This section outlines high level information and concepts about the use of barcodes in general, as well as information on the SpendMap-specific use of barcodes.
See also the Barcode Integration overview section.
The following topics are included in this section;
What a Barcode Is and Isn’t
Assigning Barcode Numbers to Items and Assets
Scanning Barcodes
Printing Barcode Labels
What a Barcode Is and Isn’t
According to Wikipedia, a barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows data about the object to which it is attached.
In SpendMap, barcodes are used to eliminate the need to enter or manually select part numbers (either items in the Item Master File or Asset Master File), thereby reducing data entry when performing inventory and asset-related transactions. That is, rather than manually typing the item number for a transaction, you can scan the barcode associated with that item instead.
So a barcode contains an item number but that is all.
Have you ever watched the cashier at the supermarket scan an item and then the item’s price, description and other information shows up on the screen? If so, you may think that all that information is contained in the barcode. It isn’t. The only information in the barcode is the item/part number; the rest of the information was already in the computer system and was simply found using the scanned part number.
The same thing happens in SpendMap. When you scan a barcode, SpendMap reads the number, then it can go to the Item Master File or the Asset Master File to get other data for the item, but this supplementary data is not in the barcode itself.
Therefore, when performing transactions in SpendMap that require input of data beyond the item or part number itself, additional data entry will be required. For example, you can scan an item when performing an inventory usage (taking an item out of stock) but you will still need to enter the remaining details, such as the quantity that you took, the Cost Center to charge with the usage, etc., as that information is not in the barcode.
Assigning Barcode Numbers to Items and Assets
Internal Barcodes
SpendMap will automatically assign an incrementing internal barcode number for each item in the Item Master File and the Asset Master File when the barcode label is printed for the first time.
The barcode number that SpendMap assigns to each item and asset will be displayed in the respective Master File. However, the barcode number is irrelevant for the most part, since SpendMap will resolve the barcode number to the applicable item code or asset code whenever the barcode is scanned when processing transactions.
Supplier UPC Barcodes
For items in the Item Master File, in addition to scanning the internal barcode labels that SpendMap generates, you may also want to scan your suppliers’ UPC barcodes.
This can save you over having to print and attach barcodes to items yourself as they are received.
More importantly, since it is unlikely that your suppliers will attach your internal barcode label to items that they ship to you, the supplier’s UPC barcode is typically the only one available for scanning when processing receipt transactions (that is, if you plan to scan barcodes to simplify the receipt process, which is optional).
For more details, see Associated UPC Barcode Numbers in the Item Master File.
Scanning Barcodes
Various settings that affect barcode scanning are available in Barcode Scanning Options.
You can scan barcodes to simplify the following transactions:
•Receipts (typically using supplier’s UPC code)
•Inventory Usages (taking items out of stock)
•Inventory Tickets (physical inventory count of perpetual inventory)
•Asset Counts
To begin scanning barcodes, just click the [SCAN BARCODE] button on the applicable data entry screen. When you see the “SCAN” message, simply point the barcode reader at the barcode label and pull the trigger.
To exit/cancel, select [STOP SCANNING].
If a scan in not successful and you need to enter the number manually using the keyboard (e.g. if the barcode is smudged), select [ENTER CODE]. The number is typically printed on the barcode label, below the barcode symbol.
There are three ways (methods) to get scanned barcode information into SpendMap.
Since your preferred scanning method may be different for each transaction type, you can select a different method for each transaction in Barcode Scanning Options.
So, one of three things will happen when you click the [SCAN BARCODE] button, again, depending on the scanning method you have selected for each transaction in Barcode Scanning Options.
1.Single Process: As soon as the barcode is scanned, the scanned information is fed into SpendMap and you will be brought to the applicable data entry screen. The item or asset code will be filled in on the screen and other fields will be defaulted, where possible, such as the description, date, etc. When the transaction is processed, you will be prompted for the next scan.
This option is used when you have an on-line barcode scanner (i.e. directly attached to the computer) and you wish to be prompted to enter the remaining transaction details as soon as the item is scanned. That is, you will [scan > enter details, scan > enter details], and so on.
This option is commonly used when processing a limited number of items that are in relatively close proximity to your computer. For example, you may be taking a few items out of stock.
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2.Batch Process: When items are scanned, they will be added to a “pending scan batch”. Once all the scanning is complete, you can double-click on each line (scan) in the batch to process the transaction and you will be brought to the applicable data entry screen to complete the remaining details of the transaction. The applicable item or asset code will be filled in on the screen and other fields will be defaulted, where possible, such as the description, date, etc.
The symbol in the right-hand column indicates the status of each transaction in the batch. A " " symbol indicates that the transaction is pending (i.e. requires processing). A " " symbol indicates that the transaction is complete (i.e. has been processed). All completed transactions () will be removed from the batch automatically when you exit.
When you exit the batch, any unprocessed transactions will remain and can be processed the next time you return to this screen.
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This option is used when you have an on-line barcode scanner (i.e. directly attached to the computer) but do not wish to be prompted to enter the remaining transaction details with every item scanned. That is, you will [scan, scan, scan > enter details for all items in the batch].
This option is commonly used when processing a large number of transactions that are in relatively close proximity to your computer. For example, you may receive a large shipment of goods, wish to scan all of the items received, and then enter the quantities and other details after all the scanning is done.
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3.Importing Scans: When you click [SCAN BARCODE], the applicable import function will be launched. This is equivalent to selecting the menu option for the applicable import function. For details, see Import Usages or Import Inventory Count or Import Asset Count.
This option is used when you have an off-line barcode scanner (i.e. NOT directly attached to the computer). In this case, you will configure your scanner to accumulate all relevant data, which can then be imported (dumped) into SpendMap for processing.
For example, you may use an off-line scanner for your physical inventory counts that allows you to walk through the warehouse, scan items, and enter the quantities on the barcode reader’s built-in keypad. The item codes, quantities and any other details collected can then be imported into the Inventory Count Work Area for processing.
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Printing Barcode Labels
You can print barcode labels to affix to your items and assets, either when the items/assets are received or on-demand at any time.
Various settings that affect barcode label printing are available in Barcode Label Printing Options.
Barcode labels can be printed when items and assets are received.
For items in the Item Master File, rather than printing your own barcode labels, you may choose to scan your suppliers’ UPC barcodes instead. However, since some suppliers may attach UPC barcodes to their items and some may not, in the Item Master File you can indicate whether or not you want to print your own labels for each item upon receipt.
For assets, you can specify in Barcode Label Printing Options whether or not you want to print barcode labels as assets are received.
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In addition to printing barcode labels when items and assets are received, you can print barcode labels for one or many items or assets at any time with Print Barcode Labels for Items and Print Barcode Labels for Assets.
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SpendMap will display a list of pending barcode labels (i.e. labels that still need to be printed) for one of three reasons.
1.If you cancel a print job before the labels are actually printed (e.g. if your printer jams or if you run out of labels, etc.), so you can fix the problem and try again, or 2.If for the “Receipts print mode” setting in Barcode Label Print Options you selected to “Print multiple receipts as a batch”, in which case the barcodes will accumulate as you receive items and you can click the [PRINT BARCODE LABELS] when you are ready, or 3.If in the Item Master File you have setup the item to prompt the receiver for the quantity of barcode labels to print for each receipt, in which case you can enter the quantity for each item/label using this screen. In the case of pending labels related to items that were received, the list of pending labels is perpetual and will remain until the labels are printed or manually deleted from the list. So if for some reason you can’t print labels right away, you can continue receiving items and then you can print the labels at a later time.
You will see an item for “Barcode labels which need to be printed” in your User Task List.
 Status Column
Buttons
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Due to licensing restrictions related to the third party barcode printing technology that we use for this module, which limits the number of copies that we are allowed to distribute, barcode label printing is not available in the Free Version of SpendMap.
However, you can still scan your suppliers' UPC barcodes to simplify your inventory transactions if you wish, or you can print your own barcode labels using third party software.
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