Should Barcodes Be Used on Student ID's?

A customer recently came to us with questions about integrating barcode technology in an elementary school lunch program. Barcodes are an excellent way to cut down on human error, and also great for a first-line defense against theft of important information like numbers, addresses and other data that may otherwise appear on an ID card.

Here is how the lunch program currently works:

1. Each student is issued an ID card that displays the student's ID number.
2. The student selects their meal items and brings them to the register where the cafeteria employee enters the items.
3. The student manually enters their ID number and the debit card associated with the ID number is then charged accordingly.

This seems pretty simple, doesn't it? While this process may look good on it's face, there are glaring inefficiencies, and a lot of room for potential errors.

What if the student forgets their ID card? 

Students are encouraged to memorize their ID number in the event that they forget the card, but they do not always do so. The resulting impact is that cafeteria employees have to spend more time at checkout locating a student's ID number, which can slow down the line and leave students with less time to eat.

A potential solution to this problem is to leave the student ID cards with their teachers instead of with the students themselves. Each teacher would keep the ID cards of the students who go to lunch after their class, and distribute them so that the students will always have their cards. It's possible that some students will find a way to lose their cards between class and lunch, but the likelihood is greatly diminished if the cards are handed out by the teacher on a daily basis and then returned to the teacher after.

What if the wrong ID number is entered? 

Given the high rate of error in elementary school children entering a string of numbers from memory or even a card, it's probable that one student's account may end up being charged for another's lunch. This can also be a problem when students see the ID numbers of their peers and enter them intentionally, instead of their own. This is an inconvenience for both parents as well as for the school, whose employees have to process a refund and charge the correct account. Questions of theft can also come into play under these circumstances.

The best way to minimize the likelihood of human error is to eliminate the opportunity for the error to occur in the first place. This can be done by either adding  a barcode to the existing student ID, or by completely replacing the student ID number with a barcode.

How To Add Barcodes to Student ID Cards

It's easier to add barcodes to your student's ID cards than you think. All you really need are a few important things as outlined below:

Barcode Software To Use

Most student ID numbers are going to be no more than 13 characters. This is good news because the easiest solution is to use Code 39 barcode fonts. Why? Because of it's simple encoding process. The data you want to turn into a barcode must be formatted properly before the font is applied to it, or else your scanner will not recognize the barcode. In the case of Code 39, all you need to do is type an asterisk before and after the data you want to encode. Like this:

*12345*

Just highlight the above data and then apply the appropriate Code 39 font to it and you've got a readable barcode. Other barcode types that encode larger amounts of data require more complex encoding which is usually done with a special font encoder tool. This makes these other font types less compatible with other programs, especially in comparison to Code 39 which is essentially compatible with any application that can call on a specific font. Simply apply the font to the student ID number when you are creating the student ID card.

Barcode Scanner To Use

IDAutomation USB Bacode Scanners are excellent for reading Code 39 barcodes in a POS environment, even if it's a school cafeteria. If a stand is purchased as well, the scanner can be programmed to continuous mode which means the student need only hold their ID card in front of the scanner and wait for the beep that indicates a successful read without even even touching any POS equipment. This not only cuts out the risk of human error in entering the correct ID number, but also extends the life of POS equipment which is handled much less.

It doesn't take much to increase the efficiency of your elementary school's lunch room, thereby cutting wasteful costs. IDAutomation can provide the necessary products to add barcodes to your student ID's, and to scan them into your cafeteria POS system with relative ease.

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How to Classify Medical Devices for FDA's UDI Mandate

Back in September, the Food and Drug Administration announced new labeling requirements for medical devices. Although many manufacturers and other businesses in the medical devices field will have some work to do in preparation of the mandates, it is thought that the inclusion of a unique device identifier (UDI) for each product will be a significant benefit in terms of improving patient safety, maintaining control of inventory and being able to respond quickly to recalls or other problems in the market.

The FDA has established classifications for approximately 1,700 different types of medical devices separated out into 16 specific categories. Further, each devices is assigned to one of three special classes as determined by critical factors including necessary safety measures, effectiveness and intended use. This class assignment determines things like the types of applications required, exemptions, fees and more.So, where does your device fit in? Here are a couple of ways you can find out:

Medical Device Product Classification Database

This is most likely going to be the quickest and easiest way to determine your product's classification. The Product Code Classification Database contains device names and unique product identifier codes assigned to generic device categories. Just enter some key information such as Device, Product Code, Regulation Number and Device Class to locate the correct product classification for your medical device.

Classify a Medical Device Manually

While it may be time consuming, it is certainly possible to manually classify a medical device. This is a much more detailed process that should leave anyone with a great deal more insight into how medical devices are classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

No matter how you decide to proceed, you'll find a great starting point at the Overview of Device Regulation. Here you'll find everything you need to become compliant with the FDA's latest regulations for the medical device industry.

IDAutomation provides a variety of barcode fonts and software solutions designed to allow barcode generation in a full range of applications and environments. Our products are fully compatible with the FDA's newest standards for medical devices.

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The Healthcare Industry's New HIBC UDI Barcode

http://idautomation.blogspot.com/2012/06/usps-postnet-expiration-deadline-draws.html

The FDA's new Unique Device Identifier (UDI) system was established on September 24, 2013 in an effort to increase the safety of medical devices in the healthcare industry while also minimizing the costs of sharing the necessary data through a new, publically accessible Global Unique Device Identification Database (GUDID). This new system will allow the healthcare industry to share information about medical device model, manufacturer, device class, expiration date, manufacture date, production batch, production lot and even unique codes to identify human cells, tissue or cellular and tissue-based products, also known as HCT/P. With compliance dates for some requirements as early as September 24, 2014, medical device manufacturers are working hard to make sure they have the means to generate their required labels as per the appropriate specification.

The Unique Device Identifier, or UDI, is a string of numbers that represents the following:

• "+" identifier of the HIBC Supplier Data Structure
• 4 character Labeler Identification Code (LIC)
• 1 to 18 character Product or Catalog Number (PCN) that is used to identify information about the product including expiration, manufacture date, batch, lot and more.
• 1-digit Unit of Measure
• 1-digit Check Character

There are a variety of barcode symbologies that may be used to generate an HBICC, or UDI barcode such as Code 39, Code 128, Data Matrix, Aztec, QR Code and MicroPDF417. Which one your organization decides to go with will depend on a range of factors specific to your industry. IDAutomation offers a variety of products that would allow generation of these important HIBC UDI barcodes for the medical device industry in a variety of environments including Excel, Crystal Reports, Oracle, FileMaker, SSRS, Access and more.

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How to Secure Your Streaming Barcodes

by Nate Schubert

Security is an important concern on the internet, not only for companies that have E-Commerce and web sites intended to engage and interact with users, but also for web surfers who seek out community or other valuable content online. If a website is not properly secured, then any data that is communicated between the web site and the visitor can be intercepted by anyone who has the means to eavesdrop. 

When considering which facets of your web site to make secure, think about the role that barcodes play. For example, many E-Commerce checkouts include barcode images on the order form. In many cases, the data encoded therein consists of names, addresses, and possibly even credit card numbers. Many membership-based websites require private information like social security numbers, addresses or other personal data that may be stored in a barcode for easy, error-free entry into a database. If the information in these barcodes is not encrypted and secure, then your data may be on display for anyone who wants it.

There is an easy way to determine whether you are surfing securely on a web site. If the beginning of the web address (URL) starts with HTTP, then there is no encryption and if someone is looking for it, they can potentially see the information you enter. If the web URL starts with HTTPS, then your visit is secure and so is all of the information you may give a website, because the data is encrypted and hidden from any prying eyes. 

IDAutomations' Hosted Barcode Image Generator Service is fully HTTPS-compliant. This means that the custom URL sourced in your HTTP code can reference the URL as HTTP for public areas of your site, or as HTTPS for checkout and other sensitive places. This feature makes our service one of the most secure ways of transmitting information through barcode images on web sites, in email and in other applications that may reference a URL to display an image.

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Are Barcodes Good for Business?

by Nate Schubert

Business owners and other decision makers are constantly evaluating products and processes to determine whether they would be a good fit for their business. If a proposed new process or component can provide benefits to a business in terms of increases in production or efficiency or lower operational costs, then it is likely that the process or component up for a consideration will be put into action. Of course, one of the major factors is also the cost of implementation-- is it going to generate more revenue than it cost to implement? How long will it take to recover the investment?

To Barcode, or Not to Barcode?

The question of implementing barcode technology has been asked at many businesses throughout the marketplace. Whether the proposed integration will prove to increase revenue or decrease operational costs is something that differs with each and every company that opts to put the technology into practice. However, there are some specific processes or procedures across the spectrum of industries where barcode integration is clearly a great decision...

• Retail stores require that the manufacturers of the products they offer have UPC or Databar barcodes present on them. This allows for easy product identification and pricing information which can really speed up price checks and checkout. Further, the fast and easy record of product scans can be accumulated and analyzed to determine popular products, the impacts of lower (or higher) prices on certain products and much more.
• ECommerce web sites utilize barcodes for a variety of reasons such as sales orders and return requests. This type of implementation allows staff to locate orders faster which increases response time and quality of customer service.
• Shipping and receiving warehouses regularly scan the barcodes on their inventory to run up-to-date counts and keep tight control of their assets. Barcodes placed on packing slips may also be scanned to ensure that all items ordered have been picked and will be shipped to the customer. This type of increased command over shipping and receiving helps to keep costs down for returns and missing or stolen goods.
• Advertising agencies have spent a great deal of time and effort looking for ways to incorporate 2D barcodes into promotional materials and endeavors. This type of integration can be as simple as a barcoded coupon with an incentive to save on a purchase, or something as complicated as scanning a 2D barcode in a movie, television show or video game to go "deeper" into the storyline, plot, etc.

You may not be in the movie-making industry, and you may not be in control of a multi-million dollar ECommerce store, but there is undoubtedly a place in your business where properly-used barcode technlogy can save you valuable time and money. How does your business use barcodes? 

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2D Barcode Integration Tips for Adobe InDesign

by Nate Schubert

Adobe InDesign is a powerful application that allows graphic designers, production artists and others to create print media such as magazines, posters, brochures and more in addition to publications intended for digital consumption. Given the business-centric nature of these uses, the integration of 2D barcodes for InDesign works is likely to become a necessity for many users.

IDAutomation provides a range of solutions to enable 2D barcode generation in Adobe InDesign.

• Barcode Image Generators provide an easy method of generating one-off barcodes which can be saved as image files, or copied and pasted directly into InDesign works.
• 2D Barcode Font and Encoder packages allow a roundabout method of generating barcodes where the data is first encoded within Excel and then that encoded data is imported into InDesign where the appropriate font can be applied to it to generate an accurate barcode.\
• Hosted Barcode Generators include custom URLs that can be integrated into InDesign works that are intended for internet viewing, thus allowing easy dynamic barcoding.

These are all dependable solutions when an organization has a need to add 2D barcodes to their InDesign documents. For those looking for an all-in-one solution, consider the 2D Barcode Module for InDesign by Meadows Printing Solutions. This powerful component installs directly into InDesign and appears as a toolbar selection in the application itself. Simply mark out a text box where you want the QR Code, Data Matrix or PDF417 barcode to appear and refer to the "MPS" toolbar menu to create your barcode. Meadows Printing Solutions also offers a free QR Code Generator for InDesign which can be used to demonstrate it's seamless compatibility and ease-of-use.

It's no secret to users that the latest version of InDesign (CS7) will include QR barcodes, and this is an excellent feature to add. However, it is important to note that QR is not the only 2D barcode type and that many organizations will have a need to generate others such as Code 128, Intelligent Mail, Data Matrix, PDF417 and others. Adobe's latest feature addition supports QR Code, but the products listed above support many more as well.

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Getting Creative With Your Barcodes

by Nate Schubert

Barcodes are a necessary part of business. Companies routinely use barcode technology to track documents, conduct inventory counts and prepare items for sale in retail environments. Unfortunately, barcodes have become so common on documents, products, equipment and other items that they are easily overlooked and often missed. Luckily, human creativity has a solution.

Linear barcodes are rectangular symbols with black vertical lines. When read with barcode scanners, their encoded data is output wherever the cursor is located on the computer screen by a process known as keyboard emulation. A common misnomer is that the entire barcode needs to be intact in order to get a clean read. In reality, however, most linear barcodes need only have the bottom intact in order to achieve a successful scan. This means that creative users can take some simple steps to spice up their barcodes and make them noticeable again. But how is it done?

The process of modifying a barcode is not as difficult as you may think. All you need is a barcode image, a creative mind, a little patience and a Graphic Editor programs which will allow distortion, stretching and other types of filters that can change the shape of portions of the barcode while keeping it enough intact to acquire a successful scan. It is likely that you'll have to do some trial-and-error tweaking, but the end result will be a totally unique barcode image that your employees or consumers will not overlook.

For more unique barcode designs in real-world use, please check out our Creative Barcoding board on Pinterest.

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What are the Benefits of Streaming Barcode Images?

by Nate Schubert

Barcodes come in many different shapes and sizes, and are capable of encoding virtually any type of data required toward the pursuit of an improved efficiency in a given business process. There are also a wide variety of fonts, programs and components that may be utilized to generate and display barcodes for the purpose of scanning in processes such as inventory control, document tracking, retail check-out, logistics and  much more.

As the internet and connectivity continues to shape and reshape our modern world, more and more components of doing business are migrating from on-site servers and employee machines to the cloud. This latest technological frontier provides individuals and businesses alike with the opportunity to access their information from anywhere at any time provided they have the proper security to do so. 

IDAutomations' cloud-based barcode generation service allows this same convenience to users who are able to utilize a program or environments' internet connectivity to stream dynamic barcodes directly. This service is extremely useful for ECommerce websites that generate invoice receipts, packing slips or other information that is made more efficient by the presence of a barcode. It serves business both from the standpoint of customer as well as behind-the-scenes where dynamic barcode images can be integrated into business analysis reports, inventory tracking reports and more.

Available in 1-year and 5-year terms, IDAutomations' Hosted Barcode Generator Service is fault tolerant with multiple load-balancing servers in different locations to virtually eliminate the potential for downtime. This is a high-performance, lightweight service that provides businesses with the ability to integrate barcode technology into any process that can access a custom web URL. Visit BCGen.com today to learn more about the various barcode types available as well as licensing details.

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GS1 Celebrates 40 Years of Barcode Technology

by Nate Schubert

GS1 US celebrated it's 40th year yesterday. This is a major milestone for the organization which has since expanded to have offices in over 100 nations across the world. Despite this tremendous achievement, many people know very little about GS1 other than the fact that they must register UPC codes with them in order to offer products in most retail point of sale locations. So, in an effort to celebrate the many qualities and achievements of GS1, we will provide a bit of useful information about the organization.

What is GS1 Anyway?

In 1973, industry leaders consolidated their efforts to create a unified standard that would allow for the easy identification of products, regardless of regional location. This was first used in grocery stores to improve efficiency at checkout, and quickly spread to other retail POS areas. As barcode technology became more widely used, the GS1 organization used it to further streamline processes throughout POS and now other industries for improved consumer confidence and inventory control.

Which Barcode Types Does GS1 Support?

GS1 supports many barcode types for retail items such as make up and cosmetics, cigarettes, gum, magazines, pharmaceuticals and other healthcare products and much more. As GS1 drives efficiency in the marketplace, more and more barcode standards are being created. GS1 also supports some 2D barcode standards such as GS1 Data Matrix for surgical instruments and GS1 QR Code for marketing materials.

What started as a simple means of speeding up grocery store check-out has evolved into over 5 Billion GS1 barcodes scanned each and every day. Today, GS1 is driving efficiency in many key areas of business such as logistics, inventory control and supply chain. It's standards have worked to give consumers more information about the freshness and origination of products like food produce, and has also given managers greater control over their own flow of inventory. It will be interesting to see what GS1 is doing 40 years from now!

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When Will Your Industry Integrate Databar?

by Nate Schubert

GS1-DataBar has been an emerging barcode symbology for years. Since 2010, Databar standards have been in place for bilateral trading on all items, particularly Fresh Products available in supermarkets or other stores. All trading partners will be able to take advantage of DataBar's benefits by 2014. These time frames are certainly very spacious as to allow large retailers to enjoy the benefits of DataBar while smaller retailers are given ample time to get up to date.

There are a variety of different applications that may have differing timeline windows. GS1 has laid out an excellent Adoption Timeline by Application that can provide insight for retailers who are interested in taking advantage of this new and improved barcode technology to increase efficiency, especially in terms of food waste.

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How Databar Will Win the War on Food Waste

by Nate Schubert

As hunger continue to ravage the world's poor in 2012, it is shocking to learn that approximately 40% of food in the United States is wasted. This problem is not specific to the U.S., however, as virtually every region of the world watches a significant amount of food go bad before it can be purchased or donated to charitable organizations tasked with feeding the hungry. A variety of tactics will need to be utilized in order to effectively minimize the amount of food waste at all points including growth, distribution, retail and in the very homes of consumers.

Many food waste issues arise out of poor infrastructure and logistical organization. When farms, distributors and retail establishments such as grocery stores fail to move older food products out before newer one's, waste builds as on-the-shelf products loom dangerously close to expiration. This either prevents consumers from purchasing nearly-expired goods, or can often result in the food expiring just days after purchase. An efficiently-run supermarket will have a strong command over their inventory, giving consumers a large enough window of freshness which can minimize waste at the retail point. But how can companies ensure that food products closer to expiration will leave inventory before the rest?

 From a technological standpoint, one of the most effective ways to minimize food spoilage in stores is through the use of barcode technology. To date, most retail locations have utilized UPC as a means to register products for large-scale sale. UPC barcodes generally encode a UPC code which can be scanned into a database to locate a product. This has been very effective in terms of allowing items to be sold in many different stores, but it does nothing to prevent food spoilage. UPC codes are rarely even used on produce if at all because of their inability to store anything more than a code that can identify a specific product, size and color.

Databar is an advanced barcode symbology that allows the encoding of more data than standard UPC. Application Identifiers for expiration, picked dates and more can also be encoded which can give grocery stockers much more control over which products are being offered when. Smart inventory managers can streamline their flow of goods so that the oldest products are being moved before the newest one's. Additionally, Databar barcodes are an excellent solution for labeling loose produce and other items that can be difficult to label.

Databar barcodes can also prove useful for consumers who want to know where their produce was picked, when it was picked and when it should be consumed by. There are a wide variety of barcode scanning applications that can read Databar and may be used to give consumers the edge they need in purchasing food products at the right time, rather than just days before expiration or even after a product has already passed the expiration date.

From farmer to distributor, supermarket to consumer, everyone bears some responsibility in this war on food waste. Technology can be an effective weapon against spoilage in a world where so many go hungry. Labeling produce with Databar barcodes may be the best up-and-coming method, not only helping to save food but also saving profit and protecting businesses' bottom line.

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USPS Ends Postnet Barcode Discounts in January

by Nate Schubert

2013 is fast-approaching, and time is running out for companies that are still using Postnet barcodes to receive discounts on mailing. In fact, the United States Postal Service has stated that Postnet barcode discounts will end on January 28, 2013. Moving forward, only Intelligent Mail barodes will be subject to discounts on qualified business reply mail prices. The USPS has committed to working with customers who want to continue receiving discounts, and we feel the same way.

IDAutomation's USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode Font Package includes the capability to generate any and all Intelligent Mail barcodes for full eligibility on mailing discounts with the postal service. We provide a range of comprehensive font encoder tools that may be used with these fonts to generate Intelligent Mail barodes in virtually any environment or application including Crystal Reports, Access, Reporting Services, ActiveX, Word and Excel for Windows and Mac, and much more.

Customers who currently own the IDAutomation Postnet & Intelligent Mail Font Advantage Package may simply renew their Priority Support & Upgrade Subscription to receive download access to the latest Intelligent Mail-capable package. Purchase this support subscription renewal at any time and download immediately after purchase.

Don't miss out on these invaluable automation discounts from the United States Postal Service! IDAutomation has been providing the Intelligent Barcode to customers for years, and our postal barcode generation products are used by many industries to continue receiving these discounts.

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The Barcode: Auto-ID's Greatest Achievement

by Nate Schubert

The first barcode was first invented by two graduate students at Drexel University, N. Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver, in the late 1940's to provide an effective means of making the retail checkout process more efficient. Since then, many barcode types have been introduced to various markets in order to meet a range of needs in many different applications including inventory control, logistics, document control, asset tracking and more. Without that first barcode, these advancements may never have been made.

The first barcode types to be introduced into industries throughout the world were known as linear barcodes. Including popular symbologies like Code 128, Code 39, UPC and Intelligent Mail, these rectangular boxes consist of narrow and wide bars that, when decoded by a hand-held barcode scanner or barcode reading software program, will output the data originally encoded within. Linear barcodes have long been an excellent choice for users who need to encode approximately 50 characters or less. Encoding more than 50 characters can result in very long linear barcodes that are difficult for many scanning devices to read.

Code 49 was the first two-dimensional barcode put into use. It was created in 1998 by Intermec, a popular manufacturer of barcode scanning devices. Since then, many other 2D barcode types have been introduced into the market. As with common types such as Data Matrix or QR Code, 2D barcodes store encoded data both vertically and horizontally which allows much more data to be encoded. In fact, some 2D barcodes boast character-encoding limits approaching 7,000 although most 2D barcode scanners are capable of reading approximately 800 characters without difficulty. 2D barcodes have opened up the automatic identification field in such a way that users can encode much more information than previously available with linear barcodes. With 2D barcodes, users can encoder letters, numbers, special characters and even complex functions that can space encoded data out into separate field.

In this dynamic technological landscape, it is hard to say what the future holds for barcode technology. That said, there is no question that this exceptional invention will continue to impact our lives in ways that we may never fully realize.

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3 Top Future Uses for Barcode Technology

by Nate Schubert

In August, we talked a little bit about the 3 all-time greatest barcode innovations. These technological advances have revolutionized the way we approach retail point-of-sale checkout, transportation logistics, inventory and asset management, and most recently, marketing promotions. Identifying the top historical uses is certainly valuable, as it allows us to see what has worked in the past, and how barcode technology has actually shaped a number of these industries. We can also use this information to predict some advances in the realm of barcode technology that will likely come into focus within the next 10 years. Many of these functions may be in their infancy today, or may improve greatly over the coming years.

Increased Flexibility for Barcode Scanning in Business

Since the first barcode was scanned in 1974, the process has remained largely unchanged. The barcode scanner at a POS checkout point is designed to read the barcode on an item that is intended for sale, such as food products or tickets to special events. These barcodes are generally printed as part of a product box or bag or as tickets, although they may also be printed onto labels that are affixed to products for easy scanning. As more and more consumers house their coupons, event stubs or airline tickets on their smartphone displays, however, scanning locations are going to need to improve their ability to read barcodes from these devices. 2D Barcode Imagers will most certainly be a requirement because of their ability to easily read barcodes from smartphones and LCD screens.

Barcodes on People?

Since barcodes were first created, conspiracy theorists, futurists and other thinkers have considered a future where every individual is marked with a barcode that is encoded with identifying information, account numbers, arrest records, or any other valuable piece of data. Some have even posed the notion that the mark of the beast will be a barcode. While this makes for a very interesting science fiction novel or film, the reality of the situation is that traditional barcodes may not be ideal for this task. Firstly, barcoded data is largely static, that is to say the data you encoded originally is the same data that the barcode will always contain. As such, the barcode would need to be 2D which allows access to a web address, where the content may certainly be kept up-to-date. 2D barcodes also have error correction which means tarnished barcode tattoos could potentially still be read. That said, RFID technology is likely better suited for alleged dark future of humanity because RFID chips may be implanted in a person, and then transmit their data to receivers who can use it to access important medical records, checking accounts and more.

Enhancing the Advertiser-Consumer Relationship with Barcodes

Over the past few years, marketing professionals from across the world have begun to leverage the power of QR Codes and other 2D barcodes in a couple of different, and really impressive ways. The first benefit that 2D barcodes can provide in marketing promotions is by making advertising campaigns interactive. Today, a person can scan a QR code on the inside of a wrapper, for example, to automatically register a product or for a contest. This is an extremely powerful tool for marketers focused on giving consumers what they want with little to no effort at all. Secondly, the use of QR Codes in marketing campaigns allows a means to track the success of the campaign itself. As a result, promotions can be tweaked and modified for greater future effectiveness in giving the consumer what they want.

Of course, the possibilities that surround barcode technology for the future are virtually limitless. The idea behind barcodes and protected information has been in existence since ancient times, however, and so it is likely that the long-term future is that barcodes will evolve into something more powerful or easier to use.

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Embed Your Company Logo Into a QR Code

by Nate Schubert

Since QR Codes first came into mainstream marketing use in recent years, they have been used for virtually everything in the field. QR Codes can be encoded with web addresses that take a person on the street and turn them into a consumer on a smart phone. They are can make it easier to track the performance of campaigns or promotions. They can even spruce up a company logo while adding virtually any type of functionality. In fact, embedding your company logo into a QR Code just may prove be one of the best uses of the technology to date.

What are the Benefits of a QR Code Logo?

As the visual representation of your brand, logo's are pretty important. As such, your logo needs to appear on products, service brochures, company vehicles, uniforms or promotional items so that consumers can easily make the jump that you're "the company that sells that thing I like." The problem with this is that logo's can take up space which can be quite hard to come by when deciding what you should and should not put on your printed materials. The single most significant benefit to adding a QR Code to your logo is that it adds dual-functionality to the area:

• The Logo will associate your products with your brand.
• The QR Code can be encoded with a web address which will take people via smart phone to a particular website location, or VCard contact data such as name, telephone number, email address, physical address and more.

This type of dual-functionality can mean a lot for business owners who want to get the most out of their printed materials. Business cards can have QR Codes that import contact data into a persons smart phone. Specific web addresses can be encoded into various printed materials, which will in turn take individuals via smart phone to a particular web address that is relevant to the material from which it was scanned. This can prove to be a great benefit in direct mail pieces, brochures that outline a particular service, promotional items that focus on one facet of your products and services and more.

How To Embed a Logo Image Into a QR Code

Now that you have thought up a million genius ways to use QR Codes to enhance your company logo, you've got one question left. How can you actually embed your logo into a scannable QR Code? Here are some easy steps, as long as you follow them!

1. Create a QR Code image of your choice for VCard data, web address or whatever you like.
2. Open your new QR Code in an image-editor application such as Photoshop or the open-source GIMP.
3. Using layers or similar features, lay your logo on top of the QR Code image. Make sure you have enough white space as a border around the logo itself, or the barcode may not scan.
4. Resize your logo image over the QR Code until the barcode successfully scans. 
5. Test, test, test! IDAutomation provides an excellent 2D Barcode Scanner that not only reads the barcode, but can also utilize it's PQA (Print Quality Assessment) feature for greater insight into the properties of the barcode itself.

This is a pretty simple tutorial for creating a QR Code with a logo inside, but you may have to modify the white space and/or sizing until you can achieve that successful scan. QR Code has error-correction which means a certain portion of the barcode can be damaged and still scan. IDAutomation software products will allow you to increase the error correction level in the barcode, which can give you a bit more freedom with the placement of your logo. In a sense, the logo being placed over the center of the QR code is a type of damage, so it has to be small enough to not interfere too much with the scan itself. 

There are a lot of different things a clever business owner can do with a QR-Logo hybrid image. We would love to hear more about any images like this spotted in the wild. Let us know!

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The 3 All-Time Greatest Barcode Innovations

by Nate Schubert

Let's face it, barcode technology isn't something that will generally make it to the top of the list of the world's greatest inventions. The truth of the matter is that most people don't notice the bevy of barcodes that surround them on a daily basis, and understanding how barcodes actually work is a knowledge bestowed on the few rather than the many. In spite of these somber realities, it remains that barcode technology is one of the greatest inventions of all time because of what it can do, and the advances its' existence has helped to usher in since its' inception.

In short, a barcode is a visual representation of specific data that you wish to encode. The data encoded within a barcode will usually consist of numbers, letters or even functions such as tabbing and others for scanning data into applications for database management, for example. These barcodes may then be read by barcode scanners that output the encoded data from the barcode to wherever the cursor is located on the computer screen. If the barcode scanner has a portable memory capability, the scanned data may actually be stored on the scanner itself for later bulk transport into a database, which can be quite useful in field work or large work areas. It may not sound exciting, but this simple idea has helped make possible some of the most significant changes in society. Following are 3 of the best barcode innovations to date.

UPC Barcodes Revolutionize Retail Point-of-Sale Businesses

The first UPC barcode was scanned from a pack of Wrigley's Gum at an Ohio supermarket in 1974. This moment marked the beginning of the hugely effective Universal Product Code. This created a standard that allowed retail product identification with a barcode scanner. UPC barcodes increased efficiency in retail environments, speeding up checkout lines and making shopping experiences more convenient for consumers. The use of UPC barcodes and scanners also decreased human error which certainly resulted in significant financial savings.

Using Barcodes in Logistics and Transportation

We live in a modern society where goods are transported great distances to locations throughout the world. Humanity is no longer limited by our inability to travel long distances in short times, and we have developed several effective means of travel. Transporting goods and other materials is a part of everyday business, and the amount of goods and materials that are en route to destination warehouses, stores, businesses and homes is truly astonishing. Barcode technology has integrated very nicely into the logistics and transportion industries, allowing an easy means of keeping track of items, quantities and last-locations. Barcoding goods and products with industry-specific barcodes allows companies to keep better track of the location of their goods, which saves a great deal of money on lost goods while allowing organizations to gain greater insight into their own process of logistics, and possibly improve that as well.

2D Barcodes: The Dawn of a New Era

There is some debate over whether 2D barcodes such as QR will have a lasting impression on society. Capable of encoding upwards of 800 characters in a single symbol, QR is able to encode a great deal more data than a standard linear barcode. Some of the most creative uses of QR Codes are to encode web addresses that can actually send a smartphone user to a specific internet location or page, or an easy means of transferring business card or other contact information via smartphone. These marketing tactics have seen a somewhat sputtering success and while many individuals may not fully realize the potential of the QR code on a movie theater poster or a restaurant menu, marketing agencies seem to believe there is a definite future in this cutting-edge barcode/communication technology hybrid.

What does the future hold for barcode technology? That's a very difficult prediction to make. RFID technology has come on strong in recent years, but the costs of integration may outweigh the benefits in a still-ailing economic environment. For now, it appears as though traditional barcodes are still firmly entrenched in their position as the technology that minimizes human error while maximizing efficiency, speed, effectiveness and satisfaction across any market or industrial niche'.

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How To Track Offline Marketing with QR Codes

by Nate Schubert

There is not a business in existence today that wouldn't benefit from utilizing barcode technology in conjunction with web analytics to track offline marketing campaigns. Whether a local plumbing business wants to track the value of a certain advertising location or a film company wants to gauge the level of interest in an up-and-coming summer blockbuster, each of these can leverage 2D barcodes like QR Codes to gain valuable insight into the behavior of potential customers.

There's no question that this is an attractive concept for business owners of every make and model, but theory and practice are two entirely different things. It may seem like QR codes have been introduced into the mainstream of American society, but there are countless opportunities being missed or squandered by companies across the nation. In other words,  it's easy to miss the boat on tracking offline marketing efforts when you don't understand the technology being used. That said, there are three distinct components to any effective tracking of an offline marketing campaign.

Do You Own a Website?

This point may be pretty clear to many, but without a website, it's going to be very difficult to track visitors' behavior once they get to your website. Although encouraged, this does not mean your website has to have 1,000 pages and rank at the top of search engine results pages for any given search term, or that it has to be all things to all people. There is no shame in having a simple website that focuses on your products or services. QR Codes can be used to link prospective customers directly to these products or services, as well as pages that provide information about promotions, coupons or special events.

Is Your Website Enabled for Analytics?

Without good web analytics tools like Google Analytics, it's going to be very difficult to track visitors to your website. There is virtually no limit to the level of depth you can achieve with Google Analytics, but again, this doesn't mean you have to use it to the extreme. For examples, many small businesses are content to gather surface information like unique visits, bounce rate and the behavior of those who use certain search terms to get to your website. In the case of offline marketing, web analytics is essential for gathering statistics on the behavior of those who scan your QR Code. Business owners who do not have web analytics actively tracking user behavior are limited to instinct and guesswork, which is not the most stable method of achieving success.

Are You Tagging Your Offline Links?

The final step in monitoring your offline marketing efforts is to tag the web links in your QR Codes with information that will allow you to identify the particular campaign the link is coming from. This can be a little bit of a challenge to grasp at first, but a little patience and some testing should make any business owner an out-and-out professional in no time. First and foremost, Google's special URL Builder Tool is a must. This free tool will allow you to create one-off links that can be encoded into barcodes using a QR Barcode Image Generator. There are several parameters to define, three of which are required. These help to determine the following:

• Campaign Source is required and is used to identify referrals that originate from the web, social media, a physical event, newsletter or other promotion.
• Campaign Medium is required and is used to identify QR Codes scanned from a medium such as a brochure, billboard, poster, food product, etc.
• Campaign Term is not required, and may be used to identify the focus of the advertisement or QR Code, i.e. a particular item or service.
• Campaign Content is not required, but may be very useful in categorizing different versions of a particular medium like a brochure, etc.
• Campaign Name is required and can be used to further segregate an advertisement, theme or locale.

For instance, IDAutomation has recently made finding the right product on our website much easier with the addition of our Barcode Software Selector tool. If we were to mail out a brochure to promote this time-saving tool, we may include a QR Code in order to track the behavior of individual recipients, with this URL created with the Google URL Builder Tool.

http://www.idautomation.com/customer/product-selector.html?utm_source=direct-mail&utm_medium=brochure&utm_term=product-selector&utm_content=qr-top&utm_campaign=john-smith

This web address would be encoded into a QR Code using a product such as the QR Code Image Generator as follows:

When John Smith scans this QR Code in his brochure, his behavior on the website landing page can be monitored and tracked with astounding precision. As a business owner, it may benefit you to know when your QR Code was scanned, how long the visitor remained on your website, whether they visited other pages, whether they completed a purchase and much more. This type of offline marketing can be extremely effective when tracked properly, and can open up the kind of insight that allows business owners to make the most profitable decisions possible.

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Preventing Losses To UPC Barcode Fraud

by Nate Schubert

The idea of generating fake barcodes in order to pay less at retail checkout for products has likely been in existence as early as 1974, when the first UPC barcode scanner was used to check out a pack of Wrigley's Gum in a supermarket in Ohio. The barcoding industry has come a long way since then, but often times, the fundamentals behind cheating the system remain very simple.

In most cases, knowing the special UPC Code that is registered for a particular product is enough to modify to a lower cost, or increase the quantity of an item. A relatively affordable barcode generator application can generate sheets and sheets of barcode labels, legitimate or fake. This can translate to huge losses for retail businesses in every part of the marketplace, and so it pays to know how you can minimize instances of UPC barcode fraud. Following are some useful and easy-to-follow tips:

• In a retail establishment, a UPC barcode fraudster will have many of the same mannerisms and habits that a regular shoplifter would. A close eye may reveal fidgeting or actions that are obstructed from cameras, or even the fake UPC labels themselves. Applying a fraudulent UPC barcode label over an existing label can happen very fast and an observer can miss it, but knowing what to look for can help a lot.
• UPC Barcodes may be printed on labels with a special water mark or some other anti-counterfeit material. Even if the barcode itself is successfully faked, the difference in label may be as easy to identify for a trained professional as a fake ID card.
• Migrate from UPC Barcoding to RFID technology can be expensive but is much more difficult to defraud. Tauted as the automation solution to logistics, retail and more, RFID has had a harder time getting off the ground than originally thought due to very costly implementations of an emerging technology that has yet to fully emerge.

In the future, advances in barcode technology, barcode scanning and the competitive RFID industry may push the barcode industry to allow special encoding of UPC codes that can make it more difficult to successfully create a fake UPC barcode that can actually be used to effectively steal a product. For now, the weight of responsibility rests on those store managers, security workers and other store professionals who must always be wary of the fraudsters and thieves whose livelihood relies on their ability to cheat the system.

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USPS Postnet Expiration Deadline Draws Near

by Nate Schubert

At this point, the Intelligent Mail barcode symbology has been accepted for years by the United States Postal Service for automation price eligibility. Several due-dates have come and gone and while the USPS has worked hard to phase out the former standard Postnet, it has been slow-going. The Postal Service has seen this transition process slowed as a result of working through their own fiscal shortcomings as well as allowing business owners from around the nation to put the proper processes in place so that they can begin using Intelligent Mail.

The US Postal Service website has finally proposed a discontinuation of the Postnet barcode effective by January 28, 2013, and it looks like this is a date that is going to stick. Business owners who receive automation pricing discounts have been scrambling for years to get in line with the latest standards, but as the USPS strives to stay viable with a new 5-year strategy moving forward, it is going to be even more critical for businesses to meet this January 2013 deadline or risk missing out on deep mailing discounts.

IDAutomation has worked to provide businesses and individuals alike with Postnet and Intelligent Mail barcode printing capability. Our products combine the Postnet and Intelligent Mail barcode types, making it possible to generate Intelligent Mail barcodes with Postnet. So, while Postnet may well become a thing of the past in the eyes of the USPS, IDAutomation products will continue to meet both needs with a single product.

The single most popular product IDAutomation provides for generating these postal barcodes is the Postnet & Intelligent Mail Barcode Font Advantage Package which can be used within a wide variety of programs and environments. This increases flexibility for businesses which in turn decreases cost in terms of discounts and time spent. Now is the time to put your plans in place for receiving these automation discounts as offered by the USPS, and we are happy to help make this transition as easy as possible for all businesses who benefit.

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Picking the Best Barcode Printer

by Nate Schubert

Integrating barcode technology into a new or existing business process can be rather complicated, especially if you don't have all of the information you need to make the right decisions in terms of determining the best barcode type, selecting the right barcode generation product, choosing the best barcode scanner for your needs and finally, and picking the best barcode printer. The good news is that you don't have to be a genius to understand which barcode printer will best suit your needs, and there are just a few important points to consider before making a purchase.

Which Printers Will Print Barcodes?

Most printers on the market today are capable of printing barcodes without any special software or modification. Laser and inkjet printers can print readable barcodes right out of the box, although Dot Matrix printers do not print at resolutions high enough to create barcodes that can be read by scanners. Direct thermal and thermal transfer printers are excellent for printing barcode labels one-at-a-time from a roll, and laser or inkjet printers are ideal for printing onto label sheets.

Advantages of Different Printers

While most any printer is capable of printing readable barcodes, there are distinct advantages and disadvantages for each. Standard laser and inkjet printers are excellent for printing barcodes onto label sheets, and this is usually the preferred method for tasks that include creating tags for retail or inventory purposes. Label roll printers are a better option in situations where shipping labels are being printed, or other labels with barcodes that will be printed one at a time.

Label roll printers are usually either thermal transfer or direct thermal printers, and there are some important differences that a potential buyer should be aware of before moving forward:

• Direct Thermal printers are the most affordable label roll printers because they only require a label roll. The print head burns the printed image directly onto the labels.
• Thermal Transfer printers produce the highest quality labels and require a label roll and film or ribbon roll because the print head first burns the image onto the film, and then the film is pressed onto the label. This type of heat transfer printing means the labels will more easily withstand potential damage from heat or pressure. Thermal transfer printers can also support direct thermal printing.

Determining which type of printer may be something of a challenge if you are not educated on the different types of printers, their strengths and weaknesses, or other factors. It is important to understand what you are purchasing, especially if you are interested in purchasing a printer online, because many manufacturers have strict return policies. We are here to help, and can provide invaluable insight into which printer may be the best to purchase, or whether you need to purchase a printer at all.

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