How to Set up a Barcode Scanner for an Efficient Checkout

small business employee scanning with barcode - how to set up a barcode scanner

Barcode scanners are an often overlooked element of the checkout process.

More times than not, as a consumer, you walk into a business and hand your packages to a cashier. Then they’ll scan your items using a barcode scanner and complete the checkout process. While this seems just like a simple way to ring up sales, there are a variety of benefits to scanning items, and barcode scanners are a crucial part of it.

When running sales, scanning is not only an easy and accurate way to speed up the checkout process, it also assists with keeping your stock quantities accurate by preventing the wrong item from being selected and rung up during sales.

Luckily, learning how to set up a barcode scanner isn’t a daunting process. If you’re ready to leverage this powerful tool, ShopKeep makes it easy to set up and use. This article shows you how!

How to Set Up Your Barcode Scanner and Barcodes

Using ShopKeep, setting up barcode scanners can be done in two easy steps. The first step is learning how to set up the barcode scanner hardware to connect with ShopKeep over Bluetooth. The second is entering UPCs or printing labels from SKUs for items in BackOffice.

Let’s start with learning how to set up the barcode scanner hardware. There are several choices for barcode scanners available in the ShopKeep store. Scanner options differ based on how they will be used and the types of barcodes being scanned.

price tag - how to set up a barcode scanner

You’ll want to choose the barcode scanner that works best for your business needs. The 1D model is great for scanning barcodes and even comes with a lanyard to keep your hands free as you work. There are also several 2D models that can scan barcodes as well as QR codes, plus a durable model for more rugged work conditions.

After following the setup instructions for the barcode scanner, power it on. Before you can begin scanning items in ShopKeep, however, the scanner needs to be paired with your iPad via Bluetooth. Turn Bluetooth on from the settings app on your iPad, find the scanner, and pair it with the iPad. The scanner is now ready to scan barcodes in ShopKeep.

One other feature you may need to turn on is the vibration feature where the scanner will vibrate when an item has been successfully scanned. This prevents items from being missed during a sale. The included instruction manual has a scannable barcode for this feature and other useful features that might work with your business.

UPCs and SKUs

Next, let’s prepare the barcodes for the items to be scanned at the register. Input UPC or SKU information for each item in your BackOffice. Depending on your business, you might have items in your inventory that arrive with UPC labels already attached. For these items, add or select the item from your Items List and enter the UPC in the UPC field. Then, save it. For items you sell that do not have tags with UPCs, use the SKU number. An SKU number is automatically generated for each item created in BackOffice. Click the Label Printing tab to use ShopKeep Label Printing to create labels for basic items.

Start Scanning!

Now that you have set up your barcodes and barcode scanner, you’re ready to start scanning at your register. Tap “Get Updates” on your register to sync the changes made in BackOffice. Grab an item. Hold the barcode up to the scanner, and press the scan button on the scanner to scan. That’s it! You’ll be a scanning pro in no time.

Scanning items at the register simplifies your checkout process, eliminating the need for you to look up items via the search field. This will also prevent an incorrect item from being added to a sale, which means that your stock quantities and reporting will be more accurate too.

Now that you’ve learned how to set up a barcode scanner, along with its many benefits, we recommend taking a few moments to put the above plan into action. Your employees will be happy with the fluid and speedy process, while you can take advantage of accurate reporting while keeping your customers happy with a simplified checkout experience.