How do I choose a barcode type?

Choosing a barcode type is easiest if you know who (or what) will be scanning the barcode.

What is a barcode?

A barcode is a symbol that allows a barcode scanner (or camera) to read information and send to a computer.

What is a barcode scanner?

A barcode scanner reads a barcode symbol using either a laser or a camera. Camera-based scanners are often called optical scanners.

Laser barcode scanners are faster and simpler and usually only work with 1D barcodes. Laser barcode scanners work best with matte (not glossy) finishes. Laser barcode scanners must be oriented correctly to scan.

Optical and camera scanners are slightly slower, but they work with 2D barcodes such as QR codes, on glossy surfaces, and can be scanned in any orientation.

Types of Barcodes

There are broadly two types of barcodes: 1D and 2D. You can think of 1D as simple traditional bar-codes such as UPC and EAN, while 2D barcodes have more symbols and blocks such as QR code and Datamatrix.

Choosing a Barcode

Ask yourself, "who or what will be scanning this barcode?"

• A person with a phone: QR Code

• Checkout at store: UPC or EAN

• Custom inventory tracking: Code39 or Code 128

When in doubt, seek advice from the people or users that will be scanning your barcode. They will likely have a preference or specification for you to follow.

Barcode Limitations

There are limits to what kind of information can be stored in a barcode. UPC barcodes can only contain numbers and depending on the variant, can contain either 2, 5, 8 or 12 numerical digits. Read more about barcodes here.

Configuring Barcode Scanners

Some barcode scanners can be configured to only scan certain kinds of barcodes. This can be helpful if your product has many different barcode types, and you only want to scan one of the barcodes. To learn more about configuring your barcode scanner, consult your barcode scanner manual.