Barcode scanners and label printing
A barcode scanner is not a productivity upgrade; it is the difference between a stock count that finishes and one that gets abandoned at four in the afternoon. tBiz treats the scanner as what it is — a keyboard that types faster and never misreads.
| Item | Book | Counted | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Angle 50×50×6 | 18,400 | 18,386 | -14 |
| GI Pipe 25mm | 940 | 940 | 0 |
| Welding rod 3.15mm | 86 | 88 | +2 |
Where scanning is used
At the billing counter
Scan, quantity, tender. The barcode drives the line and the GST split happens behind the screen.
At goods inward
Scanning on the GRN is also where serial numbers get captured, which is the only moment that information is cheap to collect.
During a stock count
The single biggest use. Counting 4,000 SKUs by reading labels and typing codes does not finish; scanning them does.
Any scanner works
A USB or Bluetooth scanner presents itself as a keyboard, so there is nothing to install and nothing to configure.
Not the phone camera
tBiz does not scan with the camera — there is no camera scanning in the app today. For a branch or a van, a pocket Bluetooth scanner paired to the phone does the same job and costs less than the time spent looking for the feature.
Print your own labels
For items without a manufacturer barcode, with your own code, description and price.
How to set it up
- Put barcodes on items. The manufacturer’s where it exists, your own where it does not.
- Plug the scanner in. It behaves as a keyboard. There is no driver and no pairing step beyond Bluetooth if it is wireless.
- Scan where it helps. Billing, goods inward, transfers and counts.
- Print labels for the rest. Loose items, repacked goods and anything you code yourself.
Barcode questions
Which barcode scanners work with tBiz?
Effectively all of them. A USB or Bluetooth scanner presents itself to the computer as a keyboard, so there is nothing to install and no compatibility list to check.
Can I scan with a phone instead?
Not with the phone’s camera — tBiz has no camera scanning today, and we would rather say so than have you discover it during a stocktake. A pocket Bluetooth scanner paired to the phone or tablet works exactly as it does on a desktop, because either way the scanner is just a keyboard.
Can I print barcode labels for my own items?
Yes, with your own code, description and price, for items that have no manufacturer barcode — repacked goods, loose material and anything you code yourself.
Does scanning help with stock counts?
It is the main reason to have it. A count of a few thousand SKUs done by reading and typing tends not to finish; the same count scanned does, which is why most businesses buy their first scanner after a bad stocktake.
Related
Finish your next stock count
Start free, add barcodes to your items, and count a godown in an afternoon.