ASP Microcomputers - The Barcode Reader Is a Much Taken For Granted Technology

The Barcode Reader Is a Much Taken For Granted Technology

Few technologies have done more to help businesses keep track of their inventory than barcodes. Using these simple symbols, sophisticated computer databases can be cost effectively used to keep track of stock throughout its entire lifecycle - from ordering through to being purchased by a customer. Some of the now-standard phrases such as "just in time" and "point of sale" are all attributable to the availability of barcode technology.

The real trick to making barcodes work is the process of having a computer database that is populated with all the information relevant to the product and keeping it up to date. That means that the information that is contained on the barcode must be communicated to the database. Plus, it must be able to do that quickly and efficiently. The computer can't actually read the barcode. A device is needed for that. That's where the barcode reader technology comes in. The barcode reader captures and decodes the information that is represented by the barcode and transmits it to the computer database.

The actual barcode only carries a set of numbers and symbols. The database that stores all the pertinent information about the product has that number listed as well. Once the barcode reader sends the information to the computer, the number is matched up with the database record and presto - the merchant or supplier has an up-to-date status on the product. Depending on how sophisticated the inventory database is, the merchant may have instant access to a full range of information from how many of the item is still in stock to where he can reorder at the lowest price.

Without the reader, there is no way to get the raw information that is on the barcode into the computer database. So, thank you to the barcode reader for making life so much easier for all of us. From the consumer who wants the product that they want and right now, to the merchant who keeps that product in stock, to the shipping company who uses the barcode to keep track of where the product is after it's ordered - everyone along the supply chain is affected by the barcode reader.

There are a number of different types of barcode readers on the market today. Each is designed to serve a different purpose. Think about the barcode readers you see when you go to the grocery store. The check out lane will normally have a fixed reader and a laser wand style. The fixed version is the one your groceries are run across and the wand is the one that is used to read the code off the large items that you leave in your cart. You may also notice stock clerks using gun style scanners while counting items on the shelf. Each and every store you go into will likely use some type of barcode reader.

Barcode scanning is one of those technologies that we see in our everyday life but take for granted. The next time you are out and about, keep an eye out for readers and scanners, then imagine what life was like before barcodes. One thing is for sure, it took a whole lot longer to check out at the grocery store.

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The Barcode Reader Is a Much Taken For Granted Technology

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