it’s currently in. And if you run your business from multiple locations, you can more easily see the location of all of your assets at any given time. A company can use this data to allocate assets to areas that need them most.

For example, say three employees need access to a specific business asset more than other employees. Barcodes would clearly show who has been using an asset more frequently and, therefore, let you plan accordingly. 

This could be anything, but for the sake of this example, let’s say these employees work in field service and service different areas. In the same vein, let’s say that this business asset is an essential piece of equipment. 

Employees 1 and 2 need regular access to the equipment because their areas of operation require it more frequently. Employee 3 still needs access to it, but much less frequently. If a business collects data over a long enough period, it can organize a schedule that suits everyone’s needs. This is useful when working with expensive equipment, as it can eliminate the need to purchase multiple units. 

Companies can use the same data to allocate business resources and maintain a higher level of efficiency. However, achieving that can take time. 

What type of businesses should use barcode asset tracking?

For the most part, every business should use it in some capacity. This is true even for online retailers. They need warehouses to store products, and often, warehouses require all sorts of equipment, such as forklifts and pallet movers. These are usually high-value equipment that may benefit from an asset barcode. 

There are exceptions, however. There are business models that aim to reduce business assets to near zero. For example, drop shippers really only own their digital storefront. Companies that operate entirely online may also have little to no physical assets. Implementing barcode asset tracking doesn’t make much sense in these instances. 

How do you implement barcode asset tracking?

Setting up a system might seem complicated, but it’s surprisingly simple. It involves using a business tool that most already use: barcodes. When they see a barcode, most people think of a price tag, but they can do much more for your business. 

Of course, you’ll need some equipment to use asset barcodes. Chances are, though, you’ll already have most of this equipment. You’ll need a barcode printer, scanner, and the barcodes themselves. If you’re on a shoestring budget, you can use a free barcode font to create your barcodes—an office printer to print them and your cell phone to scan them.

However, good barcode software, like inFlow, simplifies using barcodes. We allow our users to create unique barcodes for their assets within a few clicks. You can design labels with our label designer and print them out right inside the app. 

For teams that want a complete setup, inFlow also offers hardware designed for speed and mobility. The inFlow Portable Label Printer is wireless, compact, and rugged—perfect for printing asset labels wherever you are, whether that’s in the warehouse or on a job site. Pair it with the inFlow Smart Scanner to create a powerful barcode system, so your team can instantly check items in and out, look up asset details, and update records. Together, they streamline the entire asset tracking workflow.

Once you have all the equipment, it’s just a matter of printing barcodes and placing them on the relevant assets. Make sure they’re unique to that asset or that category of asset. It’s important not to get mixed up! From there, sync the barcodes to assets and locations with whatever inventory system you use to create a digital trail as they move through your operations. You can even take this a step further by adding employee ID tags to the system to maintain responsibility. Then, employees can scan barcodes to log equipment out and when they send it in for repair. 

Are there any downsides? 

The only real downside to asset tracking is the need to maintain another system. As far as these types of business systems go, however, barcode asset tracking is relatively easy to implement and maintain. It helps that most businesses already use a barcode system; they have most of the necessities. 

Best practices

Once you have everything: asset barcode, printer, barcode software, and so on, it’s time to start. What important things should you keep in mind once the system is up and running? 

Categorize assets

Not every asset is… er, manufactured equally? Anyways. Not every asset is of equal value: some are more expensive than others or may have a different use case. Categorizing assets according to their use makes it easier for employees to get what they need and get to work.

Store relevant information 

An asset barcode can hold a surprising amount of information, but sometimes, too much information can make things more complicated than they need to be. Ensure you’re clear and concise and store information relevant to the asset. This is often something relevant to its appearance or specs, such as color, shape, model, or technical performance. 

Place your asset barcodes with accessibility in mind

Barcode asset tracking involves a lot of barcodes– and a lot of scanning. This means it’s important to place barcodes where they’re easy to scan. If employees have to spend five minutes to disassemble something before scanning it, that’s a critical inefficiency. 

Conclusion

And that’s it! Now you know what a barcode asset is and how an asset barcode tracks it. Even online retailers generally rely on a physical location of some sort, and tracking assets at those locations is crucial to keeping things running. Not just so things don’t go missing but also to increase efficiency and reduce operating costs.

The post How Asset Barcode Tracking Can Protect Your Small Business appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

Ultimately, barcodes are just a form of technology—and technology is fallible. A blurry barcode probably won’t make or break your business, but it can certainly cause a lot of wasted time. And time is money, as they say.  

For today’s article, we’re going to help you get the most out of your barcodes. We’ll cover common causes for blurred barcodes, how to resolve those causes, and some best practices to avoid them in the future. We’ll also touch on QR codes; how they differ, how they’re similar, and how a blurry QR code might vary from a traditional 1D barcode.

Why is it important to avoid a blurry barcode?

A single blurry barcode probably won’t cause any real problems. However, something caused that blurry barcode, and if you don’t resolve the issue, you’re bound to encounter more. A blurred barcode will stop you in your tracks, wasting valuable time, which is the antithesis of what barcodes are intended for. 

A full-fledged barcode system aims to improve four main business areas: efficiency, error reduction, data collection, and tracking. To do this, each element of the system must be fully functional. Even the best barcode scanner on the market won’t be able to scan a blurry barcode. 

The basics of how to use barcodes

Barcodes look like black-and-white stripes to us, but to a computer with the correct database, they’re full of information. Generally speaking, every barcode system has three parts: hardware, software, and barcode labels.

Hardware typically refers to a barcode scanner and barcode printers. Software usually refers to the program that reads barcodes and matches it to something in its database. Barcode labels, of course, refer to the barcode itself. Do note that barcodes come in many different shapes and sizes. While they fall into various subcategories, a traditional 1D barcode and a QR code are both barcodes and serve similar purposes.

Similarly, there are three basic steps to using barcodes: designing, printing, and scanning. If you’re just starting out, there’s two main ways to obtain barcodes. You can create business-exclusive ones with an online generator or a barcode font. You can also make them with barcode software like inFlow. If you need barcodes that are not for your business alone, you can purchase them from our Official GTIN Barcode Shop. You can buy up to ten barcodes for only $30 each with no renewal fee. However, if you need more than ten barcodes, you’re better off getting a company prefix directly through GS1.

Once you’ve got your barcode(s) and linked them to the relevant product(s), all you have to do is print them out. Then, place them on your product and use a barcode scanner to read them.

Keep in mind that this is just an extremely basic overview. For a more in-depth read, we recommend checking out our ultimate barcoding guide. It covers everything there is to know about barcodes. 

Common causes of blurry barcodes

A barcode is a rather unique tool. It’s a mainly digital system that relies on some analog elements to function. That opens it up to a myriad of problems. And a blurry barcode or a blurry QR code isn’t the only reason for a read error, either. There could be other factors preventing the barcode scanner from reading it correctly. Here are some of the most common causes of blurred barcodes:

Insufficient size

Barcodes work in very small units of measurement. Modern handheld scanners are pretty good at adjusting for size and orientation, but sometimes, barcodes are just too small. A scanner reads a barcode by measuring the thickness of the black lines and the space between them. Therefore, the smaller they get, the more likely the lines will bleed into one another. 

Faulty printers

If you find one blurred barcode, you can probably pass it off as a one-off. If you find a whole batch at once, though, it probably comes from the same source. In this case, the printer. It could have a bad ink cartridge, poor placement, or just be flat-out broken. Whatever the case, until you fix it, it’ll keep producing blurry barcodes.

Out-of-focus cameras or faulty scanners

Because reading requires an accurate image, the camera must be able to focus properly. This isn’t a problem for most scanners, but it’s becoming increasingly common to use cell phones as scanners. While it’s usually fine, some models may simply be inept as scanners. There is also the possibility that the scanner you’re using is faulty. To test your scanner, try printing out barcode labels with a larger-size barcode and see if it still causes problems. If so, chances are the culprit is your device, not a blurry barcode. 

Environment

While not really part of the barcode system, environmental factors also play a role in readability. Poor lighting conditions can lead to a lack of contrast, which is really important when dealing with black and white. Other factors, such as excessive humidity, could cause ink to spread or smudge. Moving warehouses would be overkill, but making rearrangements could fix things. Though it’s never really first on the list, it’s often worth checking.

Can you avoid a blurred barcode?

Of course, you can try to avoid the blurry barcode dilemma altogether. Sometimes, prevention is best. To be clear, though, you’ll still get the occasional error. Nothing is perfect, after all. You can minimize the number of errors and their effect, though. Here are some steps you should consider taking to avoid blurred barcodes and misreads.

Use appropriate gear

We mentioned above that some smartphone cameras just won’t cut it as scanners, and that’s true. The same logic applies to other areas of the system. It might be tempting to use a standard printer, but specialized printers exist for a reason. The chances an inkjet printer will produce blurry barcodes are much higher than if you purchase a barcode label printer.

To get consistently sharp, scannable barcodes, consider using the inFlow Portable Printer. It’s wireless, compact, and built for busy warehouse workers. It’s great for printing labels on the go without sacrificing quality. Combine it with the inFlow Smart Scanner, a rugged Android-based device that runs the inFlow mobile app and easily scans both 1D and 2D barcodes. Together, they help eliminate common issues like blurry labels or failed scans.

This also extends to the barcodes themselves. Though they look similar, there’s a few different types. Some are easier to read than others. For example, a QR code holds more data than a standard barcode, and unlike standard barcodes, you can scan it from any direction. A blurry QR code is also more likely to scan successfully than a 1D barcode.  

Avoid blurry barcodes with thoughtful label design

How you design your barcode labels will play a massive role in whether or not you end up with a blurry barcode. Generally, this will depend on the size of the barcode on the label. As we mentioned above, you’re more likely to end up with a blurry barcode the smaller they are. InFlow users can use our built-in label designer, which will help them choose appropriate dimensions. Our label designer gives you the flexibility to design your barcode labels however you like. You can even add images, logos, and more. 

Place barcodes smartly

It might take some thought, but be sure to place your barcodes in a location that makes sense. Ideally, it should be accessible, relatively safe from damage, and easily illuminated. Placing them in an awkward location could make them difficult or even impossible to read with a scanner, regardless of whether you’re dealing with a blurred barcode or not.

Perform regular maintenance

A barcode system is a tool, and tools need maintenance. That can mean a few different things, such as checking printers and scanners regularly, updating software regularly, and so on. Ensuring barcodes are clear and intact on individual units is painstaking but also necessary.

Wrapping up

While barcodes are an excellent tool for any business, retail or otherwise, they’re still prone to occasional failure. A blurry barcode might not seem urgent, but that small failure can cascade into something that affects the whole business. It’s best to address them quickly and take steps to prevent issues beforehand.

The post How To Eliminate Blurry Barcodes in Your Small Business appeared first on inFlow Inventory.