Bar Code Scanner

[vuongle63]

I'm using the Square Stand with an Ipad. Please advise which scanners are compatible. 

[Valentina · Accepted solution]

You can head straight to this page to check for compatible barcode scanners, @vuongle63!

I went ahead and selected Square Stand for you, so you should only be seeing barcode scanners that are compatible with the Square Stand 🙌 Feel free to let us know here in the Seller Community if other questions come up after you peek there ✨

[nicole0014]

Once you select the barcode scanner, how do you get to the next step of printing the labels with the SKU on them so that your prices link up and everything works seamlessly.  I'm struggling immensely with this!

[Candlestore]

Nicole;

For my barcode labels, I use a regular PC with a Zebra label printer (420 D).  The software I downloaded for the printer to work had a label and barcode program in it.  Now are you have problems printing barcode labels to scan, or is the scanner not recognizing the labels to match an items SKU in Square?  If you are trying to use Square to print the actual barcode with SKU you need the paid version of Square for Retail I believe.

With my printer or any label printer you have, just hook it to a PC, type in or copy and paste the items SKU in the software for the label printer you have and choose a font of a barcode that your Barcode scanner reads.

Any other questions just ask.

[nicole0014]

I truly appreciate your reply!  

I'm not having the trouble yet - I'm still in the market trying to purchase the correct items so that they all work with each other.  I'm opening a dance store selling shoes, leotards, etc.  I'd like to buy the wireless barcode scanner and want to make sure the label printer I choose matches up.  So that when I scan items, my inventory is automatically updated.  Will that work with the Zebra printer you suggested?

Sidenote - I have a MACBook not a standard PC....

THANK YOU again for your support, this is way more difficult to figure out than I imagined.  I prefer to have the free version of Retail Square since I'm just starting up my biz and want to keep costs down....

[Candlestore]

Nicole;

Since you are just starting out to get the information you need to do this correctly the first time, let me ask you a few questions.

Which Square product are you using currently?  Square POS or Square for retail (free version)

What type of hardware are you using for your POS system? (Android, Apple tablet phone etc, Square Stand, Square Register......etc)

You previously said you have a Mac (Apple) computer is it on site of your business?

To figure out barcodes please read this information because there are a lot of barcodes with different rules.

Guide to Barcodes 

After reading that you can figure out what type of barcode you are using.  Keep in mind Square lets you use up to 40 characters for a barcode.   With 1D barcodes the more character you use the longer the barcode.  If you use Libreoffice Calc, Google Sheets or Excel type in 3 different cells 5, 10, 15 characters in a cell and choose the same barcode font for these and you will see they are different lengths.  So if you use a 1D barcode all your SKU's will have to be the same length so the barcodes are the same length to fit the label you choose.  I got around this by using a QR code as my 'Barcode' to start.  I have switched to an Aztec code.  This can hold more information than a QR code and is actually a little smaller in size.... which means a smaller price label.

So now you figured out the type of Barcode you would prefer, but does your scanner read that barcode? 

Figure out which Barcodes your current scanner reads and they may limit your choice also.  I found out using the screen side camera on my Square Stand using Square for Retail free... the camera will read barcodes and QR codes.... but does not read m Aztec code.  Think of a Barcode scanner as a multilingual interpreter.... first it needs to work with your hardware ( Android, Apple, Square Register....etc) and with Squares Software!  I bought a cheap wireless 2D scanner, worked great on my PC but not with my Square Stand.   So what the Scanner does is it reads the barcode sends that data to your Hardware then to Square.  So the scanner you buy Interprets for your hardware the barcode to input it to square.  The data in the barcode is just text the scanner reads to fill into Square the SKU to look up to find your price.  For a free online barcode generator you can go to Free Barcode Generator .  Just remember that Square only reads Lowercase letters and numbers, I tried the '&' sign in my barcodes and got "7" in my SKU when my scanner read it on Square, Ipad read it as & and my PC read it as &.... but Square read it as 7.

As for a label printer you could use a regular printer with Avery type labels but this will get expensive as your business grows with cost of ink and label sheets.  The other option is to buy a Direct Thermal Label printer.  The Zebra 420D I bought is a direct thermal printer which does not use ink but uses special labels that the text is basically burnt onto the labels.  These printers cost more, but use no ink.  There are multiple brands of direct thermal printers for labels.  Zebra, Dymo, Brother etc.  You can look on Amazon for your scanner and printer like I did and get used or refurbished ones at savings.  Now since you wanted to use the Square for Retail FREE version you would need these Direct Thermal printers to be compatible with your computer (PC or Mac), because Square for Retail Free will not directly print barcode labels.

Now you will be asking what I use.

I have Square for Retail Free

Square Stand with Ipad

Zebra DS6878 (2D Scanner)   this is USB to a cradle then wireless from scanner to cradle also Bluetooth capable .... have not tried Bluetooth yet.  NOT SQUARE APPROVED  in their approved list of Scanners but works for me and reads other 1D barcodes

and I have the Zebra GX420 D - Direct Thermal and GK420t - Thermal Transfer label printers.  The 420D prints onto white Direct Thermal labels and the 420T prints on to my labels with Aztec code.

Below are pictures of my hardware and printed labels that I use to track inventory in Square

The Aztec code from the 420D on the white label is roughly 3/8" in size and always works.

The Aztec code on the preprinted label from the 420T is roughly 1/4" in size and mostly works but scanner has to be at the correct angel and the correct distance (ie A Lot closer) because of how small it is and how many characters are in the 2D code.  My longest text for the Aztec code is 34 characters I believe, and at 1/4" square is a lot of data.  The fewer character 1/4" Aztec codes work the best.

Square Stand with Zebra DS6878GX420D for white labelLabel from 420D420T Thermal Transfer420T Label only prints Scent and Aztec code... the rest of label is preprinted

Hope all this helps!

[LavenderPatch]

I cannot seem to get the scanner to work for checkout… for example I am in square retail pos system, i scan an item that the customer wants, but it doesn’t bring the item up - what do i do? Thanks!!

[Candlestore]

@LavenderPatch ;

Which system are yo using to scan the Item, Square Stand, Android, Register etc?

Do you have the UPC or the GTIN field(s) filled in with the same barcode that your trying to scan?

Which Barcode Scanner are you using, is it compatible with Square?

Are your hardware and software up to date?

What error message are you getting?

When I scan a barcode that is not entered Square asks me if I want to add the item.  If you are not getting this question and there is no scan your scanner may not be compatible with Square or setup correctly.

But without knowing what hardware devices your using we can not help as effectively. 

[LavenderPatch]

Hello, when I scan the barcode I have to already be tapped into the GTIN section on my Square for retail — I use square for Retail app on iOS through my Apple iPad

[Candlestore]

@LavenderPatch ;

i use the Square Stand with a wired Barcode scanner, and when I am in the checkout tab (says Checkout at the bottom right to enter the Checkout area) I just scan one of my items that is already assigned a SKU code or GTIN code that is from the item I am scanning.  You can also go to ITEMS and do a search of the Barcode and see if it is already assigned.  From what you are saying you are in the Items area scanning a Barcode for a New Item not an Item that was already assigned the Barcode.

[LavenderPatch]

However, it doesn’t give me any of the product information like it used to with the same barcode scanner… Also if I click into the name section where it says scan an item if I do it from that screen sometimes the products will show up, sometimes they won’t,… But regardless even if I can get it into the system that way to have an item with a GTIN number, once I scan the item at checkout it does not show up no error message nothing

[Mexicandy]

Hello, 

We have been wondering if there are any handsfree barcode scanners that are compatible with the Square Stand? 
Trying to expedite our checkout process with our growing business. @Square 

[ashc]

Hi @Mexicandy and welcome to the Community.

I moved your post to a thread where this question has been answered already on which barcode scanners are compatible and provides a link.

Check out the Best Answer above for details. 

In the future, don't hesitate to search your question first here or on the Support Center for your quickest answer too!

[JENNIFERMILLER]

So I am understanding that the answer is no, there is not a handsfree scanner compatible?  

[Seamus]

@JENNIFERMILLER it might be worth checking with the manufacturers of each supported scanner - while I've not done a deep dive into the capabilities of every model we support, some handheld scanners have hands-free modes via docks/stands that the manufactures sell!

[Candlestore]

Not sure if you found a scanner that is working for you, but I have Zebra 2D scanners which can be set to continual scan.  Now I do not use this feature and have not tried it.  I just know in the instruction manual there is a way to change this from the trigger pull to continual.  So you may need to check out the instruction manuals for the accepted scanners.  You can do this by googling the approved scanners model and manual.  A lot of the scanners have PDF manuals online.  Since my scanners are wireless, I do not want the continual scan on draining the batteries.

Hope this helps you.

[virginiacheesec]

Were you able to find a hands free scanner that worked? I'm in the same boat.

[Candlestore]

@virginiacheesec ;

My scanners which are Zebra models can be set to continual scan, which would be hands free.  Never tried it though.  Most stand mountable scanners can be set to continual scan but you need to check each one through their documentation and online support.  Usually its you take the scanner scan programming barcodes for different functions or settings.