Barcode scanners are an essential tool to process warehouse, shipping, and logistics workflows efficiently and without errors. They enable fast identification of items, orders, or shipments and reduce manual entry errors.
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Shipping & Packing Table: Scanning delivery notes, items, or boxes for automated processing. Scanning of serial numbers and batches.
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Warehouse Processes: During picking or relocation, barcode scanners ensure clear assignment of items to storage locations.
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Goods Receipt: Items and deliveries can be quickly recorded and matched with purchase orders. With GS1 barcodes, entire pallets can also be scanned.
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Returns Processing: Returns can be efficiently assigned to the correct orders and customers.
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POS (Point of Sale): Direct scanning of items at checkout for quick and error-free processing of sales.
To ensure barcode scanners work smoothly with Xentral, a few basic rules should be observed:
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Standardize item numbers: Use only digits and uppercase letters, no spaces or special characters. If needed, replace spaces with dashes (-) or underscores (_).
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Choose the right barcode type: Code128 or QR Code for more complex data or special characters. Code39 for letters/numbers with limited special characters.
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Check scanner settings: Many scanners can be switched between input modes such as Keyboard Emulation (HID) and Serial/COM-Port. The keyboard layout (DE vs. EN) also matters, e.g., for swapped Z/Y inputs.
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Use external numbers: Shop SKUs can be mapped to Xentral item numbers during shop import (foreign numbers). This ensures external item numbers can also be reliably scanned.
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Standardization in operations: Use consistent barcode standards across the company to reduce complexity and error sources.
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Code128: More compact and efficient than Code39 (same data = shorter code). Supports check digits for better error detection. Much more robust for longer codes compared to Code39.
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QR Code: Most robust thanks to built-in error correction (ECC). Depending on ECC level, up to 30% of the code can be damaged/covered and still be read. Very suitable for tough environments (dirt, wear, small labels).
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Code39: Simple structure but relatively inefficient (long codes = very wide barcode). Robust for short codes, but harder to read for longer ones. More error-prone than Code128 due to less redundancy in encoding.
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EAN/UPC: Very widespread but not particularly robust. Fixed length, simple structure: reads well as long as print quality is good. Less tolerant of dirt or partial occlusion.
Tip
Practical Recommendation:
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For classic item numbers, retail goods, and internal processes, Code128 is the best choice. It is more compact than Code39, supports the full ASCII character set (including special characters), and is suitable for longer item numbers. This makes it a very flexible standard supported by almost all modern scanners.
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For longer content, complex data, or mobile applications, QR Code is recommended. Thanks to integrated error correction, it can still be read even if labels are partially damaged or dirty. It also supports UTF-8, so umlauts and special characters can be displayed without issue.
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Special case, mostly for industry standards: For simple item numbers and when maximum compatibility with older scanners or system requirements is needed, Code39 is a good choice. It is very robust with short codes but less space-saving and only supports a limited set of special characters.
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Scanner does not read certain characters: Many scanners do not support special characters (&, %, $, ? etc.). Solution: use Code128 or adjust item numbers.
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Swapped inputs (z ↔ y): Usually caused by the wrong keyboard layout (EN instead of DE). Solution: switch in the scanner manual using configuration barcodes.
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Scanner does not respond: Check cable and power connections. For Bluetooth models, ensure the scanner is correctly paired.