2010 IDAutomation Barcode Year in Review

by Nate Schubert

It sure has been a long year but in the lost work-week between Christmas and New Years Eve, it seems that 2011 is finally closing in. 2010 was a roller-coaster year for many businesses and while the path we at IDAutomation had blazed had it's own share of problems and solutions, we think the good far outweighed the bad. Let's take a look back at some of IDAutomation's greatest achievements in 2010.

We Expanded Our Video Library!

In 2010, our team of developers worked to add over 70 new videos demonstrating how to use IDAutomation Fonts with a variety of applications like InDesign, Word, Excel, Access and others in addition to informational videos showing how to identify different barcode types and going into greater detail about other specific symbologies or processes. These videos provide an alternative way of looking at the information we present in our written tutorials and FAQ's because we understand that not everyone digests information the same. The more ways we can present it, the more we can help.

New Product Releases

We listened to our customers in 2010 and added a number of different products to both our hardware and software catalogs including an Add-In that allows easy generation of barcodes from our fonts in Microsoft Word or Excel, and a Native Google Docs Barcode Generator that makes generating barcodes in Google Docs a snap.

Existing Product Updates

We also listened to those of you who were able to pinpoint issues in our existing software products, and we were able to resolve many of those issues throughout the year. One of the most important software updates was to make our products compatible with 64-bit operating systems, and we are proud to say that we can add this platform to our compatibility list for all products.

Improved Customer Support

Many businesses were faced with some hard decisions in 2010 and had to cut costs to keep their doors open. While cutting staff is almost always a bad thing, we did see it as an opportunity to become a bit more lean and efficient. We integrated online chat support on our website to provide an alternative method of contact for customers. This method of support for both sales and our technical staff has been instrumental in our efforts to help as many pre and post sales customers as possible without compromising the quality of our support.

As we look to close the doors on this year, we at IDAutomation can reflect on 2010 as a time of progress and success. We learned that our audience is our greatest sounding board and that if we give you what you want, we will be in business for many years to come. Of course IDAutomation has been listening to it's customers since we started in 1996, but there has been no greater confirmation of that than in 2010. Here are some things to look out for in 2011:

• Silverlight Barcode Generation
• 2D Barcode Generation With Reporting Service Custom Report Item
• Barcode School Video's Launch
• Increased Website Usability
• Interactive Support Options

We're looking forward to making 2011 an even better year than 2010! Happy New Year Everyone.

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How To Perform a Mail Merge Using Access 2010 Query

by Nate Schubert

Mail Merge is one of the most useful tools in the Microsoft Office Suite and while many Mail Merge scenario's use Excel as their data source, this is not the only data source that can be used. Excel is popular as a data source because of the ease of use, but using existing databases like Access 2010 is also a good idea if you have a lot of information in an Access database that needs to be output to a Mail Merge. But how do you perform a Mail Merge using an Access database as your data source?

The latest installment in a growing collection of IDAutomation Video Tutorials, the video below demonstrates how to how to Mail Merge barcodes using an Access Query as the data source. The IDAutomation VBA Font encoder tool is required to format the data in Access 2010.

If your company has a need to perform a Mail Merge from Access 2010 Query as the data source, please check out the video below.

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Free 2011 Calendar Download

SEATTLE-Once again, Azalea Software has release a series of four free calendars. The 2011 calendars are in PDF format and feature photographs with food visual puns. These free calendars can be downloaded from Azalea Software's website [ http://www.azalea.com/calendarhttp://www.azalea.com/calendar/ ] and printed on any inkjet or laser printer.For almost 10 years, Azalea Software's founder and

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Create vCard Business Cards with QR-Codes

How to Create vCard Business Cards with Barcode Studio

Some users of Barcode Studio are unsure regarding the correct data format for creating barcodes for so-called 2D code business cards.
Such an "electronic” business card encodes the contact data in a QR-Code or a Data Matrix symbol. These codes can be scanned with your smartphone. The business card data is recognized automatically, you will never need to key in contact data manually! Most camera-equipped mobile phones are able to decode QR-Codes on such business cards (Data Matrix is not in common use until now).

The example outlined in this post contains vCard sample data (.xls and .csv files) and a setting file for Barcode Studio. This settings file (*.BCS) can be used immediately to create premium quality QR-Codes with Barcode Studio.

Creating a vCard Data Format

A vCard barcode must follow certain rules, the different elements of a business cards (e.g. the phone number) are tagged with prefixes. Some sample prefixes:

• Begin of vCard data: begin: vcard
• Name on card: n:
• Telephone number: Tel:
• Email address: Email:
• End of vCard data: end: vcard

Please ensure the accurate order of the single data elements! Refer to Wikipedia to get a list of available property prefixes and more information about the vCard format.

Step by Step: Create your own QR-Code Business Cards

Follow the steps to create your QR-Codes. Use the included sample files to see how the data is encoded:

1. Download and unzip the example specified below.
2. Use Microsoft Excel to enter your vCard data in the sample Excel file. Separate the data elements with a new-line. Enter a new-line by pressing "Alt" + "Enter" simultaneously in a cell.
3. Export your data as CSV file.
4. Start Barcode Studio and open the settings file (*.BCS).
5. Importing your CSV file: Choose the "Datalist" tab and click the "Import" button. Ensure the correct import settings as shown in the screenshot. In most cases you should use the Field Separator comma (,) and the Text Qualifier ("). If this doesn't work, please check the generated CSV file.
6. Now export your QR-Codes.



Import Settings

Free Sample File Download
In order to use the sample files make sure you are using the current version of Barcode Studio.

• Download Sample and Setting Files
• Download Barcode Studio
  

If you have any questions just contact TEC-IT via email or give us a call (++43 (0)7252 72720).

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Why We Need Barcodes

by Nate Schubert

by Nate Schubert

For many of us, a barcode is nothing more than a rectangle with bars or a square with a strange pattern that takes up space on things like products, boarding passes, receipts, business cards and more. Since barcodes have been around in some aspect or another since the 30's, we have become accustomed with their presence and thus spend little time thinking about the many varied functions they serve.

Barcodes For Retail Products

Perhaps the most commonly known use of barcode technology is in the UPC barcode, first utilized in grocery checkout environments in 1974. The UPC Code is scanned at retail checkout locations and contains information about the company that makes the product, and then information about the specific product such as count, size, color, etc. The UPC code does not contain specific price information, but when the UPC barcode is scanned, the code is checked against the database in the retail establishment to locate the most up-to-date price.

Most recently, DataBar barcodes have been introduced to contain more information about the product such as expiration date, and when the item was picked in terms of produce. DataBar barcodes can make it much easier for grocery stores to keep fresh products on display, and can give loads more information about a product to any consumer who has a barcode scanning app capable of reading the DataBar barcode.

If you have a product that you would like to sell in your own store and nowhere else, then you won't need to get a UPC barcode. If you want to sell your product elsewhere, however, a UPC barcode will most likely be required.

Barcodes For Document Tracking

As businesses acquire more information, they require more documentation. Many documents within an organization are shuffled from department to department, person to person and this can sometimes result in loss of documentation, and thus loss of data. The problem of lost documents and lack of accountability can be resolved in large part through the use of barcodes. By barcoding individual documents or stacks of documents, a system can be set up which will keep track of who is in possession of them, whether by person or department.

Unlike selling products for retail checkout, document tracking can require any sort of barcode depending on how much information you want to encode, and what you want to encode. For example:

• Code 39 can create barcodes consisting of upper case letters, numbers and some ASCII symbols.
• Code 128 can create upper/lower case letters, numbers and ASCII symbols.
• PDF417 can create barcodes upwards of 800 characters consisting of upper/lower case letters, numbers, ASCII symbols, and even functions.
• Data Matrix can also create barcodes up to approximately 800 characters and has the same capabilities as PDF417, but it can be made very small.

2D Barcodes in Marketing

Originally put into use in Japan, the use of 2D barcoding in marketing promotions has recently gained popularity in the United States as cell phone technology has improved to the point where mobile barcode scanning applications are available to the average consumer. Scanning a 2D barcode on a poster, a store front sticker or in a magazine or newspaper can bring up a web address which can contain additional information, a contest entry form, sign in or really anything you like. Industries of every type are still getting their feet wet in terms of 2D barcoding, but we expect many more creative implementations of 2D barcodes in marketing promotions in the future.

Barcodes For Business Cards?

One of the most popular recent uses of barcode technology is using 2D barcodes like QR Code to store contact information. Scan a 2D barcode on a business card, for example, and your contacts list may be updated with any number of pieces of information including contact name, telephone, fax, email, physical address and more. While this is a new use for 2D barcodes, it has caught on like wildfire and can be extremely convenient for anyone who has a mobile device with a barcode scanning app.

There are obviously a great many more uses for barcodes in industries throughout the marketplace as well as for personal use at home, but these are most likely some of the most common uses to date, and some of the most useful implementations.

What are some other uses for barcodes that you have seen or would like to see?

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Video Tutorials to Create Barcodes:

by Nate Schubert

To assist our customers with implementing and working with our products, we have put together a group of training videos:

• Create Barcodes with Adobe InDesign CS5
• Printing MICR Bank Checks using the Check Design Application
• Create Standard Barcodes using Universal Barcode Fonts
• Create a Barcode in Microsoft Access 2010 using Barcode Fonts
• Create GS1-128 Compliant Barcodes Using the Image Generator
• How to Use the Barcode Recognition Software
• How to Create Barcodes in OpenOffice Calc
• Create Intelligent Mail barcode with POSTNET Font
• Create Barcodes in Access using the Native Generator for Access
• How To Create Barcodes in Crystal Reports using Fonts & Formulas
• Programming the SC5USB Scanner

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New Hardware: DS6878 Cordless 2D Barcode Scanner

by Nate Schubert

The Motorola DS6878 cordless imager offers the complete data capture functionality required to streamline and error-proof everyday processes in an ergonomic, comfortable and easy-to-use design. This scanner can capture all common 1D and 2D barcodes on labels as well as on mobile phone displays.

There are two versions:

• DS6878-DL: General purpose cordless Bluetooth 2D imager enables instant decoding of the barcoded information on driver’s licenses and other national ID documents.
• DS6878-HC: Cordless 2D imager for healthcare applications is designed specifically to help protect patients and caregivers against dangerous and deadly illnesses with IP43 sealing.

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New Product: Google Docs Native Barcode Generator

by Nate Schubert

This new patented Native Barcode Generator creates barcodes in Google Documents without the installation of additional fonts or other components. The Native Barcode Generator is an easy-to-use object that may be embedded into a Google Docs Spreadsheet to create barcode images. Once installed, no other components, plug-ins or fonts need to be installed to create barcodes; it is the complete bar code generator that stays within the document. Supported symbologies include Code 3 of 9, GS1-128, Interleaved 2 of 5, Code 128, Codabar and MSI Plessey

More information about the IDAutomation Native Barcode Generator for Google Documents, including a download of the evaluation version, is provided at:
http://www.idautomation.com/google-docs-barcode/native-generator/

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Getting Ready For USPS Intelligent Mail

by Nate Schubert

Beginning in May 2011, the Intelligent Mail barcode will be required by the United States Postal Service for automation discounts, business reply mail and confirm service. Integration of the Intelligent Mail Barcode will combine the capabilites of the Postnet and Planet barcodes into one unique barcode, making this a more uniform and efficient process for all parties involved.

What is an Intelligent Mail Barcode?

Formerly known as the 4 State Customer barcode, Intelligent Mail is a new USPS barcode symbology which is used to sort and track letters and flat packages. Use of the Intelligent Mail barcode contains a variety of services including the Confirm Service (OneCode Confirm) and the Address Change Service (OneCode ACS). Intended to replace Postnet and Planet barcodes, Intelligent Mail barcodes are approximately the same size as a traditional postnet barcode. Mailers have been using Intelligent Mail since 2007 for a variety of automation discounts, but it will be required beginning May 2011.

What Are The Benefits of Intelligent Mail?

Aside from the fact that Intelligent Mail will be a requirement by May of 2011, there are a variety of benefits to integrating Intelligent Mail barcoding into your existing mailing procedures:

• More Data, Less Space. The Intelligent Mail Barcode was created by the USPS in an effort to provide a greater capacity to store data without consuming more space on the envelope. Since the barcode takes up less space, that leaves more space on the envelope for marketing content.
• Unique Identification. Because the Intelligent Mail Barcode encodes more data, mailers are able to utilize unique identification of up to 1 Billion pieces per mailing run.
• More Detail and Accuracy. Greater detail and accuracy in your mailing means can result in more reliable information, and thus better strategic decision making.
• Superior Flexibility. Using Intelligent Mail Barcodes on your mailpieces allows participation in the suite of USPS service programs such as OneCode Confirm, OneCode ACS, First-Class Mail, Standard Mail and periodicals that qualify.
• Discounted Mailing Rates. Mailers who utilize the Intelligent Mail Barcode in their mailings can qualify for automation prices that can help keep costs low while making the entire mailing process more efficient.

Where Does The Intelligent Mail Barcode Go?

Placement of an Intelligent Mail Barcode on an envelope is very important, especially when using it to qualify for automation prices. When sending letter mail, the barcode should be located either in the address block, or in the barcode clear zone which is located on the lower right corner of any envelope. For flat mail, the barcode may be placed anywhere on the address side at least 1/8 inch from any edge of the address label.

Getting Started With Intelligent Mail

For years, IDAutomation has been providing barcode fonts, components and stand-alone applications for generating Intelligent Mail and other USPS Postal Barcodes in a variety of applications environments. Here are just a few of the products available for creating Intelligent Mail Barcodes:

• Intelligent Mail Fonts can be used in conjunction with our free font tools to create a readable IMB barcode from a variety of different applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access databases, Crystal Reports and more.
• Intelligent Mail Barcode Components are available for generating postal barcodes from environments in ActiveX, .NET, Java, Google Docs to name just a few.
• Stand-Alone Applications such as the Barcode Label Software and Barcode Image Generators are available for a more robust solution to printing Intelligent Mail Barcodes.

Don't miss the boat when the Intelligent Mail Barcode becomes a requirement to qualify for automation pricing and other crucial USPS services.

More About Intelligent Mail

• USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode Resource
• USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode FAQ
• USPS Steps To Create Your Intelligent Mail Barcode
• IDAutomation Intelligent Mail Barcode Tutorial

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How To Create Barcodes From Fonts in Access 2010

by Nate Schubert

Generating barcodes from fonts in Microsoft Access 2010 allows the ability to add a more efficient means of communicating information that can be stored in a barcode and then scanned into reports or databases at a later time. Using barcodes is preferred to relying on manual user entry because human error is a much greater likelihood than scanner or barcode error.

Barcode Fonts are a smart and flexible way of generating barcodes in a variety of different applications and operating systems, making them an excellent choice for companies who need to integrate barcode technology into a multitude of environments. For many organizations, Microsoft Access 2010 is one of those environments and creating a barcode from a font is one of the more powerful ways of implementing this technology.

The video tutorial at the bottom of this post demonstrates how to generate barcodes using IDAutomation Barcode Fonts in conjunction with one of our free font tools, the Barcode Macros & VBA Functions for Microsoft Excel, Access and Word. These are powerful macros that can be customized for maximum efficiency and performance, and may be a little more than what some of our customers may need. If you view the How To video and decide this is more than what you need, please consider using barcode fonts in conjunction with the IDAutomation Microsoft Word and Excel Barcode Add-In.

How to Create a Barcode in Microsoft Access 2010 using Barcode Fonts @ Yahoo! Video

Also Available on YouTube.

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