Bar-Code Labels Settings:
These values may need tweaking to make labels print correctly. Changing margin settings will cause the labels to print farther up or down on the sheet. Increasing settings for row space (to 1.03 and 1.04) will allow for larger spaces between labels and decreasing will have the opposite effect.

Top Margin: 0.5
Bottom Margin: 0.5
Left Margin: 0.11
Right Margin: 0.11
Row Space: 1.02

To make these settings, click on 'Bar-Code Labels' in the Inventory Work Area, then 'Print Selected Bar Codes from Inventory' (or any other option), then 'Print'. The margin settings screen will appear.

BCSS Bar Coding

Bar-code capability is available in the Diamond Edition only.

Scanners

BCSS is compatible with most scanners. BCSS has been tested with the tethered Unitech MS210 Bar Code Reader, the cordless Datalogic M100 Scanner and the portable Datalogic TopGun PT2000.

Connecting a scanner to the USB port is preferable to serial because the scanner usually only needs to be plugged into a USB port to work. Serial ports often require drivers and activation in CMOS setup.

Scanners are shipped (free via FedX ground within the continental U.S.) with all necessary cords, cables and manuals. Faster delivery and delivery outside the continental U.S. are available. Only actual additional shipping charges apply. Please contact customer support at support@bestconsignmentshopsoftware.com or 877-669-0854.

Unitech and Datalogic provide a 30-day replacement guarantee. Unitech's warranty is 3 years, Datalogic 5 years.

Scanner are usually connected to the PC using a keyboard wedge, but scanners can be connected with a USB connection instead. This will be required when using a wireless keyboard.

Bar-Code Type

The type of bar code to use for a particular situation depends upon: (1) the implementation; (2) the data to encode in the bar code and (3) how the bar code is to be printed. 'Symbologies' are different types of bar-code standards for different purposes. Each type of symbology (or bar-code type) is a standard that defines the printed symbol and how a device such as a bar code scanner reads and decodes the printed symbol.

BCSS defaults to UPC-A (11 characters) or UPC-E (for narrower bar code). UPC-A and UPC-E are used for items for sale in the USA and Canada.

Activating Inventory Items for Bar Coding

Setup

Generally scanners can be used 'out of the box'. Scanners are shipped with a manual which explains how to configure the scanners, but it does not explain what a particular setting might be for.

In BCSS under Inventory, Printer Reports, Bar-Code Labels, select 'Configure Bar-Code Appearance' and set the bar code height to 300. Select 'Apply Changes' to save the setting. Most printers fit Avery labels with a top margin of zero.

The Bar-Code-Appearance Window has a Symbology drop-down window. The default is UPC-A which is 11 characters. Choose UPC-E for a narrower bar code. (UPC-E uses 7 characters.)

Bar-code setup uses inches for margins.

How to Scan

Subscreens can be minimized if desired during a sale.

Read Bar Codes from Any Work Area

Read bar codes from any work area by clicking 'Begin Bar Code' on the Work Areas Tool Bar. A New-Sale Screen will open with the item scanned in place. Place the cursor in the Bar-Code Entry Box to read subsequent bar codes without interruption.

Read Bar Codes from the New-Sale Screen (Sales Work Area, New Sale)

On the New-Sale Screen, put the cursor in the Bar-Code-Entry Box.

If a bar code is read that does not exist in inventory, BCSS opens the new-inventory-item process. Choose the consignor who provided the item. After the new item is entered, read the bar code again to enter the item on the New-Sale Screen.

Manual Bar-Code Entry

If a bar code fails to scan properly, enter it manually from the keyboard. Use the numbers on the keyboard that are below the function keys to enter the code in the Bar-Code-Entry Box if a new sale document is open. Do not use the numeric keypad.

If a new sale document is not open, start typing using the same keyboard numbers to enter the unreadable bar code.

Press enter when you have finished entering the bar code.

Bar-Code Labels

Price, item number, item description and bar-code number are printed on the bar-code label.

To print stick-on labels, use 1" x 2-5/8" labels, 3 across and 10 down on a sheet - Avery #5160 (laser), #8460 (ink/bubble jet), #4144. Try setting the left margin to 350 and the top margin to 1.14. On the bar-code-label button choose to print inventory for 1 consignor. Set the top and bottom margins to 0.3 and the left and right margins to 0.1 Set Row width to 1.02.

To print perforated hang tags, use 1" x 4-7/32" labels on 8.5" x 11" sheets. Try a top margin setting of 800 as a starting point.

A dot-matrix ribbon must be kept fresh to print readable bar codes.

It is also possible to manually enter bar codes by editing the item individually or in batch.

Selecting Which Labels to Print

The bar-code function operates independently of the report-defining options on the inventory report page. Inventory filters do not apply to bar codes. Bar codes have their own configuration and filters which are accessed under Inventory, Printer Reports, Bar-Code Labels.

There are 7 options for filtering which bar codes to print:

• Manually Enter Bar Codes to Reprint
• Manually Enter Item ID to Reprint
• Print All Bar Codes in Inventory
• Print All Items for One Consignor
• Print Open Bar Codes
• Print Range of Items for One Consignor
• Select Bar Codes to Print from Inventory

Select the desired option. A pop-up screen appears. Choose desired options for margins, rows and columns. (There is an intermediary screen for options 1, 4-7.) For now, leave 'Print bar codes from this position' blank. Check 'Print Multiple Labels' to print enough labels for the quantity of an item in stock, e.g. print 10 of the same label for 10 of the same item.

Use a blank sheet of paper to print a sheet of labels. Align the printed test sheet with a sheet of labels and hold them up to light to see if adjustments are necessary in the margin settings to align print with labels. It may be necessary to return to the Bar-Code Options Screen, 'Configure Bar Code Appearance' and adjust the height of the bar code. Change bar-code height to 350, for example, reprint a test sheet and compare it to a sheet of labels again.

For a partial sheet of labels, used labels on the sheet may be skipped when printing. Set 'Print Labels From #' to match the next available label on the partially-used sheet of labels. For example, with a sheet having 3 labels across and 10 down, if the first three labels have been used, make this setting '4'. If the first 22 labels have been used, set it to '23'.

Below is a list of the settings with explanations. Note that a bar-code number is referred to as a 'message'. See 'Message' below for instructions for specifying a bar-code number for an inventory item (in the Inventory Work Area).

Test-Print Labels

Set margins, number of rows, etc. on the bar-code layout window and press the Test Print Button to print bar codes without closing inventory chooser or input windows.

Label Codes for Disposition of Unsold Inventory

Print 'secret codes' for unsold inventory on bar-code labels. In Program Setup, Inventory, enter any letter or letters in the fields for Donate, Return or Transfer to House Account. The 'codes' entered will appear at the top on bar-code labels.

Print or Reprint Labels for Select Items

On occasion it may be necessary to print or reprint labels for select items. To do so, select Inventory from the Work Areas Tool Bar, then Bar-Code Labels. Select 'Manually Enter Bar Codes to Reprint'. A window with a table for entering bar codes appears.

Enter one or several bar codes and click OK. The pop-up window disappears and processing proceeds as if the codes were actually read with the reader. The entered bar codes will print on Avery Label stock.

This screen is a one-time printing of bar codes. Nothing is saved from this screen.

Trouble Shooting

Bar coding doesn't work.
After inventory items are entered, bar codes must be assigned to those items. Select 'Assign Bar Code to Inventory' (under Inventory) after entering new inventory items.

There are times when BCSS is not ready to start reading bar codes. In this case double-clicking the Begin-Bar-Code button (Work Areas Tool Bar) will ready BCSS to read bar codes.

Bar codes print in mirror image.
Mirror-image bar codes are usually network related. If you can print locally, reinstall printer drivers. If that fails, troubleshoot the network.

Remove Duplicate Bar Codes

Click on Renumber Duplicate Bar Codes in the Inventory menu. Click OK to record the new bar codes and print new bar-code labels for the items listed. (The list can not be edited.)

Can BCSS recognize existing bar codes from a previous business?
Yes. Enter the existing bar code number while entering inventory.

Configurable Properties

Automatic Size
When set to true, the extent of the bar code display is automatically adjusted to its boundary height and boundary width

Background Color
If the Transparent option is not checked, the bar code will have this color for a background, otherwise the background color is ignored.

Bar Color
Sets the color for the bar code , the message, and the comments.

Border
Determines the border style of the bar code.

Bottom Comment
Enter text that is to appear beneath the bar code in this window. End lines with \r\n if you want multiple lines. This text is displayed with the bottom font.

Bottom Font
This font is used to display the bottom comment. It need not be a true type font for rotated displays.

Check Digit Enable
If this box is checked, a check digit is added to the far right of the message in each bar code.

Comment Align Style
Sets the alignment of the top and bottom comments. Possible selections are:center, left and right.

Height
Height of the bar code in mils. This value will be overridden if the one you choose is too large or small.

Message
For UPC-A, this is an 11 digit number. For UPC-E, it is 7 digits. The software will compute and add one
more as a check digit. There can be no spaces or punctuation of any kind in this number. To enter a message
for an inventory item, go to the inventory section of BCSS, choose an inventory item in the table and select
the edit button in the inventory tool bar. The bar code window is at the bottom left. Enter the 11 or 7 digit
number here. BCSS will not attempt to print bar codes with invalid messages.

Message Font
This font is used to display the message numbers. It need not be a true type font for rotated displays.

Narrow Width
The width of a narrow bar in mils. This value will be overridden if the one you choose is too large or small.

Orientation
The bar code can be printed rotated. The options for rotation are:

Note: If one of the fonts selected is not a true type font, choosing a rotation will cause the background color to be printed.

Quiet Zone
The width of the quiet zone in mils. This value will be overridden if the one you choose is too large or small.

Supplement
Specifying a supplement will cause a small extension to appear to the right of the bar code. The supplement can
contain letters and/or numbers. It can have 2 or 5 characters.

Symbology
Choose UPC-A or UPC-E.

Top Comment
Enter text that is to appear above the bar code in this window. End lines with \r\n if you want multiple lines. This text is displayed with the top font.

Top Font
This font is used to display the top comment. It need not be a true type font for rotated displays.

Transparent
If transparent is checked, the bar code will not print with a background; if it is not checked the bar code will print in a background of the color selected. Note: Transparent mode is unavailable if bar code is rotated and one of the fonts selected for message, top comment or bottom comment is not truetype.

Wide/Narrow Ratio
Specifies the ratio of the width of a wide bar to a narrow bar.