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Overview of Bar coding

1. What’s a bar code?

Bar codes are machine-readable symbols made of patterns of black and white bars and stripes, or in some cases checkerboard-like grids.  There are different styles of bar codes called symbologies.  Code 39, UPC, and Code 128 are examples of different symbologies.

2. What’s in a bar code?

Bits of information are encoded within bar codes.  The data is read by bar code scanners and is often used in conjunction with databases.  Bar codes don’t require human-input, can be read by automated machines, and are virtually error-free.

3. What are bar codes used for?

Bar codes are used on anything in the retail channel destined to be scanned at the cash register.  They’re also used on everything from shipping forms, labels, ID cards, direct mail pieces, and invoices.

4. How do scanners work?

Scanners look at the pattern of light and dark bars and decode a bar code, returning the string contained in them.  Often this string is a look-up into a database.  That’s how the grocery store cash register knows that you just bought a box of cereal for $2.59.  The UPC bar code contains a number that matches a record in the store’s database.  Neither the item’s name nor its price is in the bar code.  It’s just a record number that references a database.

5. What’s the easiest way to make a bar code?

Using a font to create a bar code is quick and easy.  You can use a font from within your favorite Microsoft Windows or Macintosh applications including databases, spreadsheets, word processors, and desktop publishing applications.  Unlike graphic images, there is no storage requirement because the bar codes are made dynamically by formatting the correct string in a bar code font. We sell a complete line of bar code and OCR fonts in TrueType and Type 1 formats.

6. UPC, EAN, BOOKLAMD, & ISSN

UPC bar codes are used in the U.S. and Canada on retail items.  EAN and JAN symbols are used in Europe and Japan respectively.  Bookland symbols, based on ISBN numbers, are used on books.  ISSN bar codes are used on non-U.S. periodicals.  All of these symbologies are numeric-only, have a fixed length, and one or more check digits.

7. Code 39

Code 39 (Code 3 of 9) is the most popular symbology for ID, inventory, and tracking purposes.  It has a variable length, supports alphanumeric strings, and can be printed at a variety of sizes and aspect ratios.  This is the bar code used at video rental stores, on ID badges, and anywhere a simple bar code is needed.  The full ASCII version supports the lower 128 ASCII characters.  It is sometimes used with an optional check digit.

8. POSTNET

POSTNET bar codes are used to encode ZIP codes on U.S. mail.  Unlike other bar codes, POSTNET symbols consist of bars that vary in height, not width.  A check digit is appended to the bar code, which can be used for 5-digit ZIP codes, 9-digit ZIP+4 codes, or the newer 11-digit delivery point barcodes.

9. Code 128

A denser, more compact symbology that supports the lower 128 ASCII characters.  Used whenever space is at a premium.  Variable length strings with a mandatory check digit.  Widely used in the shipping industry, it has three variations:  code set A, code set B, and code set C.  The latter is numeric-only and employs simple compression.  There are several industry-specific subsets of Code 128.

10. Interleaved 2 of 5 & 2 of 5

Interleaved 2 of % is a numeric-only symbology that is very compact because information is encoded in both the bars and spaces.  Interleaved 2 of 5 bar codes are used on corrugated boxes, in the shipping industry, and in laboratories.  2 of 5 is an older bar code that isn’t used much today.

11. Codabar, MSI-Plessey, & others

Codabar is a numeric-only symbology used by FedEX, libraries, and blood banks.  MSI-Plessey is another numeric symbology used in libraries.  Code 93 is a compact symbology used on electronic components.  OCR-A and OCR-B are optical character recognition symbols.  MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) are the symbols found on the lower left corner of checks.

12. PD 417 and other 2D bar codes

2D (two dimensional) symbologies are extremely dense bar codes that look like a crossword puzzle or a honeycomb- like matrix.  PD 417 has emerged as the 2D bar code of choice.  The other popular 2D symbology is Maxicode used by United Parcel Service.  Because PD 417 encodes up to 1108 bytes of information, it is really a portable data file (PD), as opposed to simply being a pointer into an external database.

13. General Contacts

To get a manufacturer number assigned to you or for more information about UPC symbols, contact:

• Uniform Code Council, Inc. - www.uc-council.org

or information on EAN symbols, contact:

• International Article numbering Association (EAN) - www.ana.org.uk

or information on JAN symbols, contact:

• Japanese Standards Association - www.2.jsa.or.jp

To get an ISBN number for a book assigned to you, contact:

• ISBN Agency - www.bowker.com/standards/home/isbn/us/isbnus.html 

• Book Industry Study Group, Inc. - www.bookwire.com/bisg

To get an ISSN number for a periodical assigned to you, contact:

• National Serials Data Program - www.issn.org

or specifications on other bar codes, contact:

• Automatic Identification Manufacturers (AIM USA) - www.aimusa.org

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) - www.ansi.org

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) - www.iso.ch