What is a barcode system? Benefits of Inventory Systems for Your Business
The transformation of business through digital has allowed for significant advancements in streamlining stocktake, inventory management and customer service. Chances are you’ve used barcodes as a customer or server, but do you know how to set up a barcode inventory system for your own business?
What is a barcode system?
Barcode systems allow you to manage all of your products, including variants in quantity, sizing and colour, in a seamless digital process. Barcoding helps you manage orders, count stocktake and ensure the optimal control of your inventory.
So why would you want to utilise a barcode system?
- You warehouse your inventory
Keeping track of thousands of inventory items in a warehouse can be difficult if you don’t have an easy-to-use system to keep an eye on item counts and details. It also is useful for managing the shipment of bulk products, letting you barcode single products, shipping boxes and groups of products. A barcode system is a must if you warehouse your own inventory.
- Your vendors/retailers require barcodes
If your inventory gets sent to vendors or retailers, they might require barcodes for the items they purchase from you. If you can set up your own you will be able to manage products delivered to vendors, as well as track the quantity of profit coming from them.
- You’re maintaining Barcoding Inventory
If you work in a warehouse or with large quantities of inventory you want to ensure you maintain the load. Big businesses like grocery stores can be overwhelmed by a huge variety of products, which is why barcoding stocks and boxes can add to the streamlining.
Choosing the right system
Barcode types can be categorized into three main groups: numeric, alpha-numeric, and two-dimensional. The first two types are considered one-dimensional and include only numbers or a combination of letters and numbers as well as bars of varying widths. The last type is most commonly seen as a QR code: a square or rectangular shape showing a combination of short lines and dots.
How should I choose a barcode scanner?
Selecting a Scan Engine
Most common scanning engines are made of laser pointers than can scan all one-dimensional barcodes (the codes you will see at grocery stores) and can be a cost-effective option. Digital scanning for things like tickets and check-ins will require other options.
Choosing a Form
There are a variety of scanning forms to suit your business’ particular needs. For example, if you need to scan multiple items that are heavy or hard to manoeuvre then a handheld scanner will be optimal. Grocery stores will usually use a computer/desktop scanner, and fixed mount scanners are ideal for industrial scanning for managing inventory.
Set up your system
Once you have made the decision to invest in barcoding systems, it’s time to set things up. Putting it briefly, you will need to define all SKUs and all variants and research the barcode inventory software system that suits your requirements. You’ll then define barcodes and create the said barcodes. This will also require updating your inventory management system.
Enquire with the experts
With over 20 years of experience, B&DCS has been delivering quality optimised solutions to a range of businesses in a range of industries. We are constantly innovating and upgrading our processes to ensure our clients get the best possible service. If you’re a business ready to streamline your inventory management, reach out to the team at B&DCS today.
