"Test barcode" barcode operation

Overview

The "Test Barcode" command on the scanner displays the exact string of characters that a barcode image encodes, and lists the records in the scanner's memory that the barcode matches or is similar to.

Case-sensitivity is a common problem for companies that generate their own barcodes. Clerical or system errors can result in product IDs or barcodes with minor upper or lower case mistakes. When there are case errors in the underlying data, the behavior of the scanner can be confusing. This Test Barcode command can help you get to the bottom of what is going on.

The barcode scanner is case-sensitive. If you have a scankey or product ID "ABC12345" and you scan a barcode "Abc12345", they won't match unless you have the 'Upper case conversion' setting turned ON, in which case the scanned barcode will be read in as "ABC12345" and then they will match. Sometimes these differences are difficult for a human to notice.

To help out, the Test Barcode function shows you both the exact matches and the near matches that differ only by ASCII upper/lower case discrepancies. The function doesn't fix case sensitivity problems for you, but at least it helps you understand what is going on.

Instructions

To test a barcode, just scan it into the box. Immediately underneath the box, the scanner will display the exact string of characters that the barcode image encodes, without any lookups or conversions. Even if you have the barcode scanner setting 'Upper case conversion' turned ON, this function on the scanner will not convert to upper case.

Below the string of characters from the barcode image, the scanner lists the matches and near matches to records in the scanner's memory. Barcodes can represent different kinds of records -- scankeys, product IDs, sublocations, etc. This function checks all records in memory, of all different types.

Possible matches

The specific record types the scanner checks are,

1. Scankeys
2. Synthetic scankeys (CSV or GS1) other than product IDs themselves
3. Product IDs
4. Sublocations
5. Sales orders
6. Purchase orders
7. Lot IDs in stock or transactions
8. Lot IDs in scankeys but not in stock or transactions

For each type of record, the scanner first does a case-sensitive search, and reports the exact match. Failing that, the scanner tries a case-insensitive search and reports that the scanned barcode is "similar to" the nearly matching record.

Scankey matches

Regarding scankeys, the scanner first checks explicit scankey records in memory for matching or nearly matching the scanned barcode. If any is found, the scanner reports, "Matches scankey: XYZ" for the given barcode, or "Similar to scankey: XYZ" in the case of a near match differing only by upper/lower case discrepancies.

If no scankey records in memory match or nearly match, and if the 'Automatic barcodes' settings is ON, the scanner then checks for possible synthetic scankey interpretations of the scanned barcode. Synthetic scankeys, also called 'Automatic barcodes', are interpretations of the barcode as scankeys that don't yet exist in memory but that function as if they did. In most circumstances -- though not in this Test Barcode function -- the scanner automatically creates an explicit scankey for a synthetic scankey when it is scanned in.

If no explicit scankey record is found to match or nearly match, and if a synthetic scankey does match, the scanner reports "Matches CSV or GS1 for: XYZ" (case-sensitive comparison). CSV and GS1 are two types of synthetic scankeys.

Synthetic scankey matches

There are three types of synthetic scan keys: CSV, GS1, and Product ID scankeys.

Product ID synthetic scankeys allow you to scan a product ID in a context in which a scankey is expected. The scanner will automatically create a scankey that matches the product ID and that refers to the product ID. For example, the synthetic scankey for product ID "ABC" is just "ABC".

Lookup table entry for product ID synthetic scankey for ABC

Since any barcode matching a product ID synthetic scankey would also match the product ID itself, the Test Barcode function doesn't test for product ID synthetic scankeys, as it would be redundant with checking the product ID.

CSV synthetic scankeys are similar to product ID synthetic scankeys except they can record the lot ID and/or suggested packing in the barcode. CSV synthetic scankeys contains multiple fields, separated by commas. The scanner automatically creates a scankey that matches the product ID and that also contains the other fields of information. For example, the barcode "ABC,13OCT2014,12/1" generates the synthetic scankey,

Lookup table entry for CSV synthetic scankey for ABC,13OCT2014,12/1

Like CSV scankeys, GS1 scankeys can contain multiple fields of information, except GS1 records the information in a different format. The GS1 format is an international standard (more complex than three fields separated by commas).

Lot ID matches

Regarding lot IDs, the scanner first checks stock and transaction records, to see if there are any records of physical items with lot ID matching or nearly matching the scanned barcode. If any is found, the scanner reports, "Matches lot ID: XYZ" for the given barcode, or "Similar to lot ID: XYZ" in the case of a near match differing only by upper/lower case discrepancies.

If no stock or transaction records match or nearly match, the scanner checks the scankey records themselves, which may exist and may contain lot ID references even if there are no physical items or transaction records referencing such lot ID. If the scanner finds any match or near match in the scankeys, it reports "Matches scankey lot ID: XYZ" or "Similar to scankey lot ID: XYZ".

Multiple matches

The scanner checks all record types listed above. For each type, it first checks for exact matches, then near matches. It only lists one match per record type, but if there are matches in multiple record types, it lists them all. For example, the barcode "M1" could be both a sublocation name and also a lot ID.