What is Barcode?
A barcode is a machine-readable pattern of bars or squares printed on a product or label that a scanner reads to identify the item.
Updated
Meaning
English
A barcode is a machine-readable pattern of bars or squares printed on a product or label that a scanner reads to identify the item.
Roman Urdu
Barcode product ya label par chhapi lakeeron ya dabbon ka pattern hai jise scanner parh kar item pehchanta hai.
Also called bar code, product code, scan code.
Example
A grocery store scans the barcode on a pack of tea and the right item and price appear on the bill. For loose rice packed in-house, the shop prints its own barcode labels.
How it works
Scanning a barcode is faster and far more accurate than searching by name, which is why barcodes matter most at busy counters with many similar items. Most branded goods in Pakistan already carry a linear barcode, usually EAN-13. Items packed by the shop, garments and loose goods need labels printed in-house, usually in the Code 128 format, which can hold letters and numbers.
Problems arise when the same barcode is linked to two products, or one product has several barcodes and only one is entered. When a new stock arrives, scan a piece before it goes on the shelf to check it is known.
In Nafaa
Nafaa scans barcodes at the counter with a USB scanner or the device camera. The barcode labels page designs and prints labels in Code 128, EAN-13 or QR, and a variant's own barcode adds that exact variant to the bill.
Related terms
- EAN-13
EAN-13 is the 13-digit barcode standard printed on most retail products sold outside North America, including in Pakistan.
- UPC (Universal Product Code)
UPC is the 12-digit barcode standard used mainly in the United States and Canada, readable by the same scanners as EAN-13.
- SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
An SKU is a code for one exact product variant in stock, so each size, colour or pack size is counted separately.
- Scale Barcode
A scale barcode is a label printed by a weighing scale that carries the item code together with its weight or price, so the counter can bill a loose item by scanning it.