The Mac-Barcode Co. Bar Code Applications

[Bar Code Applications for the Small Business]

Bar Code Technology, the first of this two-part bar code discussion, presented a step-by-step guide to obtaining, assigning, printing, and scanning the U.P.C. symbology for consumer units. The U.P.C. number is an example of primary identification which is usually applied by the manufacturer and scanned by the retailer at the point-of-sale.

In this second section we will discuss some bar code applications that are becoming popular in small businesses such as manufacturing companies, small retail shops, medical, dental, and law offices, and regular business offices. We will also look at applications for retail that are other than point-of-sale.

At the recent Boston MacWorld Expo, sponsored by MacWorld Magazine, a whole series of seminars was given on Small Office/Home Office applications. Use of low cost computer systems has expanded in almost every business environment, taking on many non-traditional roles.

An interesting observation is that in many of these systems the host of choice is the Macintosh compared with the dominant role played by the IBM-type PC in large enterprise host architecture. Three reasons contribute to the stronger support of Mac: First, many offices are already using Macintosh for applications such as graphic design and desktop publishing. Second, even with availability of Windows for the PC, Macintosh still has a reputation for being easy to use by non-technical people. Third, powerful databases, software development tools, and application software for the Mac have become readily available.

This articles is divided into four sections, each outlining the bar code systems popular for specific situations. There is a common bond among all the applications however: they are used for tracking. Files, people, equipment, time, product, raw materials, etc., all can be tracked if they are bar coded. Following is a list of the minimum functions which must be included when designing a workable tracking system:

All scans are appended with a date and time stamp.
The employee's ID is scanned with every transaction.
Nearly 100% of all items have bar coded identification.
Items are scanned each time they are physically moved.
Scanners are located in convenient and strategic locations.
An audit trail of all transactions is available on demand.
Verification and validation of data for such things as message length and format is automatic.
All data entry can be done via a scanner or a keypad.

The ability to customize data collection and reporting routines.
Limited access to certain files or databases as well as limited read and/or write access to files on the disks.
User prompts and error messages displayed at the Data Entry Terminals (DETs)

All these capabilities can be obtained with inexpensive components. The following sections will outline the functionality of each system, the design, and an estimate of the cost to implement.

Manufacturing
This application will serve many purposes and begins with the assignment, to each carton of product shipped, a product identification number concatenated with a unique serial number. For the manufacturer, a serial number will help track product that may need to be recalled or returned. The serial number is an example of secondary bar code identification. That same serial number can be used by the customer for a receipt-of-shipment log, inventory tracking, and stock rotation. These labels can be printed on-demand or in batch mode, and applied to a shipping container in the packing stage of the manufacturing process. They can be scanned when placed in a finished goods warehouse, scanned again when they are relocated or picked, and scanned once more when they are loaded on a truck.

Other applications which are gaining in popularity include time and attendance (T&A) and asset tracking. These systems can stand alone, making installation and integration "quick and easy." A low-end Macintosh or PC can serve as a host, with a smart light pen or scanner "wedged" to the keyboard for scanning "in" or "out" of personnel or items . With a generic database such as FileMaker Pro, FoxPro, or 4th Dimension at the heart, these systems can be assembled for under $3,000. I.D. cards for time-and-attendance tracking can be ordered from an off-site vendor specializing in super-durable, tamper- and abrasion - resistant labels and cards. Not only can the employee scan his card at the beginning and end of each shift, but also when his job number changes, or when he changes departments. Bar coded menu cards can be placed next to the scanners for recording these transaction.

Small Retail
Retail applications include point-of-sale (POS) scanning, inventory control, and time and attendance. POS scanning was covered, in Part One. The time and attendance application can be designed as described for the manufacturing environment. Most small businesses would not need to purchase an additional computer to serve as the host of this system, however, there being a minimum number of transactions per day, the store computer could easily handle the task.

The other popular bar code application in retail is inventory control. Automatic inventory can be kept up to date with a good POS system, but at times a complete physical inventory must be performed for adjustment. In other instances, a POS price look-up system is not installed, however, with a DET installed next to the register, the clerk can scan an item as it is sold or returned. This transaction would automatically update the inventory database. A portable data entry terminal can be used for scanning the store shelves and back storage room, with the information up-loaded to the database residing on the host computer.

Offices
One of the major headaches managing an office of three or more professionals is keeping track of files and other material withdrawn from a company's central filing room or library. One method of eliminating file searches is to treat file rooms as "libraries" where each file or item is bar coded and must be scanned before it is removed. Employees are given a bar coded I.D. badge, or a menu card with a bar coded identification number for each employee can be kept at the scanning station. Whenever a file or item is removed or replaced, the employee scans the two bar codes linking a file number with the person who removed the file. The date and time of each transaction should be recorded as a database record. When files have been in use a long time, a report will be generated to list overdue files and their current holders.

Tracking of physical assets including desks, computers, and other office furnishings is a traditional office application for bar code technology. The ability to track assets from the time of acquisition until retirement is crucial for high productivity and accurate financial reporting. Other advantages include:

Transportable assets can be checked and tracked when borrowed.
Asset reassignment by location or department is simplified.
On-site verification by building, office, or individual can be performed quickly on an annual or cyclical basis.
Standard reports covering valuation, aging, depreciation, location, contract assignment, discrepancies, and detailed inventory of all items in the system can be generated in a network/server environment.

Medical and Dental Offices
Patient records and X-rays are handled in the same way as the office files described above. There are, however, several other areas in a medical or dental office that would benefit from the use of bar code.

Few people realize the amount and variety of inventory that must be maintained to effectively operate a medical or dental office. Since many items are disposable, keeping track of inventory levels as well as capturing the billing information for patient accounting is automatic with bar code systems. The limited amount of storage space available in most offices only adds to the benefit is bar code control. The concept of Just-in-Time (JIT) delivery of supplies is as applicable in this environment as in manufacturing or a retail store.

A typical medical office consists of a central supply closet (CSR), several examination rooms, a special procedures room and the actual office/reception area. The CSR contains both chargeable and non-chargeable items and spare fixed assets. The success of this system is based on the installation of an inexpensive data entry terminal (DET) in each examination room and laboratory, a portable data entry terminal (PDT) and a wired DET in the CSR, and a host computer with scanner attached in the office area.

Label printing occurs in two locations. Inventory labels can be printed on the office laser printer or on an inexpensive thermal printer. Another printer with the ability to laminate the labels is installed in the office area. These labels which contain a unique patient identification are applied to patient charts. Similar labels with an identifying prefix are applied to the fixed assets. If assets are subjected to harsh environmental conditions, such as an autoclave, special labels, following the same labeling scheme, can be ordered from an off-site printer.

It may be helpful to review a typical day in such an office. Before patients start arriving, deliveries are received, labels are generated for each item, then applied and scanned into the inventory database. Non-chargeable items are assigned identification numbers with a unique prefix . These labels can be printed on-demand, or a library of labels for all inventory SKUs can be printed ahead of time in batch mode. The next task is re-stocking the various rooms in the office. Each time a non-chargeable item is removed from the CSR it is scanned, denoting it as "consumed."

When patients are treated, any chargeable items used in the examination rooms or laboratory are scanned with the patient identification bar code. Thus the item is not only consumed, but the correct patient is billed for its use. In addition, laboratory samples are labeled with a bar code which identifies the patient . These patient identification labels can be printed in the laboratory itself or as each patient arrives for their appointment. To take the basic laboratory sample identification one step further, the sample is scanned, and the test being performed is scanned from a bar coded menu card located in the laboratory. In this way the patient is correctly billed for all lab work done.

At the end of each day, a summary report is printed for the patients who where examined. A report is also generated listing all items, both chargeable and non-chargeable, that have fallen below preset minimum inventory levels. The office manager then re-orders the necessary stock, either manually or electronically .

Conclusion
Bar code is assisting all types of small business with good reason: it saves time and it saves money. The applications discussed are both successful and popular with small businesses. If the bar code design is kept simple, and the system architect selects off-the-shelf software and hardware components whenever possible, implementation can be straightforward. Attention to the bar code label content and quality should always be the primary focus, however, as any bar code system will only work as well as the poorest quality bar code will permit!

Copyright © 1994 Data Capture Institute Inc.