| The use of barcode technology has revolutionized the | | | | to use barcode software to inventory their products |
| process of inventory control. Barcodes are used | | | | by inputting the product's name and assigning it a |
| virtually everywhere to keep track of product | | | | barcode generated by the computer. This is all |
| information and inventory levels. These days barcodes | | | | accomplished by using a sophisticated database |
| are even used to add products to gift registries. No | | | | system, where data from each product is stored. This |
| one gives a second thought any more to the use of | | | | makes keeping track of the inventory easy and it also |
| barcode technology. | | | | helps to speed up the updating of pricing. New |
| They're so common that barcodes and scanners | | | | information about products is entered into the |
| rarely get a second thought as to how or why they | | | | database. Then whenever the barcode scanner reads |
| work. It's rare that one thinks about how dragging | | | | a barcode that identifies a specific product it is |
| items across the checkout scanner suddenly makes it | | | | connected directly to the database where it finds the |
| register a price and a name which are identical to the | | | | most current information about the product. |
| label. We simply take barcode scanners and barcode | | | | The barcode scanner itself uses technology that |
| readers for granted. | | | | "reads" the barcode label. It does this with photo |
| So how exactly does a barcode scanner operate? To | | | | sensors located within the barcode scanner that have |
| grasp how barcode technology works one first has to | | | | the ability to read and decipher each barcode as it is |
| understand how bar codes themselves are generated | | | | scanned. All of these photo sensors work together to |
| and how they work to identify products. The barcode | | | | recognize spacing, length, and alignment of different |
| contains information about the item that has been | | | | bars, then match them with corresponding product |
| "barcoded". This information is coded using a special | | | | information found in the database. This ingenious |
| type of barcode language. The barcode scanner then | | | | technology is really quite simple when you understand |
| translates the language of bar codes into information | | | | how it works. |
| that humans can understand and decipher. | | | | Barcode scanning technology has made a huge |
| The barcode language is actually quite simple. All | | | | difference in offices, factories, warehouses, hospitals, |
| barcodes contain specific symbols which equal a | | | | restaurants, government facilities - anywhere where it |
| series of bars. These bars are made up of short and | | | | is necessary to keep track of inventoried items. Of |
| long bars, along with varying spacing between the | | | | course the most visible place where this technology |
| bars. Every part of the series denotes a number of | | | | has made a big difference is at the checkout line of |
| characters, depending upon the date originally entered | | | | your friendly neighborhood variety or grocery store. |
| into the barcode software. | | | | The next time you are there in one of those lines, think |
| In other words, barcode software is the beginning point | | | | about how barcode technology gets you out of the |
| for all barcodes and barcode scanning systems. It is | | | | door just that much faster. |
| what makes the system work. Programmer are able | | | | |