Bar Code Benefits

Bar Codes have received overwhelming acceptance because they offer the simplest and most accurate, cost-effective approach for identifying objects by using reading machines (scanners).

One of the primary advantages of bar codes over other technologies is its low susceptibility to errors in data input (see table below). Other advantages of bar coding are speed, timeliness and cost efficiency. Scanning a bar code is faster than manually recording information or keying data into a terminal. In addition, improved efficiency can be realized by substituting bar code systems in place of manual systems, resulting in increased productivity and reduced labor costs.

Bar code is an automatic identification technology. It allows real-time data to be collected accurately and rapidly. But bar code by itself does not solve problems. The combination of bar code with the appropriate computer hardware and application software creates the potential for improving performance, productivity, and, ultimately, profitability.

Accuracy

A well-trained data entry operator will make a data entry error once every 300 keystrokes. This leads to a waste of time and lost revenues. In a recent study by the University of Ohio, different bar code symbologies were tested to determine their accuracy, according with the following table. Even in the worst case, the use of bar code has a clear reduction of errors during the data collection.