When you think of barcodes you probably think of supermarket shopping. But do you know what they can do for your small business?
Do you use them to keep track of your inventory and sales? Have you thought about what else you could be tracking besides your inventory?
Let's find out all the ways barcodes can improve your business processes.
What is a Barcode?
You may think you already know what barcodes are. You see them on every package you buy. But what are they? This short video explains the basics:
Want to know more? Read about their history in "The Ultimate Guide to Barcodes". Now, let's skip ahead to how barcodes can benefit your small business.
Checking Customers Out Quickly
Sweeping the barcode across the scanner at your favorite store is far faster and more accurate than punching in prices on a cash register. But that isn't the primary reason for using barcodes. Yes, you can check people out more quickly, but there are many more advantages when you replace prices with barcodes, and cash registers with point-of-sale (POS) terminals and scanners.
Making Price Changes
Barcodes are placed on items instead price tags. The reason for this is that if a price changes, instead of having to relabel every item on every shelf, the price can simply be changed in the database. And that isn't all that can be done with that database.
Keeping Track of Inventory
When items come in, the barcode is read and the item quantity is added to the inventory database. Later, when a checkout person runs the item across a scanner, the quantity of that item is immediately changed in the database.
Some retailers use software to immediately reorder that item. Others run reports that compile all items sold to place a bulk order. Either way, stores can minimize overstocks and out-of-stocks to maximize sales, which minimizes losses related to inventory management.
Accounts Payable Invoices
Add barcodes that represent customer numbers or individual invoice numbers to your invoices. Quickbooks can generate these barcodes for you. When an invoice is returned with a payment, you can easily locate the customer account or invoice number. This will prevent problems like applying payments to the incorrect customer account or invoice.
Time and Attendance
Make it easy for your accountant to accurately and quickly pay your employees by having them check in using barcodes. Worried about overtime costs? You can easily generate reports to see how many hours of paid labor have been clocked so far.
Tracking Assets
Have you ever noticed that corporations and government offices have metal tags on desks, filing cabinets, and equipment? These are used to track where fixed assets are located.
If you have laptops, portable point-of-sale systems, books, or other tangible assets you allow employees, partners, clients, or customers to use, barcodes allow you to let them "check them out" in the same way you check a book out at the library.
Keeping track of assets is essential to prevent losses and to make sure you can find equipment when you need it. You could even put a barcode on your annual report and share one or more copies instead of printing one out for every employee who needs to review the data.
Speeding Up Inventories
Even if you use a point-of-sale system, at least annually your store or office will conduct a physical audit. It is much faster to scan each item than it would be to manually find it on an inventory list and check it off.
Save Money on Postage
The United States Postal Service gives discounts for bulk mail that is presorted. The use of what the USPS calls the "Intelligent Mail Barcode" is required to qualify for automation prices. Using barcodes improves accuracy of delivery. Here is an example of this type of barcode:
Registration Cards
When you sell products, include the product's serial number on a registration card. Your buyers will appreciate not having to find the serial number and write it on the card.
Track RSVPs
Hosting an event? Include an RSVP card with a barcode that identifies each guest so you can scan response cards to track who has responded and follow up with those who haven't.
Sell on eBay, Amazon and Elsewhere
In order to sell your products on eBay, Amazon, and other shopping sites, your products are required to have barcodes. If you created the product, you will have to buy your own UPC code. Find out more in "The Truth About Buying UPC Codes."
As you can see, anything you can put a barcode on can be tracked, scanned into a computer system, and manipulated or reported on. When you're ready to speed up your business processes, look into implementing barcodes.
