Barcode scanner recommendation

Raymond Lin

Raymond Lin

Raymond Lin

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Random, but need a barcode scanner. It then need to connect to the computer which spits out into a spreadsheet with it's barcode with the item description. Or a way to know what the barcode means once in the spreadsheet.

Not sure what to go for.

A physical scanner? (preferrable)
An app on a phone?
Subscription (not preferred)
Works on PC and Mac (both preferred)

Point me in the right direction GD!
 
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Can’t recommend a particular one but I used many in the past… my favourite one was a Bluetooth one with built in memory the size of an ink stamp. I could leave the laptop in the office and take the scanner to what I needed to scan.. if it was close enough it would just do it via BT, if not it would store it till BT connection was made again.

It’s basically just a keyboard and you need the barcode font installed.

If you want to go super posh, you can get a device that acts like a case for an iPhone… the Apple store used them at one point..


Yes you can get an app but anyone that has tried scanning an item using the Amazon app to see if they stock it cheaper will tell you it’s frustrating.
 
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Raymond Lin said:
Random, but need a barcode scanner. It then need to connect to the computer which spits out into a spreadsheet with it's barcode with the item description. Or a way to know what the barcode means once in the spreadsheet.

Not sure what to go.

A physical scanner? (preferrable)
An app on a phone?
Subscription (not preferred)
Works on PC and Mac (both preferred)

Point me in the right direction GD!
Click to expand...

How much are you going to need it? If it's going to be a long term/heavy use thing then a dedicated handheld is probably the way to go. If it's just going to be temporary/occasional use, then a phone app is probably going to be more convenient/less investment in hardware which isn't going to be used much (saying that, a cheap and cheerful USB one looks to only be ~£20-30).

Re.:

Raymond Lin said:
the item description. Or a way to know what the barcode means once in the spreadsheet.
Click to expand...

The scanner itself just reads the "code" for the item (e.g. a series of numbers). You still need a database to do a lookup of the item description - is this going to be for a (relatively) fixed set of items you already know the description of, or is it going to be new random items all the time?

Depending on the answer to the above, you'll be fine with just a basic scanner to feed the codes into the spreadsheet and do a lookup locally against data you've populated yourself, or you'll need something with a built-in (and frequently updated) database, or a connection to an online database of some kind (both of which may require a subscription of some kind).
 
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Haggisman said:
How much are you going to need it? If it's going to be a long term/heavy use thing then a dedicated handheld is probably the way to go. If it's just going to be temporary/occasional use, then a phone app is probably going to be more convenient/less investment in hardware which isn't going to be used much (saying that, a cheap and cheerful USB one looks to only be ~£20-30).

Re.:



The scanner itself just reads the "code" for the item (e.g. a series of numbers). You still need a database to do a lookup of the item description - is this going to be for a (relatively) fixed set of items you already know the description of, or is it going to be new random items all the time?

Depending on the answer to the above, you'll be fine with just a basic scanner to feed the codes into the spreadsheet and do a lookup locally against data you've populated yourself, or you'll need something with a built-in (and frequently updated) database, or a connection to an online database of some kind (both of which may require a subscription of some kind).
Click to expand...

It's for the place i am working for. So I am learning towards a dedicated unit, rather than a phone / app.

As for number of items, it's several thousands and in a way, unlimited as there will always be new products on the market.
 
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We used to use a bluetooth handheld one for stock taking at work (small business), couldnt tell you make or model though.
 
I'd go with a physical simple barcode scanner thats hooked up to a spreadsheet which has a vlookup of the product description (remember the barcode is just the id - it won't contain the related info). If you stray outside of this and get it all on a handheld / hitting a web service to get the information you're going to be looking at a much higher price point.
 
Thekwango said:
Have used Honeywell and Datalogic handheld barcode scanners quite a bit and never had any complaints with them.
Click to expand...
I used to run projects and install retail solutions. We used a lot of Honeywell, Datalogic and Motorola scanners. When i say a lot, some projects may have had hunderds at once. If that helps at all.
 
Raymond Lin said:
It's for the place i am working for. So I am learning towards a dedicated unit, rather than a phone / app.

As for number of items, it's several thousands and in a way, unlimited as there will always be new products on the market.
Click to expand...

In that case, yes, definitely a dedicated handheld. I assume someone is going to have the responsibility of updating the spreadsheet whenever a new product is added to your inventory? (A spreadsheet may not be the best tool for this to be honest, but that's a separate subject!)
 
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Years ago, I used to work at a company that had thousands of Symbol scanners. From a cursory search, it looks as if Zebra may own them now.

We found them pretty reliable (and, as I recall, cheap!), but I don't know whether they're any better or worse than the competition, particularly nowadays.
 
Just make sure you program your scanners right. So many people I find don't do this and think there are issues. Biggest one was always "it scans but doesn't confirm its scan". Basically, its reading the barcode but not "pressing enter" to confirm. Adding a CRLF (see the manual of the scanner) solves this.

Also, some scanners will need to be told the language to read, such as 3of9 for example. This will sometimes be dictated by the values, so are you using just numbers, letters and numbers, any special characters etc. Just follow the manual on how to program for these.
 
gettothechopper said:
we bought a wasp one for some scanning of barcodes into spreadsheets

works good

even goes beep (which is the best bit)
Click to expand...
I'm now remembering Supermarket Sweep, looking at when it aired and feeling really old:p

I've had a cheap barcode scanner from Amazon for years for basic barcode entry and the beep can be satisfying :p (to give an idea of it's age, it has blue tooth, but it charges and works wired via an original style USB printer cable).
 
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