Whether a company is large or small, effective inventory management is crucial. Although manual counts and spreadsheets may be used to keep tabs on stock, barcodes provide much more efficiency. Take charge of your stock through the use of a barcode inventory control system and stop wasting time, money, and energy on manual processes.
So, what exactly are these barcode things?
A barcode, in its most basic form, is just a graphic that contains numbers or text that serves as a visual representation of some kind of information. Using a scanner, the image’s data may be instantaneously uploaded to a computer, making it ideal for storing and retrieving product specifications.
- 1D Barcodes: The spacing between vertical black lines of a one-dimensional barcode lets the scanner identify the product.
- Two-dimensional barcodes, or 2D barcodes, are square in shape and made up of a variety of dots and shapes used to encode information. More data can be stored in these barcodes than in traditional 1D barcodes. The information for a website may be stored in a 2D barcode, and when scanned with a smartphone, the user is taken directly to the specified URL.
What’s the Big Deal About Barcodes?
A barcode stock system is essential for any growing organization because of the sheer volume of goods that must be tracked. Having one in place today will help you save time and effort in the future, among other advantages.
Inventory counts taken using a barcode system are far more precise than those done manually. Barcodes may drastically cut down on human error, leading to more precise inventory counts. While entering dates, the average individual makes at least one typo per 250 keystrokes, according to research. The machine makes a mistake once every 36 trillion characters.
With barcodes, inventory can be checked quickly and accurately. In order to remove a product from stock immediately after a sale, you may scan its barcode. You will have access to precise and up-to-the-minute stock information 24/7, allowing you to make informed inventory management small business choices at any point in the day.
Every item in your store can be quickly scanned and the information entered into a computer because of the barcodes you placed on them. Faster checkout service for satisfied buyers is guaranteed as a result. The computer can calculate the entire price automatically, saving you the trouble of inputting each product individually.
Where to Begin
Installing a barcode system for tracking inventories may be done at surprisingly little cost. It is necessary to generate a product code before proceeding, with Universal Product Codes (UPCs) and stock keeping units (SKUs). In the business world, uniform product codes are ubiquitous. Click here for more information on obtaining UPC codes. It’s possible to identify and trace goods all around the world using this code.
There are various uses for a UPC. You can sell on Amazon with them, provide buyers access to product details and reviews online, and utilize them with most inventory management software. A universal product code has a standard length of 12 digits and is intended for public use.
Choose a standard SKU number or make one yourself that better reflects your business. Inventory management programs and spreadsheets both provide ways to generate SKUs. An SKU is an eight-digit number that is exclusive to a business and used for internal purposes like stock tracking. After that, a barcode has to be generated for each SKU. Free barcodes may be made with the help of a barcode generator online or with dedicated barcode making software.
The next step is to get your barcode printed. Barcodes may be printed using a conventional inkjet or laser printer and a label sheet. For barcode labels, though, thermal printers are your best bet. Thermal printers have much lower running costs than their inkjet and laser counterparts. In addition to being quick, silent, and requiring little to no upkeep, thermal printers have a longer lifespan than conventional printers. Indeed, there are a few distinct types of thermal labels to choose from.
How to Choose a Scanner
Without a scanner, barcodes are useless to businesses because they cannot be read. When looking to purchase a barcode scanner (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode_reader#:~:tex), you have a few alternatives.
Those that need freedom of movement and adaptability in their scanning may look into wireless options. You should always keep a spare set of batteries on hand for these scanners. As they don’t need an external power source, these scanners may be used for real-time inventory monitoring. In the case of wireless scanners, you have the option of either storing the data on a memory card and transferring it to the computer at a later time, connecting to the computer through Bluetooth, or purchasing a scanner with on-board storage.
Wire-based scanners are also available. Wired scanners are less costly than wireless ones, but they’re also less versatile. You’ll need to connect the scanner to power and the computer where you’re keeping track of inventory. Customer check-in is a breeze with wired scanners.
A portable barcode scanner, whether wired or wireless, is ideal for use in small enterprises. A good scanner may be purchased for approximately $100. Although initially it may seem like a lot of money, it will prove to be money well spent in the end. With these few simple purchases, you can completely digitize your inventory system.
