Barcode Verification Best Practices for Compliance and Accuracy

Barcode Verification Best Practices for Compliance and Accuracy

Introduction

Barcode verification is an essential part of many supply chains. It’s important to verify that a barcode on a product matches the code entered by a user or scanned by a device. But if you’re doing this manually, there are steps you can take to make it easier and more efficient. In this post, we’ll show you our best practices for barcode verification so you can get the most out of your software while staying compliant with regulations.

Know your code type.

• Know your code type.
• Know the symbology and version of each code you scan.

Size up the barcode.

Barcode Verification Best Practices

• Use a magnifying glass to read small barcodes.
• Use a bright light to read dark barcodes (and reflective).
• Use a flashlight to illuminate reflective surfaces if necessary, but be careful not to damage the surface or interfere with its ability to reflect light back at your camera lens!

Check for quality marks.

Once you’ve scanned the barcode, check for quality marks. These are usually found on the left side of the code and indicate that it’s been successfully read by a scanner. They’ll also tell you which version of the code was used in its creation, as well as its encoding scheme and error correction level (ECL).

If any of these elements don’t match up with what they should be according to industry standards, then your reading may not be accurate.

Read the entire code to verify it is correct.

• Read the entire code to verify it is correct.
• Verify the entire code is correct before scanning, including:
• The code type (UPC-A vs UPC-E)
• Size of the barcode (1D or 2D)
• Verify that there are quality marks on all sides of the label or package, if applicable. If you don’t see any quality marks, check with your supplier to ensure they have been added correctly before scanning and reporting errors in your system!

Verify visually before scanning.

A barcode is only as good as the scanner used to read it. So, before you scan a bar and send it off for processing, make sure that the code is readable.

You can verify visually with a magnifying glass or microscope–or if you’re lucky enough to have one handy, use your smartphone camera (with macro mode enabled) or tablet screen instead of buying additional equipment. If you don’t have access to any of these devices, try using handheld scanners like those found at self-checkout lanes in supermarkets and pharmacies; they allow users to see what they are scanning while also providing them with instant feedback on whether or not there was any error during reading process

Use a reliable scanner, even on mobile devices.

Using a reliable scanner is the first step in ensuring that your barcode data is accurate and compliant. The following are some best practices for selecting a barcode scanner:

• Use only certified scanners, even on mobile devices. A certified scanner will have been tested by an independent organization to ensure that it accurately reads all types of barcodes, including 2D (PDF417) and linear (UPC/EAN) codes.
• Don’t use cheap scanners or untrusted brands if you can avoid it–they may not be able to read certain types of barcodes at all!

Use these best practices to verify barcodes correctly and efficiently

• Use the right tools for the job.
• Be aware of the type of barcode being scanned.
• Check the size and quality of the code being scanned, looking for damage or imperfections in print quality before you scan it.
• Read entire barcode before scanning to verify that it is correct and matches what’s on your screen (or in your hand). This can be done visually by examining both sides of a printed label or package, or by using an optical character recognition (OCR) app like Barcode Reader from Google Play Store.

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