Use the following tips and techniques to improve barcode indexing:
For the most consistent barcode recognition, pay particular attention to the quality of the barcode printing. Always use a laser printer and good quality paper. Follow recommended printer maintenance; check and replace toner regularly.
Barcodes are readable horizontally or vertically, but not upside down, and can be placed almost anywhere on your forms. Page numbers or multiple barcodes, such as a second barcode for a description, are acceptable.
When designing forms for barcodes, tell your graphic designer to plan ahead. Keep barcode areas away from edges or perforations that can tear into barcodes. Leave lots of white space around bar codes. Keep barcode areas well away from signature sections on your business forms. A signature extending onto a barcode can render the barcode useless. Barcode formats 39 or 128 are often best.
Barcodes are not just for sales orders. You can create barcodes to use with other types of Eclipse records. For example, you can attach product data sheets to product records; start these barcodes with the PN# prefix to index with products. Standardize on using the following Eclipse barcode prefixes: PN# for product, CN# for entity, EL# for activity log, and USR# for user file.
White paper of good quality works best, as black barcodes stand out best against white. If you must scan colored paper, yellow paper may be better than pink or green papers. When scanning pink or other colors that result in nearly black scans, try photocopying the color documents, then scan the copies.
If you experience problems with your barcodes not being read, try scanning your documents a bit lighter. Scans that are too dark cause the barcode lines to fill in, making recognition difficult.
Note: Print to a barcode printer from an open record by pressing Shift-F12, and selecting Print Barcodes. Select a barcode to print, press Esc.
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