What does barcode numbers mean

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Barcodes can be divided into three general types: linear, stacked linear, and two-dimensional or 2D : Linear Barcodes. UPC-A is strictly numeric; the bars can only represent the digits from 0 to 9. A UPC-A barcode contains 12 digits, along with a quiet blank zone on either side, and start, middle, and stop symbols. The middle symbol separates the left side and the right side, which are coded differently.

When a digit is used on the left side, the bars are black and the spaces are white, and when it is used on the right side, the colors are reversed. The actual system of numbering depends on the type of product and the purpose of the barcode; the first digit of the barcode indicates the numbering system. The 10 digits that follow contain information about the product, and in all of the applications described below, the digit on the far right not included in the application description is a checksum, which can be used to test the accuracy of the scanner reading.

Below is a list of common UPC-A applications:. UPC-E uses a much more complex trick to compress the checksum and the number system code. A side-effect of this technique is that the only numbering system codes allowed are 0 and 1.

The GS1 prefix is issued by GS1, the international barcode standards organization. It may identify the national GS1 member organization or a special use. Besides the national GS1 prefixes, typically used for standard retail items, there are prefixes for specialized purposes, such as coupons, refunds, serial publications magazines and newspapers , books ISBN , and sheet music ISMN. It consists of eight digits — four on the left side and four on the right.

In order to use a GTIN-8 number, a manufacturer must request it from the national member organization. RCN-8 numbers, on the other hand, are for use only on house-brand or store-label products, and can be used only within the business that issues it.

If it is scanned by another retailer, it will give an incorrect reading. Code encodes the character ASCII set, which includes all of the alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, and arithmetic characters found on an English-language computer keyboard, plus several non-visible control characters. A single Code barcode can include characters from all three character sets, switching between them repeatedly.

The basic Code barcode format consists of a start code which sets the initial character set to A, B, or C , the code data, a checksum digit, and a stop code, which marks the end of the barcode.

As with other linear barcodes, there are blank quiet zones on either side. GS consists of the basic Code format with an Application Identifier added to the code data. Application identifiers are 2 to 4 characters in length, and identify the type of data that will follow — typically, standard supply-chain applications, such as serial number, number of containers, lot number, weight, volume, etc.

Each identifier sets the length and format of the data that follows it. Because most application code data is fixed-length, it is possible to include several codes in one GS barcode, simply by adding new Application Identifiers and code data. The Code 39 symbology is also alphanumeric and variable-length. It was developed in , and is still in relatively wide use; most barcode readers can read Code As a result, all characters have the same width, and a Code 39 barcode generally takes up more space than the equivalent Code barcode.

A Code 39 barcode consists of a start character, the coded data, and a stop character. Code 39 is used for many of the same types of applications as Code , and official Code 39 standards including an ANSI standard exist. It is not, however, included in the GS1 system. Interleaved 2 of 5 or ITF is a variable-length numbers-only linear barcode.

It encodes digits in pairs, with the first digit in each pair represented by bars, and the second digit represented by spaces, so that they are interleaved. Two of the five bars or spaces representing each digit are wide, and the others are narrow. Interleaved 2 of 5 is included in the GS1 system as the ITF standard, which has a set length of 14 digits. Patterns identical to the start and stop code can occur within the coded data, which can result in a bad reading if the scanner does not read the code all the way across.

To prevent this, the ITF standard requires a heavy black border called the bearer bar. ITF barcodes are typically used in wholesale and shipping for box or carton lots of a product. A specialized version of the ITF barcode is also used on film canisters. Codabar was originally developed by Pitney Bowes in It is a variable-length barcode that uses a small set of bars to encode the digits 0 through 9, and in some applications, a few symbols such as the dollar and plus signs.

A Codabar code consists of a start symbol, the coded data, and a stop symbol. Codabar has traditionally been used by libraries, by blood banks, and for airbills by some companies such as Federal Express, and is still in use for some of those applications. This number is specific to the company and remains the same on each item. The second set of 5 digits classifies that particular product. Each product will have its own unique number in this sequence.

The last digit of the barcode is called the check number. This number is an error detection code that accurately verifies the 11 digits preceding it and matches the information that was entered into the UPC database.

Laser scanners are used to read 1-D barcodes, illuminating and detecting the specific sequence of bars and spaces. It records and translates the data before sending it to a computer database to be used.

Both of these variations serve the same objective but are different in their specific make-up. Two-dimensional barcodes 2-D are square or rectangular, and store information in two dimensions vertical and horizontal. These images are made up of various dots, squares, and geometric patterns. While small in size, 2-D barcodes hold hundreds of characters, supporting much more data per unit than 1-D barcodes.

They are useful when marking objects that would be too small for 1-D barcodes, and are still able to be scanned even if they have a bad resolution. The most common type of 2-D barcode is the QR Code. An image-based scanner is required to read 2-D barcodes. Users simply hover the camera reader on their phone over the barcode. The reader interprets the information within the barcode and directs the browser to the relevant website linked within the code.

They are also able to assist with transportation, such as plane tickets and boarding passes, making the process faster and smoother. So, now that we have the basic knowledge of what a barcode is and how it works, we can finally look into the process of how to generate and make a barcode.

Choosing to make barcodes for your small company can be the next big step to expanding your business. Check out our latest article on how to make a barcode for your inventory system! Barcodes Aid In.

Industries that Use Barcodes.