LEGACY USE ONLY - This article is only used for very old, Windows Mobile OS-based mobile scanning devices. This is not used with current Android-OS-based mobile devices and scanners.

Go here to see directions on configuring and installing the Android OS-based mobile scanning app.

Depending on what type of scanner hardware you are using, Android OS-based Phones, tables, and scanners or Windows Mobile OS-based devices, there are two basic communication methods, WiFi and USB.

Android OS-based devices will only use Wifi to sync and connect to your Finale Inventory Cloud account.

USB syncing is not supported on Android OS-based devices.

Windows Mobile OS based

There are two basic methods of connecting your Windows Mobile OS-based scanner and Finale Data Collector software to your Finale Inventory Cloud-based account.

1. WiFi - completely wireless, no PC or Mac required
2. USB - Windows PC support only, cable and docking station/cradle

WiFi Syncing and connectivity is the preferred method. It is easier and works with both Windows and Mac computing environments.  The mobile scanner connects directly to your WiFi access point and syncs directly with your Finale Inventory account. No PC or Mac is required to use or set up.

USB Syncing and connectivity is an alternate method and not recommended as a primary means of syncing and connecting to your Finale Inventory account. It is used if you do not have a WiFi network or as a backup in case your WiFi is down and you need to connect to Finale Inventory.

Where do you begin?

These steps are for mobile Scanners purchased from our hardware partner, Barcode-Arena with our Finale Data Collector preinstalled on your scanner.  If you did not buy your scanner from Barcode Arena, our Mobile scanner application will not be pre-installed on your device. If you are using a Windows Mobile OS-based device, you must follow the USB/Wired Syncing Start Here instructions below FIRST before you can use the scanner.  If you are using an Android OS-based device, you need to go to the Google Play store and search for Finale Inventory and download and install the application.  If you have an Android-based device that does not have the Google Play store you may download the latest version of our application from here:

Click here for Android OS App

 

• Take the scanner from the shipping box, install the external battery, and charge for 6 to 8 hours on the docking station.
  Plug the power adapter into the docking station
  • Install battery into the scanner
  • Place scanner into the docking station, middle orange light at top of scanner screen will blink orange, letting you know it is charging
  • DO NOT PLUG USB CABLE INTO DOCKING STATION OR THE PC
  • Proceed to next step when the scanner is fully charged
• Proceed to STEP 1 Below - Important setting changes.

Do not click on the Barcode scanning link on the home page to begin using your scanner.

This link is only used with USB wired syncing and is not where you start to set up your scanner.

STEP 1. Important Finale Data Collector Settings

Before using your Scanner the first time you must make a few setting changes for Finale Data Collector to work properly with your account.

After completing the following steps you will Choose from only one of two options: 1. Wifi syncing OR 2. USB sycing.  You will not do both.

Run Finale Data Collector.

 

OR

 

OR

  

• Go to the Settings Menu from the Main menu. Use the More button to advance to the Settings options.

   

• Make sure you set the value for Uppercase conversion: to a value of "No" if you are using any Product IDs or Sublocation names with lower case values. This will prevent the Scanner from Automatically converting any lower case values that you may scan in a barcode to uppercase before it does a lookup for that value.

   

• Make sure you set the value for Hide case button: to a value of "Yes" if you are not using the Case stock or do not plan on using case quantities or packing options for stock level storage.

Important Shipstation and Shipping Easy User Considerations

 If you Do not use Shipstation or ShippingEasy you may skip this step.

*** IMPORTANT *** Setting update: If you use Shipstation or Shipping Easy and you use the mobile barcode scanner

• to PICK and PACK the orders, you MUST make a setting change on this new WiFi Sync version of the software. Go to Settings from the Main Menu of Finale Data collector. Go to Setting # 47. Sync sale as: Shipped and Change it to Packed, and click done.

This sitting is used in coordination with the Shipstation Connection, Pull sales to finale, Action menu, Edit task configuration setting for how your stock levels are decremented when an order is shipped in Shipstation.  More information on this Shipstation Connection setting, look at B  Option 2: "Update stock levels using shipments packed in Finale"

Option 1: WiFi Syncing Start Here

If you are using WiFi syncing you will NOT do Option 2 below!

These steps are for Windows Mobile Scanners purchased from our hardware partner, Barcode-Arena

1. Connect the scanner to your WiFi network

 

Sync your Scanner over WiFi

After you have made the above setting changes and connected your scanner to your WiFi network, you are ready to Sync the scanner with Finale Inventory account.

You DO NOT USE THE Barcode scanning link on the Home page.

You DO NOT connect the scanner to your PC with a USB cable to Sync if using WiFi

Run Finale Data Collector and choose 1. Sync

• It will have a #1 Sync as the first option on the Main Menu. Enter your account name.

• Your account name is in between the slashes on your Finale Inventory Log in URL For example if your web browser URL for your account is https://app.finaleinventory.com/ACCOUNTNAME/ enter the account name in lower case with no spaces when the scanner asks you for your account name.
•  Enter your username and password you log into Finale Inventory with on the web.

  

 

IF you have problems typing your password, you should go to 14. Settings, and change setting #54 Show password typing to YES.

  

If you were successful in typing in your Accountname, Username, and Password you will see this screen, press the Sync button!

  

• Once you have successfully connected to WiFi with your account, the scanner will cache the account name and username for 24 hours. You will have to type your password in again if the scanner loses connection or power.

Important Notes and Use Cases

You will only have to dock the scanner to charge the scanner, or if your wifi does not work or you do not have a wifi connection available. NOTE: You do NOT use the 1. Sync to sync via the DOCK, you use the Barcode scanning link on the Home page, Connect to docked mobile scanning, Connection button in your browser. To use the DOCK to sync your scanner you must follow the USB/Wired Syncing instructions below. This is ONLY used as a backup method of Syncing.  You will not complete Option 2 below if you are using WiFi syncing.

You are done setting up your scanner! Go to BARCODE VIDEOS to learn about how to perform transactions on the scanner.

Option 2: USB/Wired Syncing Start Here

DO NOT USE THIS IF YOU ARE USING WIFI to Sync your scanner!

Finale Inventory REQUIRES you to use Google Chrome 64-bit as your browser if you will be syncing your mobile scanner using a wired USB Cable and dock.  At the present time, our mobile barcode solution requires a WINDOWS PC to use the wired USB dock and cable. IF you are using a Mac you must use WiFi syncing.

Finale Inventory offers a comprehensive out-of-the-box barcode solution to increase warehouse productivity and inventory count accuracy. The system is designed to be a turnkey solution and is installed without a team of expensive integration consultants. Getting the system set-up and running is quick and simple. Be sure to visit the Video Tour page for more How-To videos on using the barcode scanner solution – Scroll down to the Mobile Barcode Scanner Operation section. Here are the Barcode Scanner Hardware minimum set of requirements.

BEFORE CONNECTING SCANNER TO PC

VERY IMPORTANT - You must remove any cell phones that may be plugged into any of your PC's USB ports. These types of devices will prevent Finale Inventory from communicating with the mobile barcode scanner.

Make sure you make the following Windows Mobile OS scanner setting change BEFORE you connect the scanner to your PC via the USB Cable or USB Docking Cradle. IMPORTANT CONFIGURATION SETTING!

Installation Instructions -

ONLY FOR USB Syncing - NOT for WiFi Syncing

• Add the integration - From the Home Screen, Quick Links - Go to Add-ons & Integrations

• Go to the Barcode Scanning screen

• Click on Connect to Docked Mobile Scanner Button

• Add Google Chrome Extension

• Install the Finale Inventory Windows Application(MSI install package)

• After you download the .msi package you must click and run it to install it to your computer. Accept all the defaults.

• Plug scanner into PC – Windows loads drivers

Watch this video as a guide for completing the USB Dock sync installation and methods.

 

How-to Video

This video demonstrates the WIRED, non-WiFi connect version and method of using a mobile scanner.  This is only for environments that do not support WiFi at all or when WiFi is down and you need to sync your Finale Inventory cloud-based inventory with the mobile scanner via a USB cable and Windows PC. This will not work with a Mac.

 

Using Finale Data Collector

If you have successfully installed your mobile scanner and the Finale Data Collector software, and are wondering how to Receive a Purchase Order Shipment or Ship a Sales Order Shipment with the barcode scanner, make sure the following conditions are true in order to see the transactions on your scanner. For Purchase orders and Sales Orders to be synced to the scanner the following conditions must be true:

1.  The Status of the order must be "Committed"
2.  The PO must have a Destination Location or the SO must have a Origination Location selected.
3.  The Order must have at least one product id added to it with a positive order quantity(not zero).
4.  The Order must have not been shipped complete.  There must be items left to ship.  If the Order
    has all of it's items shipped, there is nothing left to pick.

For more expanded discussion on the Finale Data Collector software and how to use it, visit our Barcoding Documentation.

Learn about the Finale Data Collector Software Settings to customize how the scanner behaves