What is Barcoding?

The small image of lines, or bars, and spaces are affixed to nearly everything you can imagine, for identification purposes. Specifically, barcodes use a sequence of vertical bars and spaces that represent numbers and other symbols; typically, a barcode consists of five parts – a quiet zone, a start character, data characters (often including an optional check character), a stop character, and another quiet zone.

Barcoding Applications

• Barcoding increases efficiency and productivity, when paired with barcode readers. 
• Barcode readers use laser beams to read the barcodes and translate the reflected light into data that is then transferred to a computer for action or storage.
• Barcode readers often are attached to compute, but they also are handheld and portable for other uses, such as scanning barcodes in warehouses and tracking inventory.

Barcoding and Asset Tracking

• Barcode labels serve as asset tags, warehouse labels, and utility asset labels.
• In some instances, barcodes may be used as unique identification (UID) labels and tags. 
• Asset tracking maximizes asset control efficiency and minimizes equipment loss for organizations that use mobile computers, barcode labels, handheld barcode scanners, and asset management software to track their assets in real time.
• Barcodes are the standard for data collection and asset tracking, as they include the information that is critical to business, including project name, asset category, and more.
• Barcodes and barcode scanners enable organizations to count and track assets more quickly and accurately and virtually eliminate human error.

Barcoding and Inventory Management 

•  Inventory management makes use of barcoding to optimize efficiency. Organizations must know the location of their products, how they are distributed to locations and customers, how to track sold units, and when to reorder inventory.
• Inventory management systems that utilize barcodes automate all aspects of inventory management and improve inventory positions and forecasting models.

Benefits of Barcoding

• More efficient picking.  Aids in achieving a paperless warehouse. Easy-to-use technology.
• Barcoding increases operational efficiency, allows for better customer service, and results in improved visibility into key business processes and management practices.  
• Speed – On average, one barcode label can be scanned in the same amount of time that it takes an employee to make two keystrokes
• Accuracy – Keyboard operators make an average of ten errors for every 1,000 characters typed, as opposed to one error in every 10,000 reads for an optical character readers, one error in every 3,000,000 characters with wands, and one error in 70 million entries with laser technology
• Ease of Implementation – Most barcode scanner operators learn to use the equipment in less than 15 minutes, and barcode labels are read by thousands of available devices
• Cost Effectiveness – Barcode systems often recoup their investment in 6-18 months and provide the highest level of reliability in a wide variety of data collection applications; barcode systems save time and prevent errors
• A decrease in clerical costs due to reduced need for manual data-entry functions
• Ability to track employee performance that can increase productivity
• Improved scheduling of warehouse activities
• You can use barcodes in warehouse paperwork (purchase orders, pick tickets, etc.); for individual employee identification to track who did what; on individual products; and on cartons or pallets to identify the contents and track activities. Each warehouse location can have a unique barcode that facilitates inventory moves.
• We can apply barcode technology to areas such as receiving, putaway, replenishment, picking, packing, shipping/manifesting, returns, cycle counts, value-add functions and labor tracking in warehouse.
• Barcode technology prevents mistakes and mix-ups, which is not just an inconvenience to the end-user, but could be harmful, especially in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
• Barcodes are traceable and fully auditable, promoting theft deterrence, peace of mind, and a demonstrable reduction in loss and liability.
• Barcodes offer automatic product identification, extremely fast recognition and implementation of data. Although application complexity varies, it costs just a few cents per barcode label. Plus, you can lower your overhead and cut down on training time and labor, improving productivity. It will also lower the costs of capital for carrying excess inventory since knowing exactly what is in stock will help avoid ordering an abundance of anything.

• Conclusion:

Accurate information is crucial for your business, both in terms of inventory management and asset tracking. Barcoding is reliable and cost effective, as it virtually eliminates human error and saves valuable time. Barcoding helps pharmaceutical companies to comply with industry regulations and ensures data accuracy and availability. Ensures accurate information in your supply chain and operations with barcoding.

(Reference: www. camcode.com)