Barcode Label Hints & Tips

[COBS Tech Support]

Use CAPITAL internal barcodes for convenience and portability. These barcodes will print on any computer than can run CAPITAL.

If CAPITAL barcode fonts are too large to fit on the available label area, try installing and using a barcode font downloadable from the internet. (Many are available free of charge.)

In order to use barcodes fonts you must:

1. Select Control Panel, Fonts, from Windows and install the fonts.

2. Fonts will only work (print and display) correctly on computers that have the font installed.

3. Be sure to test the font with your barcode scanner before printing too many. Just because you can print a smaller barcode, does not necessarily mean the smaller font will be readable by your scanner equipment.

4. Barcode fonts usually require some form of 'manual' encoding. For example, typically to produce a valid Code 39 barcode the string of characters, i.e., your product code, must be surrounded by asterisks. E.g.,

*ABC123*

If you wished to encode your product code, for example, the correct formula using Visual Builder would be:

Return "*" + Trim(Stock->Name) + "*"

If your barcode is of a specific size, i.e., 10 characters, be sure to allow for any special characters when specifying the barcode formula:

Image

The formula taking the form of:

Image

If your product codes are too large for the label area, keep in mind that you can barcode another number, such as the Stock ID. The Stock ID is only 7 digits wide and therefore ideal for barcoding. It is a good choice when the items you are dealing with do not already come with pre-supplied barcode labels. Stock ID's are easy to use as all CAPITAL product items are automatically assigned a unique Stock ID number when added to the stock system.

If you wish to scan barcodes back into your software then keep in mind that CAPITAL can accept not only the product code, but the alternate product code (frequently designated as the 'barcode' field) and the Stock ID. To activate extended searching:

1. Start INSTALLATION Workshop

2. Select Install|Stock|General Options from the menu.

3. Click Next> button

4. Tick "Extended Transaction Searches"

5. Exit and save your changes.

If you will be using the Stock ID but do not wish to print it on the barcode label, and you are using CAPITAL's internal fonts, then be sure to select "no text on barcode" next to "Text Alignment" on the Barcode tab of the label field.