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Barcode scanning suggestions

Question asked by Jon1 on Mar 8, 2018
Latest reply on Mar 8, 2018 by eoin

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I am looking to implement a barcode scanner into my FileMaker program. Initially I will be scanning a barcode that just consists of a long number. I can do that now with my iPhone and FileMaker Go. However, I want to roll this out in a warehouse environment with very large products that can weigh roughly 1 ton. That makes moving the product near a computer with a USB scanner inefficient. The warehouse environment makes me reluctant to use an expensive iPhone or iPad. They are sure to get dropped in front of a forklift. Some of these products can be stacked very high - up to 20 feet high - so I would prefer to use a long range laser scanner.

The next steps in my application would be to use it more for inventory and include more scanning beyond just the long number. Some of these products contain multiple barcodes so I would ultimately like to make it so they can scan each barcode into the same record. For example, the barcodes include an ID number, weight and width. When a new item comes in, the warehouse attendant can scan each barcode one after the other and populate each field. I am guessing that to make that work they would have to scan in a specific order or put the focus in each field before scanning.

I am looking for any recommendations on how best to approach this. Is there a recommended wireless laser scanner that can be used? Is it only possible to do with an Apple iOS device? Would an iPod Touch work instead of an iPhone attached to some other device to turn into a laser scanner? Do any Windows scan guns work? Fortunately the warehouses do have good wi-fi.

Thank you

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mikebeargie

Mar 8, 2018 8:08 AM

Most barcode scanners essentially work as a paired keyboard. Meaning that it scans, then "types" the string of decoded barcode number/text into whatever field is "active". Using this method, you can use filemaker go (iOS devices), pro (desktops), or even WebDirect (browser on iOS, Android, PC, Mac). Just put the cursor in a field and scan. Quality barcode scanners can easily cost as much as an iPod Touch or used iPhone.

Range will be your biggest factor here. While Bluetooth's 1.0 specifications call for a range of 100m, practical range is usually under 50 feet in my experience. Dropping of pairing can result in frustration and time loss for users, so be careful if you want to go that route.

However, FileMaker Go's native barcode functionality is based on Apple's iOS native implementation of a scan.

There are rugged iPad and iPhone cases that make the "fragile" devices a little less prone to abuse. EG: https://www.barcodegiant.com/kensington/part-k67796am.htm?aw&adtype=pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvvfB64vd2QIVUJ7ACh3kyQ6NEAQYAi…

Cases with hand holds and screen protection are common as well. The iPad Mini is a better "handheld" form factor, but if you want one-handed use, then iPod Touches can be a cheaper alternative to iPhones and run on the latest iOS11 as well (At $199 retail for 32gb, that's not too bad compared to a comparable barcode scanner).

There is also a large secondhand market making cheaper iPad purchases possible. Just make sure you get one that is compatible with FMGo16 (must run iOS10.2+). I have seen a few warehouse implementations on iPads and FMGo, so you shouldn't discount it from the table.

All that said, barcode quality and size should be considered. Dirty barcodes and small barcodes can be hard to scan. But at $199 for an iPod Touch, free filemaker go from the app store, and a simple 10 minute app to test scanning features should be an easy-to-swallow approach towards seeing what will work in your environment.

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jbante Mar 8, 2018 8:11 AM

If you're talking about scanning items that are 20 feet high while you're on the ground, RFID is a better option than optical barcodes. I know Zero Blue has some RFID scanners, but I don't know if they have the kind of medium-long range RFID scanners you'd be talking about here. (Zero Blue also has optical scanners like what you're looking for, like this one.)

If you're talking about going 20 feet up to the product, an iPhone or iPod touch works fine in a warehouse environment with a solid case and a belt leash. A dedicated hardware scanner is still going to scan faster and more reliably, though.

For the multiple barcodes, it sounds like you're not the one printing the barcodes — if you were, I'd suggest you put as many fields in the same barcode as you can, even using a QR Code if you have more than what reasonably fits in a 1D code

With multiple barcodes it still might be possible to pick the right field automatically, depending on the content of the barcodes in the items you're receiving. ID numbers often have formats that makes them obviously not a height or weight. Most IDs that are useful between organizations are much longer, for example, or they might include text characters (other than "lbs", "kg", "ft", or "m").

If the barcodes are formatted according to GS1, then many of the barcodes would include an "application identifier" (AI) at the beginning, a series of digits that tells you what field the barcode is for. (This is also a good scheme for encoding multiple fields in the same barcode, if that's an option.) The Wikipedia page for GS1-128 includes a list of them. Barcode Creator includes a helper script to parse out and identify the AIs in a GS1 barcode (to complement the scripts it has to generate GS1 barcodes).

If the multiple barcodes are different types (symbologies), then that might also help. A UPC or ITF barcode is almost certainly an ID (and a very specific type of ID, at that). When you scan a barcode with FileMaker Go into a container field, you can get the type with GetContainerAttribute ( Table::container ; "barcodeType" ). Other scanners have different ways to transmit that information, and may require some configuration.

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Jon1 @ mikebeargie on Mar 8, 2018 9:06 AM

Thank you Mike for the detailed response. When you mention the native barcode functionality and native implementation of a scan - what does that mean - is that the "paired" keyboard reference? Our warehouses are too large to consider bluetooth even at the 100m range. I will explore your recommendations. Thanks again.

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Jon1 @ jbante on Mar 8, 2018 9:08 AM

Thank you jbante for your response. You are correct in that we are not the ones printing the barcodes. We use multiple vendors and each vendor apparently has slightly different info in their barcodes. At the very minimum it will be the ID. You have provided some very helpful information that I am going to research in depth.

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mikebeargie

@ Jon1 on Mar 8, 2018 9:08 AM

Just that it uses the internal camera of the iOS device, rather than requiring a separate piece of hardware to perform a scan. So range isn't an issue since the scanner is integrated.

If someone has a modern iPhone you can borrow, then you can create a simple test file and test scanning in filemaker go. If that works for you, the cheap iPods and rugged cases could suit your needs just fine.

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eoin Mar 8, 2018 2:53 PM

I use iPads extensively in my business, some utilise the onboard camera to scan barcodes at a intermittent rate.

However, in applications where frequent / high volume scanning is a requirement such as dispatch and goods in we use the portable Motorola 3070 bluetooth scanner with great success.

If you script the scan result correctly you can largely leave the iPad down and just use the BT scanner. Climbing storage racks while iPad remains on the forklift for example. It also has the function to store scan data which can be batch imported if needed.

We also use the life proof Nuud rugged cases for our iPads and in 5 years & 20 iPads we have never lost or damaged an iPad due to water/drops/user abuse. My industry is food manufacturing with plenty of water and food debris. Cases without the foil covering the screen give better long term results and clearer visibility to the application.

Whilst the iPhone/iPod may prove to be more portable, in my experience the lack of screen real estate leads to minimal use and poor adoption due to the lack of usable display space or minuscule onscreen keyboard. They have their place, but iPads are far more useful in the longer run as the application develops.

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6 Replies

mikebeargie Mar 8, 2018 8:08 AM
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Most barcode scanners essentially work as a paired keyboard. Meaning that it scans, then "types" the string of decoded barcode number/text into whatever field is "active". Using this method, you can use filemaker go (iOS devices), pro (desktops), or even WebDirect (browser on iOS, Android, PC, Mac). Just put the cursor in a field and scan. Quality barcode scanners can easily cost as much as an iPod Touch or used iPhone.

Range will be your biggest factor here. While Bluetooth's 1.0 specifications call for a range of 100m, practical range is usually under 50 feet in my experience. Dropping of pairing can result in frustration and time loss for users, so be careful if you want to go that route.

However, FileMaker Go's native barcode functionality is based on Apple's iOS native implementation of a scan.

There are rugged iPad and iPhone cases that make the "fragile" devices a little less prone to abuse. EG: https://www.barcodegiant.com/kensington/part-k67796am.htm?aw&adtype=pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvvfB64vd2QIVUJ7ACh3kyQ6NEAQYAi…
Cases with hand holds and screen protection are common as well. The iPad Mini is a better "handheld" form factor, but if you want one-handed use, then iPod Touches can be a cheaper alternative to iPhones and run on the latest iOS11 as well (At $199 retail for 32gb, that's not too bad compared to a comparable barcode scanner).

There is also a large secondhand market making cheaper iPad purchases possible. Just make sure you get one that is compatible with FMGo16 (must run iOS10.2+). I have seen a few warehouse implementations on iPads and FMGo, so you shouldn't discount it from the table.

All that said, barcode quality and size should be considered. Dirty barcodes and small barcodes can be hard to scan. But at $199 for an iPod Touch, free filemaker go from the app store, and a simple 10 minute app to test scanning features should be an easy-to-swallow approach towards seeing what will work in your environment.
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jbante Mar 8, 2018 8:11 AM
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If you're talking about scanning items that are 20 feet high while you're on the ground, RFID is a better option than optical barcodes. I know Zero Blue has some RFID scanners, but I don't know if they have the kind of medium-long range RFID scanners you'd be talking about here. (Zero Blue also has optical scanners like what you're looking for, like this one.)

If you're talking about going 20 feet up to the product, an iPhone or iPod touch works fine in a warehouse environment with a solid case and a belt leash. A dedicated hardware scanner is still going to scan faster and more reliably, though.

For the multiple barcodes, it sounds like you're not the one printing the barcodes — if you were, I'd suggest you put as many fields in the same barcode as you can, even using a QR Code if you have more than what reasonably fits in a 1D code

With multiple barcodes it still might be possible to pick the right field automatically, depending on the content of the barcodes in the items you're receiving. ID numbers often have formats that makes them obviously not a height or weight. Most IDs that are useful between organizations are much longer, for example, or they might include text characters (other than "lbs", "kg", "ft", or "m").

If the barcodes are formatted according to GS1, then many of the barcodes would include an "application identifier" (AI) at the beginning, a series of digits that tells you what field the barcode is for. (This is also a good scheme for encoding multiple fields in the same barcode, if that's an option.) The Wikipedia page for GS1-128 includes a list of them. Barcode Creator includes a helper script to parse out and identify the AIs in a GS1 barcode (to complement the scripts it has to generate GS1 barcodes).

If the multiple barcodes are different types (symbologies), then that might also help. A UPC or ITF barcode is almost certainly an ID (and a very specific type of ID, at that). When you scan a barcode with FileMaker Go into a container field, you can get the type with GetContainerAttribute ( Table::container ; "barcodeType" ). Other scanners have different ways to transmit that information, and may require some configuration.
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Jon1 @ mikebeargie on Mar 8, 2018 9:06 AM
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Thank you Mike for the detailed response. When you mention the native barcode functionality and native implementation of a scan - what does that mean - is that the "paired" keyboard reference? Our warehouses are too large to consider bluetooth even at the 100m range. I will explore your recommendations. Thanks again.
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Jon1 @ jbante on Mar 8, 2018 9:08 AM
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Thank you jbante for your response. You are correct in that we are not the ones printing the barcodes. We use multiple vendors and each vendor apparently has slightly different info in their barcodes. At the very minimum it will be the ID. You have provided some very helpful information that I am going to research in depth.
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mikebeargie @ Jon1 on Mar 8, 2018 9:08 AM
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Just that it uses the internal camera of the iOS device, rather than requiring a separate piece of hardware to perform a scan. So range isn't an issue since the scanner is integrated.

If someone has a modern iPhone you can borrow, then you can create a simple test file and test scanning in filemaker go. If that works for you, the cheap iPods and rugged cases could suit your needs just fine.
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eoin Mar 8, 2018 2:53 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I use iPads extensively in my business, some utilise the onboard camera to scan barcodes at a intermittent rate.
However, in applications where frequent / high volume scanning is a requirement such as dispatch and goods in we use the portable Motorola 3070 bluetooth scanner with great success.

If you script the scan result correctly you can largely leave the iPad down and just use the BT scanner. Climbing storage racks while iPad remains on the forklift for example. It also has the function to store scan data which can be batch imported if needed.

We also use the life proof Nuud rugged cases for our iPads and in 5 years & 20 iPads we have never lost or damaged an iPad due to water/drops/user abuse. My industry is food manufacturing with plenty of water and food debris. Cases without the foil covering the screen give better long term results and clearer visibility to the application.

Whilst the iPhone/iPod may prove to be more portable, in my experience the lack of screen real estate leads to minimal use and poor adoption due to the lack of usable display space or minuscule onscreen keyboard. They have their place, but iPads are far more useful in the longer run as the application develops.
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