Bar Codes in MSCM

We created custom labels using Zebra Designer Pro. But it sounds to me like your issue isn't with the labels but with par items missing from the handheld. If you select a par and scan a barcode and the handheld responds with "Item [###] not found" and you can't find the item in the list for that par it's possible that the sync scheduler is not updating the MSCM server with data from the Lawson server. This happens to us on occasion and I will ask our DBA to run this command on the MSCM server-

delete from ICAUDIT_TRACKER

This should restart the scheduler to populate the par location data.

No, that's not it - it just plain won't read the item. We're aware of the handhelds getting out of sync and we audit for that to make sure it doesn't happen. We are using a barcode font (Code 39), that works in our warehouse just fine. I've tried adjusting the font size, but that doesn't help. The scanner won't read it and find the item at all.

You can see the item on the handheld in the List tab for that par location then? And the label you use in the par locations is exactly the same as the one in your storeroom?

Yes, I can see them on the list. The only difference in the labels is the position of the barcode and the size of the label. When I scan a label, it should take me right to that item on the handheld, only nothing, and I mean nothing, happens. If I scan the label in the warehouse, the item pops up immediately.

Yes, I can see them on the list. The only difference in the labels is the position of the barcode and the size of the label. When I scan a label, it should take me right to that item on the handheld, only nothing, and I mean nothing, happens. If I scan the label in the warehouse, the item pops up immediately.

So you must have separate Crystal rpt files for each label? We had a similar problem where the scan was adding a P to the end of the item number when our warehouse label was scanned. I had to rebuild the label and it worked. Would you mind sharing your rpt files? Maybe I would be able to see something.

Sure - have a look...

Leslie, I'm not able to open the warehouse label file. Crystal is telling me the file is corrupt. But I can at least look at the par location label.

Is there some sort of addon that you have that allows Crystal to utilize barcodes? I'm using CR 11 and the help section tells me I have to install special barcode software from Azalea.

We had to purchase a font, but we didn't use the Azalea product. We are using an IDAutomation Code 39 font.

Google "Free TrueType Code 39 Barcode Font 7.12". Haven't had a need to use this with Crystal, but I used it with other software, e.g. Microsoft Word and it worked for me.

Thanks Ben. I found a free IDAutomationHC39M font and installed it. The report automatically formatted the BAR CODE formula field with the font.  I printed out a page of labels from one of our par locations and I'm able to scan all of them. I did have some trouble reading the barcode for items where the number was more than 4 digits. It was hit and miss- mostly miss. I increased the size of the barcode and it read it every time after that.

The bar code has to have a minimum height. The code39 standard specifies that the minimum height is .25 inch, or .15 times the width, whichever is greater. (So long bar codes need more hight). Accuracy rates improve with a somewhat larger height so I normally use a half-inch.

If the bar codes are printed using sofware that scales, stretches, or shrinks the bar code, that can also cause issues, especially if the scaling percentage is different in the horizontal and vertical dimension. Some software these days does that automatically depending on your settings, e.g. to scale a document to fit the physical page size. So bar code reliability is improved by making sure that any such features are not enabled.

The original barcode size is about 3/16 x 15/16 so it looks like the barcode size is the issue Leslie.

Thanks - I'll give that a try!

Code 39 font resource. dafont has many bar code font resources.
http://www.dafont.com/code39.font

We are trying to create bar codes for our warehouse bins for MSCM and what I am finding is that we are getting a 32% failure rate when scanning the barcodes. We are using Dolphin 99EX scanners and I am using a crystal report from this thread to create the labels and have tried multiple barcode fonts of code 39. Our item numbers are 6 digits and the scan always fails on the same item numbers for example item# 030619 scans in as 00315913 yet other items scan correctly.  I am using the "*" at  beginning and end of each item. Any help is appreciated.

 

Thanks

Daniel Burrus, PMP

Project Manager

Special School District

We are having the same issue that you experienced Daniel, with the same scanner.  We are also using Crystal, but found out from Infor that we should be using the 128 font.  Did you purchase the font for Crystal?  If so, which vendor did you go with and how has it worked out for you?

 

Thanks.