Best Barcode Scanner For Your Business

There are always a variety of different barcode scanner types available for your organization and the kind of scanner you may need depends on the kind of application you will undoubtedly be with them for.

The first decision you may need to make is what type of barcode you'll be scanning. Your options are:

1D Barcodes

1D Barcodes are the normal line based barcodes we've all seen of all products sold at the grocery store. There are numerous formats these barcodes scanner A0 can be found in, which are called UPC-A, Code 128 and GS1 Databar Stacked. 1D Barcodes are the most typical and probably the most utilized barcodes on the market and for most businesses, 1D barcodes will undoubtedly be all that you'll ever have to utilize.

2D Barcodes

2D Barcodes look distinctive from standard line-based barcodes in they are composed of tiny little square pixel dots and are usually seen printed as a small 1cm x 1cm square. These barcode types are sometimes utilized in the healthcare industry and are called Aztec Codes.

PDF417 Bar Code

The next less common kind of barcode is known as the PDF417, which combines both lines and the pixel dots noticed in 2D codes in a much bigger barcode typically several inches wide.

Barcode Imagers vs Barcode Laser Scanners

Barcode scanners come in two different types with regards to the kind of barcode you will undoubtedly be scanning. If you are just going to be scanning 1D barcodes, then all that's necessary is really a laser scanner. For most businesses who will undoubtedly be utilizing barcodes to track inventory, 1D scanners are sufficient and therefore their finest bet is to get a laser scanner. If your organization requires you to make use of 2D or PDF barcodes you will be needing an imager barcode scanner which works slightly differently from the laser scanner and is usually more expensive.

Portable vs Fixed Mount

Another option you have with barcode scanners is whether you want the barcode scanner to be portable or fixed mount. Portable scanners enable you to support the scanner in your hand and shine the laser of the barcode scanner on a barcode, or alternatively to simply place that being scanned within the barcode scanner that's docked in a stand.

Fixed mount scanners are permanently mounted in one single place and cannot be moved. Instead that being scanned must be moved before the scanner in order to be scanned.

Depending on the kind of application you'll be using the barcode scanner set for your organization, you might find a fixed mount scanner or perhaps a portable scanner might are better - and sometimes you might choose to work with both types such as for instance is the case with most supermarkets who use fixed mount scanners for many those items being scanned, but also have a portable scanner for scanning heavier items left in the shopping cart.

General Purpose vs Rugged

One final option you have is whether you're looking for a general purpose scanner found in most retail situations or perhaps a rugged scanner which will be specially created for situations where in fact the scanner will undoubtedly be abused above normal wear-and-tear situations.

Most businesses won't desire a rugged scanner, as most scanners are actually regarded as being very durable, but they may be an option for some situations which require a much higher durability.