Plain answers on stock codes, labels and scanners
Stock codes and barcodes, in plain English
This site explains how SKUs and barcodes work for a small business. It covers numbering your stock, the common barcode types, printing labels and choosing scanners. It also shows what inventory software does when a code is scanned or typed.
All the pages
What a SKU is and what it is forWhat SKU means, how a stock code differs from a product name, and why businesses count their stock by SKU rather than by description.
SKU, barcode, UPC and GTIN: how they differA SKU, a barcode, a UPC and a GTIN are four different things. Here's what each one is, who issues it, and whether a small business needs both.
How to build a SKU numbering systemA checklist for making stock codes that stay clear as your range grows, from choosing a pattern to testing it against the software you use.
Common barcode types: UPC, EAN, Code 128, QRWhich barcode type does which job? A plain guide to UPC, EAN, Code 128 and QR codes, and how to choose one for shop, stockroom or shipping.
Where product barcode numbers come fromDo you need to buy barcode numbers? Who issues them, when you can skip them, and what to check before you pay anyone for a UPC or EAN.
How inventory software uses SKUs and barcodesWhat inventory software does with a code when it is scanned or typed: matching it to an item, adding it to an order, and tracking serial numbers.
Barcode scanner types and how they connectUSB, Bluetooth and phone camera scanning compared in plain terms, plus laser versus imaging readers and what to check before you buy one.
Printing barcode labels: sizes, printers and quiet zonesWhat the sources say about printing barcode labels: quiet zones, the scanner's dot of light, label length, check digits and verifiers.