How to Interpret a Barcode

Barcodes contain important product information including price and production data.

There are many forms of barcodes, but the most commonly seen are those barcodes stamped onto products purchased from grocery stores. To decipher a barcode, barcode technology relies on reflected light that bounces from the barcode once it is scanned with a barcode scanner. The human eye does not have the mechanism that allows it to measure precisely the intensity of reflected light rays coming from a scanned barcode. This makes it next to impossible to translate data contained in barcodes without the use of a barcode scanner.

Things You'll Need

• Barcode scanner

Instructions

1. Hold the tip of the barcode scanner patch cord and plug it into the corresponding port at the back of your computer. Barcode scanners come in many styles and sizes, but all scanners operate using the same principle and plug into a USB or serial port at the rear of your computer.

2. Install the barcode scanner software program into your computer, using the disc supplied with the barcode scanner. Some barcode scanners require a computer program in order to decipher barcodes, but other barcode scanners are "plug and play" computer peripherals that do not require installation of a software program to operate.

3. Open the computer software program that will use the barcode data, or a word processing software program in your computer. Point the barcode scanner towards the barcode while maintaining about six inches distance between the barcode and the scanner. Press the barcode scanner button to activate the scanner and scan the barcode. View and read the uploaded data in your computer.

References

• Carolina Barcode: How Barcode Scanners Work
• Barcodereaders.com: How to Connect the Eagle II Barcode Reader
• Idautomation.com: Scanning Data Directly into the Field on the Form

Resources

• Consumerschoicepos.com: Handheld Barcode Scanner