Resources
Barcoding Articles
5 Lean Manufacturing Tools that Work
These five lean manufacturing tools are essential for making your lean journey a success. …
Choosing to Implement a Periodic Inventory System
Read up on periodic inventory systems to make an educated decision on whether this inventory valuation system is right for your company. …
A Complete Guide to QR Codes
QR codes can be put to use in a variety of instances due to their ability to hold an astounding amount of information in comparison to other more common barcodes. …
Creating an Effective Warehouse Storage Numbering System with Barcodes
To streamline operations and prevent waste, warehouses must be organized. An effective warehouse storage numbering system helps workers locate and pick items as quickly as possible. …
MIL-STD-129: Military Marking for Shipment and Storage
MIL-STD-129 is the U.S. Department of Defense’s labeling standard for the shipment and storage of military equipment. Contractors must use military shipping labels and adhere to other DOD requirements. …
Kanban Production System
Kanban Production Systems are an organizational system that produces big results by taking a series of small steps. Find out more... …
Barcode Labeling
Barcode labeling can help improve efficiency and overall accuracy when working with individual items. Learn how barcode labeling can help improve your business today. …
What is a thermal printer? (direct transfer)
Thermal printers are essential to printing in an industrial setting. Learn about the two types of thermal printing to determine which one suits your facility’s needs. …
Perpetual Inventory System
Using a perpetual inventory system is a great way to keep track of inventory, ordering, and other related tasks in order to keep your business running efficiently. …
Asset Tags: Tracking Inventory & Equipment
A simple yet powerful organization tool, asset tags reduce theft, enhance inventory management efforts, and make it easier for employees to find exactly what they need exactly when they need it. …
Warehouse Management
Proper warehouse management can dramatically improve both efficiency and safety. This article covers everything you need to know. …
Cross-Docking (Understanding Efficient Warehouses)
Cross docking is a logistical strategy where products and materials are unloaded from one inbound sourceand then immediately moved onto outbound transportation with as little storage time as possible. …
Lean Supplies
Learn what supplies and tools you can use to make Lean manufacturing efforts successful. …
Kanban Training and Research
A kanban system uses visual cues to trigger actions. Find out how it can regulate production. …
Barcoding Questions and Answers
What are some examples of Barcoding for Inventory Management?
Efficiently being able to track and manage inventory is vital for a business, whether that be a large manufacturing facility or a small, family-run store. By being able to control costs, utilizing barcodes helps a business closely analyze their sales to maximize efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and grow their business. In this article, we discuss… …
What happens when a Barcode is scanned?
When a barcode is scanned, a series of intricate processes unfold to streamline operations and enhance efficiency in various industries. The primary purpose of barcode scanning is to swiftly and accurately retrieve information about a product, item, or entity encoded within the barcode. Here's what happens when a barcode is scanned: Scanning Process: A barcode scanner… …
How do I scan a product without a Barcode?
Barcodes have seamlessly woven themselves into the fabric of efficient product identification and tracking. Common barcode uses include inventory management, information exchange, and asset tracking. However, what if you encounter an item devoid of a barcode? Whether it's a distinct creation or a homemade marvel, alternative approaches exist for identification and scanning, even in the… …
Where are Barcodes Commonly Used?
Barcodes have stealthily integrated themselves into various aspects of our daily routines, profoundly impacting our lives, often in ways that we don't even realize or comprehend. When was the last time you consciously thought about the fact that they're on every single product you buy from the grocery store (except for most of the produce,… …
What is the Standard Barcode?
"The Standard": Barcodes have become an integral part of modern commerce, revolutionizing inventory management and retail operations. The standard barcode, often referred to as the UPC (Universal Product Code), is a universally recognized symbol that uniquely identifies products. This article delves into the details of the standard barcode system, exploring its history, structure, benefits, and… …
How do I Verify a Barcode?
Barcodes are essential for accurate product identification and efficient inventory management. Verifying a barcode involves confirming its accuracy and readability to prevent errors in the supply chain. Here are some helpful methods and practical steps that you should take in order to help you verify your barcodes: Understand Barcode Standards: Familiarize yourself with the barcode… …
Do Barcodes Work Internationally?
Barcodes have become a fundamental aspect of modern commerce and supply chain management, playing a pivotal role in facilitating efficient tracking, precise inventory management, and accurate product identification. At this point, it's even possible to scan barcodes from photos, making logistics even easier. However, a pertinent question arises: do barcodes possess the capability to function… …
Can I scan a Barcode from a Photo?
The short answer is 'Yes', you absolutely can. The long answer is that you have to scan the barcode from your smartphone or a barcode scanning app. The good news is that this feature is convenient and nearly ubiquitous, simplifying tasks like product research and information retrieval. In addition, there are multiple online tools and… …
Which Barcode should I use?
In the intricate landscape of barcodes, the journey towards selecting the most fitting one is not a choice to be taken lightly; it's a decision that can profoundly shape the course of your operations and ultimately steer the wheels of efficiency. The road to this decision requires careful contemplation of your unique needs and the… …
What is the Difference Between GS1 and UPC?
When delving into the world of barcodes, it's impossible to ignore the prominent roles played by the GS1 and UPC standards. These two entities hold sway in the domain of barcode technology, each with its own unique characteristics and applications. Let's delve further into these standards to unravel their nuances. GS1 and Its Significance: The GS1,… …
How many different Barcode combinations are there?
Barcodes hold a pivotal role in today's business world, aiding in diverse functions like product tracking, inventory management, and seamless transactions. These codes come in various shapes, each carrying its own pattern of lines, spaces, and numbers. The scope of potential barcode combinations is heavily influenced by the type of barcode in use. Many debate… …
How to Generate a Data Matrix Barcode?
Data Matrix barcodes have emerged as invaluable tools in today's technological landscape, offering a dynamic way to encapsulate substantial data within a condensed format. These two-dimensional codes find widespread application in diverse sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare, playing a pivotal role in information tracking and management. If you're seeking guidance on how to… …
How to Generate Random Barcodes?
Barcodes play a critical role in simplifying product tracking and management processes. If you're seeking an uncomplicated method to generate random barcodes, there are multiple practical approaches available. Regardless of whether you're handling inventory logistics or coordinating an event, barcodes offer substantial advantages. There are many options for creating random barcodes, including generating barcodes in… …
Can Microsoft Word Generate Barcodes?
In today's digital age, barcodes have become an integral part of various industries, from retail to logistics. They provide an efficient means of tracking products, managing inventory, and enhancing overall business operations. Given the widespread use of Microsoft Word for creating documents, many individuals wonder whether this versatile software can also generate random barcodes. While Microsoft… …
How do I Generate a Barcode from a Number?
Barcodes have seamlessly integrated into the fabric of modern business operations, playing a pivotal role in ensuring efficient product tracking and streamlined inventory management. If you find yourself in possession of a series of numbers and the desire to transform them into easily scannable barcodes, you're in the right place. Whether it's generating barcodes in… …
How to Generate Barcodes in Excel?
Barcodes have become a ubiquitous tool for efficient inventory management and data tracking, and many often wonder what the "best" free barcode generator is. Many barcodes can be created using a simple online barcode generator. But if you prefer to use Excel, the option is available to you, if you're willing to go through a… …
What is the Best Free Barcode Generator?
In today's fast-paced and digitally driven world, where efficiency and organizational precision are paramount, barcodes have risen to become a cornerstone of modern business operations. These visual codes hold the key to streamlining inventory management, enhancing tracking accuracy, and expediting transactions. However, when it comes to the task of generating barcodes for products, the question… …
How to Generate a Product Barcode?
In today's modern retail landscape, where speed and accuracy are essential, the efficient tracking of products has become a crucial aspect of running a successful business. One of the cornerstones of this process is the use of barcodes, which play a pivotal role in simplifying inventory management and sales transactions. If you're curious about how… …
How are Barcodes Generated?
Generating Barcodes for products is an integral part of almost every business, tracking and inventory management efficient and streamlined. But have you ever wondered how barcodes are actually generated? Let's dive into the process. Encoding Data: At its core, a barcode is a representation of data. This data could be a product code, serial number,… …
How much does a warehouse scanning solution cost?
Oftentimes, plans for warehouse improvements get held up solely by the costs associated with bringing on a new improvement strategy. Unfortunately, continuous improvement doesn’t come free. But on terms of how much it costs to have a new scanning solution set up for a warehouse, the costs even out quickly in terms of how much… …
What are the benefits of using barcodes?
Imagine having to keep track of everything by hand whether that be inventory, shipping items, WIP items, and anything else that needs to be documented by suppliers and manufacturers. To put it simply, this wastes the time of the employees and increases the time it takes to get products to a customer. The inefficiencies of… …
What is the best way to generate and print barcodes?
The best way to generate and print barcodes involves the users identifying what they want in terms of ease and effectiveness. Out of those two attributes, the decision often lies in what they need the barcode labels for, how much money the company wants to spend, and how fast the labels can be made and… …
What is RFID asset tracking?
Keeping track of company assets whether that be computers, heavy machinery, medical devices, or anything else, can be an enormous undertaking that not only takes up time in documentation efforts, but also takes up the valuable time of employees if they have to spend more time than normal searching for a particular asset. All those… …
What are the advantages of a QR code over a barcode?
While normal 1D barcodes may be the standard and easy “go to” option for a majority of companies that need to gather information about a product efficiently and effectively, 2D barcodes such as QR codes are taking up residence in facilities and becoming more commonplace for more reasons than many may think. With that being… …
What can barcoding be used for?
Barcoding can be useful in a number of different settings. Barcodes are a prominent tool used in facilities such as warehouses, distribution centers, stores, and manufacturing facilities. They not only help identify items, but also work to improve maintenance efforts and even have a hand in controlling inventory levels. Picking the right barcode label is important… …
What can a barcode be printed on?
Barcodes are found in just about every area of life ranging from the supermarket to warehouses, and much more. Creating barcodes is a relatively easy process and can be done with just about any type of printer. Of course, when creating barcodes for use in high volume environments, it is necessary for the printers to… …
Is it expensive to implement a barcoding system?
Implementing a barcoding system is a great way to improve organization, eliminate waste, and track information throughout the facility. While there is no doubt that using barcodes can help to improve the way things are done in the workplace, it is not free to implement so you have to weigh the costs and benefits. Types of… …
What are the different types of barcodes?
The first barcode system was developed back in 1951 and was based on Morse code. Since this time billions of barcodes have been used, and there have been a variety of advancements to the system as a whole. Understanding the different types of barcodes that are available will allow businesses to choose the ones that… …
How does warehouse automation work?
Using automation in a warehouse is a great way to improve efficiency, eliminate waste, and boost your profits. This will help you to remain competitive and take your business to the next level. Understanding how warehouse automation works is a great first step in making a plan to accomplish your goals. One of the biggest reasons… …
How can Barcoding Reduce Costs?
When looking for ways to reduce costs in a facility it is important to work to improve the efficiency of an operation, reduce losses, and keep things organized. A good barcoding system can help to do all of these things when implemented correctly. While barcodes have been around for generations now, companies continue to find… …
What is in a warehouse barcoding system?
When setting up a barcoding system for your warehouse it is important to make sure you have every component planned out properly. A system should include the barcodes that are used, barcode scanners, the relevant barcoding software, and the computer system that it will run on. Getting all of these things setup and ready to… …
How is barcoding used in inventory management?
Barcode technology has been around for a long time, and one of the most popular ways that it is used is for inventory control. In modern systems it is possible to have an internal inventory system where everything in a facility has its own barcode assigned so that it can be scanned and tracked. Every… …
What is asset tagging?
Asset tagging is an effective solution for organizations to keep track of items of value owned by the company. From tools to computers, it’s important to tag these items to avoid misplacement, loss, and theft. By labeling each item with a unique asset tag, you can accurately monitor assets being circulated within different departments or… …
What information is included on a barcode?
Barcodes have been used in many types of industries for many years. This technology was first patented in 1951, but didn’t become widely used for around twenty years. The reason the barcode is so popular is because it allows machines to quickly read a code to gather specific data. With the traditional barcode, which consists… …
What is a UPC barcode?
A UPC Barcode is short for a Universal Product Code, which is one of the most common types of barcode symbology. It is a 12 numeric digit code, with each complete code assigned to a unique trade item. These codes are most commonly used at point of sale systems. This system can be either used… …
How do barcodes work?
Barcodes are essential to a variety of operations. They are especially integral to merchandise management, and make tracking inventory much easier, faster, and accurate. Barcode technology also has many uses in industrial settings. Although they’ve become part of our daily lives, it can be difficult to understand exactly how barcodes work. Essentially, barcodes encode information in… …
Barcodes are on every product in supermarkets and retail shops, but as barcoding technology has advanced over the years, more and more organizations are taking advantage of these easy-to-print scannable codes. Today, workplaces of all shapes and sizes utilize barcoding systems to track complicated systems, better control processes, and boost efficiency.
Having an industrial label printer in-house is the most durable and cost-effective solution for developing a barcoding strategy. LabelTac® industrial printers and the LabelSuite™ software allows users to create their own custom labels with multiple barcoding formats to choose from. Barcodes can be used in a number of applications, including:
- Asset Tracking: Keep track of what matters most to your company. Simply assign a barcode to and label computers, electronics, equipment, vehicles, furniture, etc.
- Inventory Management: Labeling inventory with barcodes allows you to track the movement of materials throughout the production process, from when raw materials arrive to when the product is loaded on a truck for shipment.
- Rack Labeling: Boost warehouse organization and efficiency with custom rack labels. By adding barcodes or QR codes, employees walking or driving by can quickly scan to get detailed information.
- Healthcare: Manufacturing and warehousing are not the only industries that can effectively utilize barcode labeling. Barcode labels are an ideal choice for labeling tubes, vials, tissue cassettes, slides, etc.
Just to name a few! Barcodes are a simple system that can be tailored to the needs of your facility. At Creative Safety Supply, we’re passionate about efficiency and here to aid in your barcoding efforts. From expert tips to project ideas, we have the resources you need to get started today.
Getting Started
- Need a barcode? Create one with our barcode generator.
- Want to learn more about rack labels? Explore our rack labeling resources.
- Have a question about ammonia pipe marking? Browse our barcoding Q&A hub.
- Ready to get started? Shop our selection of barcode supplies.
Barcoding Infographics
The Importance of Industrial Label Printers
The Importance of Industrial Label Printers in the Workplace Safety 2.8 million workplace injuries occur every year in the US alone.This equates… …
Barcoding Podcasts
Laser safety in the workplace minimizes the risk of eye injuries. Hear about the 7 laser classes, and the precautions required for each. Lasers are common in a worker’s everyday life, on the job and at home. Many lasers are harmless.… …