Does E-WMS support QR or other 2D bar codes?

Basically: yes - but it depends on the content of that barcode, since the content of such barcodes is not regulated.

Also, your hand terminal (hardware) must be able to recognize these bar codes - a specific type of scan head is required. 

Bar code types

Different types of bar codes can be used in a warehouse, for identification of stock (items), or of a warehouse location.

Commonly used bar code types are CODE39, CODE128 and EAN13 for bar codes containing single parts of information, like a warehouse location or item code.

Bar code standards like EAN128 (GS1-128) and HIBC allow for coding several parts of data combined in one bar code, which makes of course the scanning process much more efficient.

To understand what bar codes can be supported by E-WMS, it is imported to understand that these requirements are related to:

1. the hardware
2. the type of barcode used (the 'language'), such as CODE39, QR, EAN13
3. the content of a bar code (the 'message')
   

How a bar code is translated into text

A bar code is a kind of language, to make data readable for (mobile) computers with a scanning device. This can be a hand terminal running E-WMS, but you can also test a bar code in Mobile WordPad.

The scan head in a hand terminal translates the bar code into text, which is then given to the current application running on the hand terminal (like copy and pasting a text in Windows).

   
       
An application like E-WMS does NOT translate the bar code into text, that translation is done by the hardware.

Bar code rules

A bar code consists of two parts:

1. the "language" in which the information is printed (the bar code symbology), the rules on the stripes and spaces (CODE128, CODE39, QR/2D/Datamatrix)
   
   • This is of importance to the scan head of the scanning device. The hardware should support the bar codes to be scanned. For example, for scanning a 2D Datamatrix bar code a specific type of scan head is required.
     
   • This is not important to E-WMS, unless Code Identifier is enabled, which can be required when working with E-WMS and using multiple types of bar codes in a warehouse, including GS1/EAN128.
      
     
2. the "content" of the bar code, the message encoded in the bar code. This can be a standardized (GS1/EAN128, HIBC) combination of several data parts, or just a single data field (item code or serial number).
   
   • This is not important to the scan head (hardware), the scan head just passes the content to the application
     
   • This is of major importance for an application like E-WMS. The content given to E-WMS must be supported by the software.

      

Requirements

This means that following requirements apply for supported bar codes in a warehouse, when using E-WMS:

1. the hardware must be able to recognize and decode the bar code type. Check the specifications of the device for the bar codes used in the warehouse. Not every device supports QR/2D/Datamatrix bar codes, this requires a specific type of scan head.
    
   
2. When usage of E-WMS Code Identifier is required, because both GS1/EAN128 and other bar code types are used throughout the warehouse, then also E-WMS 'Code Identifier' recognition must support the specific bar code type.
   This document lists the bar code types supported when using E-WMS Code Identifier.
   
    
   
3. For E-WMS, the content of the bar code must be one of following:
   
             item related
   1. a GS1-128/EAN128 data string, E-WMS supports the most important GS1-128/EAN128 identifiers
   2. a HIBC data string, E-WMS supports the HIBC standard (E-WMS ASP only)
   3. an item code, known as Exact Globe Next item code or as E-WMS scan code  (*1)
   4. a batch number
   5. a serial number
   6. a combination of item code or scan code (*1) + a specific separator character + serial/batch number (WMS scanning combination)
      
      other
   7. a warehouse location code
   8. a SKU number (when using WMS SKU Management)
       

   The content must also meet the Exact Globe Next requirements. For example, a serial- or batch number has a maximum length of 20 characters
   
   Any custom combination of multiple data parts (other than above mentioned E-WMS support for EAN128, HIBC or E-WMS scanning combination) is not supported.
   

Conclusion

E-WMS support of QR or 2D/Datamatrix bar codes depends on:

• the scanning device: it must be able to read and translate the bar code. Scanning QR or other 2D barcodes requires a specific scan head
• E-WMS support may be limited when 'code identifier' has to be used (=when you are using multiple types of bar codes types in the warehouse or when using GS1-128 bar codes)
  
• the content of the bar code must meet the 'content' requirements mentioned above

Related documents

• Code 128/GS1-128 bar code FAQ & Tutorial  (external link, opens in a new window)
• Code Identifier
• EAN128/GS-1 application identifiers supported by E-WMS
• E-WMS Scanning Combination
• E-WMS System Requirements
• HIBC bar codes
• Maintenance of WMS scan codes
   
  
• E-WMS start page