Barcodes are used on the product packaging of just about every product you buy. They are also used for inventory tracking and are used expensively in the parcel delivery service by multi-national companies the world over.

A barcode is a way of adding data or information to an item without the need for a written list of instructions. It is essentially just a set of thick and thin parallel lines which can be interpreted by a barcode scanner so that a unique code or reference can be used to attach other information to it.

Most barcode labels are printed directly onto a product at the time of manufacture, but you can also get aftermarket barcode labels and sticky-backed barcode labels which can be stuck onto a product or product packaging at any point in the product’s lifecycle. This can prove especially useful if an item needs to be tracked or traced.

Cheap aftermarket barcode labels provide an effective way of adding a unique identifier to a product or package. They are simply a sticky paper label which can easily be read by a barcode scanner. If you need something more durable there are a range of other options also available where the barcode is not susceptible to rubbing or water damage.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Bridget

We’ve seen barcodes on trees, barcodes on town signs and even barcodes on cows, but barcodes on gravestones?

A funeral director from Poole in Dorset has started to attach QR codes to gravestones to allow visitors or family members to find out more about the person laid to rest.

The QR code can be scanned by a smartphone and the website to which the user is directed contains a biography of the deceased.

Those who have password access on the site can then add photos or videos of the person and can also leave dedications to their loved one. The idea was hatched so that visitors can learn more about the deceased instead of just their name and the date they died.

The managing director of Chester Pearce which is the first funeral director in the UK to use QR codes on gravestones is Stephen Nimmo, he said:

“I thought we could use technology to provide more information about people who have died to bring back the memories.

“People can make their websites as simple or as complicated as they like and add as much or as little information as they want.

“They will be able to use a photo gallery, upload video, and constantly update a page.

“I am a very traditional funeral director but using this technology is a positive way to help remember people. People often wander around cemeteries and look at gravestones and wonder who that person was. By using the QR codes they can find out.”

Posted in Barcode Labels by Bridget

New blood tracking software has been revealed by the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The barcode label tracking system uses software which controls the access to blood fridges and allows each barcoded unit of blood to be matched to a patient’s wristband barcode.

The system from Msoft eSolutions has been named Bloodhound and is designed to enhance patient safety.

The managing director of MSoft eSolutions said:

“We are delighted to have been selected by Nottingham to provide the trust’s hospitals with a comprehensive range of systems which will significantly enhance patient safety.

“Nottingham is an extremely busy trust with more than 1,500 beds across its three sites and the trust has rightly recognised the importance of harnessing the very best in technology as part of its overall patient care.

“Hospitals need to know that the technology they invest in will provide them with the sophisticated, efficient and, most importantly, secure and safe systems they require.”

Barcode technology is now being utilised in a wide range of industry sectors as a viable way to offer unique identification of assets. And its use in tracking blood further shows how important this technology is.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Bridget

We all know how important barcodes can be when used in an inventory tracking system, but it seems like their use has been expanded from retail items and business items to other sectors altogether.

Trees in Whitby are to be fitted with barcode labels as part of the town’s tree assessment and inventory programme.

In all around 20,000 trees will be fitted with aluminium barcode labels so that the council can create an easy to access database of their location, species and condition. The council will use this information so the trees can be monitored over the coming years.

Imtiaz Shaikh is the asset management supervisor for the Town of Whitby, he said:

“Next year hopefully we’ll be able to give hand-held units to our field staff so they can just scan the barcode and have all the data for that tree at their fingertips,”

“A management plan will allow us to know when trees are due for replacement, establish standards as to the proper depth and soil for planting as well as what tree types are appropriate where,”

“It will be a complete plan from the start, from placement to maintenance to replacement.”

Tree details will be documented before the two inch wide aluminium barcode labels are fitted, with things such as overall heath and structural integrity recorded by the assessment team’s field staff and an arborist.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Geoff

Barcode technology can improve accuracy of data recording and can also save company time. Scanners can read data instantly and then transmit this information wirelessly to a computer system. The need for manual data entry which can result in errors can thus be eliminated if an employer moves to a barcode scanning system.

There are certain applications in which barcode technology can be used to improve the profits and productivity of a company. These include:

Retail products

Retail products rely on barcodes to make point of sale (POS) and inventory tracking easy. All the items in a store are tracked on an extensive database which can be updated thanks to barcode scanners. And when items are sold at the POS the barcode is scanned and the item stock levels are automatically updated.

Business items

Every business needs to keep a track of the items it owns and the best way to do this is by using a asset tracking barcode system. Each item can be fitted with a label which contains a barcode so that the items can be tracked and company assets recorded. This way items can be recorded so they aren’t misplaced or lost.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Geoff

We are all familiar with barcodes. These are the small sequence of lines which feature on just about every product we buy today. Barcodes are used for pricing, inventory tracking and product allocation reasons and are a firm part of our everyday lives. However they don’t have to be printed onto a product packaging at the time of manufacture, they can also be printed onto paper and these paper labels stuck onto products at any point in the product’s lifecycle.

Barcode labels can be made out of different materials including:

Aluminium barcode labels

Aluminium barcode labels are the ideal way to record data in environments where standard labels might fade or wear. Aluminium labels are also perfect to use outdoors and are not affected by extremes of heat or cold, making them the perfect type of labels to use in industry.

Ceramic barcode labels

Ceramic barcode labels can be used when the item to which the label is affixed is subjected to high temperatures. The stainless steel base makes this type of label extremely strong and durable.

Polyester barcode labels

These are a hardwearing type of barcode label which have an overlamination of plastic so the barcode image cannot be distorted or become faded. Combined with a strong adhesive backing these barcode labels are useful tool in a variety of applications.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Geoff

Apple fans are waiting with baited breath for the arrival of the new operating system this autumn, with iOS 6 set to change the landscape yet again with regards to what is possible with mobile devices.

Over the past few years the ‘app’ has really taken off, with all smartphone manufacturers looking to get in on the act. It is not just Apple leading the way in terms of releasing and allowing access to applications that make things easier for their customers.

However, one of the new apps expected out at the launch of this new operating system from Apple is more highly anticipated than anything gone before. While barcode labels and scanning apps have been refined over the years, the latest iOS app aims to solve a lot of the hassle associated with travel, amongst many other interesting features.

Those looking to sort out their tickets at the airport, remember boarding passes and access coupons can now make use of their device to do this for them. Passbook is able to collate all related apps together for when you need them, with the QR codes and barcodes ready to access right away.

Other places where the app could come in handy include the cinema, for purchasing and storing film tickets, and Starbucks coffee shops, through use of the loyalty card.

Anything else you may need when you’re out and about will now be grouped together in this one place. The lock screen integration with the location services of the iPhone is another welcome feature as alerts can be set up for when you are nearing a particular location, so you will never forget to use your money saving coupon or card ever again. As soon as you get to the cinema, the film code can be accessed directly from your screen.

The app is able to bring together all kinds of cards, coupons and tickets, storing them where they can be utilised effectively. Wherever you are, the app will be on top of things and let you know you are nearing an establishment of interest. And while it isn’t able to process payments just yet, once NFC technology comes to the fore, this could certainly change.

So, if you want to load money onto your Starbucks card, for instance, this can be done as items can be paid for using the barcode displayed on the screen of your iPhone – as long as you have credit on there. In future, payments could also be processed at just the touch of the screen.

We’ll just have to wait and see how well received this app is when it is released in the US and the UK later in the year, but it does look like its features will make life a bit more straightforward for iPhone users. Barcode labels and retail barcodes have really made the shopping experience better for consumers, giving them more choice as to what they buy. The Passbook app should enable them to save more money, while having something to compensate for their absent-mindedness and memory loss!

Posted in Barcode Labels, Feature by Geoff

Barcode technology has moved on leaps and bounds over the last few decades. From their use on retail packaging to their use as an asset marking technology, it’s clear that barcodes are here to stay.

If you regularly go shopping you’ll recognise that barcodes are attached to every product you buy. They are an easy way to identify individual items and can be used effortlessly when stock taking or when pricing items.

Barcodes for identification purposes

Barcodes can be used quite effectively when goods or products need to be identified. Barcode labels can be affixed to every product and information about these products and the unique barcode identifier code can be stored on a computer. The software installed on the computer will let you scan the barcode on the product and information about the item can be instantly retrieved. This way barcodes can be used to identify products and can be used for pricing products.

Barcode labels for stocktaking

If you have a large number of items in stock it can be a good idea to do a stock take once in a while to check the quantity and condition of these items. And the easiest way of doing this is by using barcode labels. If each item has a barcode label attached all you have to do is scan the barcode of each item and the item will be logged on a computer system. This is a really quick process and one which if done manually would take a great deal of time.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Geoff

We are used to seeing barcode labels printed onto just about every product we buy. However a barcode’s use is not confined to retail packaging. Barcodes are the perfect way of identifying a product and can be used as an effective asset management tool.

Barcodes can be printed on a variety of substrate materials which can even be subjected to harsh environments, such as in a factory or exposed to inclement weather conditions.

Barcode labels for containers

If you have a large number of containers on site, each containing a different liquid, they will need to be easy to identify. And the best, and most accurate, way of doing this is by using barcode labels. Container barcode labels can be affixed to curved or flat surfaces and can even be affixed to polypropylene or polyethylene. The labels are coasted with a grime-resistant overlamination layer which protects the label from rubbing or chemical attack so that the label can be wiped clean and read easily using a barcode reader. The labels will not fade and the barcode will not smear. These labels also use a permanent adhesive so that they will not peel away leaving the container and its contents unidentifiable.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Grahame

Asset labels are now used the world over to keep track of inventory or stock. And when used alongside barcode labels this dynamic duo are a match to be reckoned with in terms of the efficiency and labour saving benefits they provide.

Item tracking

One of the main benefits which asset labels and barcode labels provide is tracking of goods. If an item has an asset label attached it can be tracked easily using computer software. The asset label is simply attached to the item and then can be read whenever needed either by a barcode scanner or manually and information about the item can be updated. Parcel delivery companies use barcodes to track their items so that the item’s journey can be monitored. This aids estimated delivery time and improves customer relations.

Easy collection of data

Instead of relying on a person to manually record data of each item in turn, a barcode system allows data to be collected easily by simply scanning the barcode label which is attached to the product.

Time saving

Manual stock taking procedures are tiresome and can take a lot of time to complete. However if you scan items with a barcode scanner which have a label affixed stock taking becomes instantly easier and the time taken to perform a complete stock take can be dramatically reduced.

Reduction in misplaced items

Items which don’t have an asset label or a barcode label attached are prone to getting lost or being misplaced. However if the item has a label attached it is instantly recognisable to whom the item belongs so the chances of it being lost or stolen are reduced.

Error reduction

When performing a stock take manually, recording errors are an inevitable part of the process. However when a stock take is completed using a barcode scanner the information is automatically generated when the label is scanned and updated on a computer program.

Security benefits

Asset labels and barcode labels can also be manufactured in types which don’t peel off easily or which break up into tiny parts if the label is tampered with. This can be a boon for businesses who want to protect their expensive computer equipment. In these situations the labels might be used as a seal on a laptop computer so the manufacturer knows if the computer case has been opened by persons unknown.

Ownership of goods

If a permanent asset label is fixed onto an item the label cannot be peeled off, so it acts as a permanent reminder of the item’s ownership. This can work well in situations where the items or goods may be hired to a member of the public or on large sites which have a huge number of items on site which may belong to different companies.

Just by looking at the examples above it’s plain to see that asset labels and barcode labels can play a major part in every business sphere. Why not take a look at what they can do for your business and reap some of their many rewards?

Posted in Asset Tags, Barcode Labels by Geoff