In this tutorial, you will learn about how to read barcodes with our Barcode Reader API available at PDF.co
- What are Barcodes
- What is a Barcode Reader
- Barcode Benefits
- How to Read Barcodes with PDF.co and Zapier
What are Barcodes
First, let’s talk about barcodes. Barcodes are the symbols or a pattern in an image. They can be scanned using a camera or any other barcode reader online. Some barcodes like UPC and EAN have a unique number that is an identifier and it consists of 12 or 13 digits in length, these types are called 1D barcodes. There are other types like 2D barcodes and these consist of 2D symbols and shapes.
What is a Barcode Reader
A barcode reader is software, or a device used to scan the data encoded into the barcode image. Online barcode readers are available to read barcodes. There are many types of barcodes, among them there are 2D barcodes and 2D barcode readers are used to decoding them. Normally the barcodes are used in the products for attaching information. It can be related to the products like dimensions, company details, and price, etc.
Barcode Benefits
In the early days of technology advancements in retail stores items were bought and sell manually and the cashier had to enter the product data manually into the register. Nowadays, with the advancements in technology retail stores are evolved. They are using an automated system for generating bills and keeping inventory on track, and this can only be done by the use of barcodes.
Barcodes are used to remove the possibility of human error, while the data entered manually have a chance that the data may not maintain its integrity. These are most widely used because they can be very easily read using a barcode reader online. These can be easily used to manage inventories for businesses where it saves a lot of human resources, training time and can be effectively implemented. It also helps in reducing the cost of manual data entry of the packages for which barcodes are printed. These are very simple to use and can be implemented on mobile devices and computers easily.
How to Read Barcodes with PDF.co and Zapier
This is a very simple tutorial that helps you to read barcodes automatically using PDF.co and Zapier directly in your Google Drive folder.
In order to start, you will have to create a free account with PDF.co and Zapier (if you don’t have one). With these accounts ready and functioning, you can start making a Zap (top-right corner button in Zapier dashboard).
Step 1
Once you started making a Zap, please Choose App & Event from the list options:
Step 2
The Trigger Event would be “New File in Folder” as shown below:
Step 3
Connect your Google account that you want to use to store files, to your Zapier account:
Step 4
Select the Google Drive you will be using, and click Continue:
Step 5
Find the Google Drive folder ID as a part of the URL in the browser. Copy it and paste it as a Custom Value for Folder ID. Check how it is shown on the screenshots below:
Step 6
Now, when everything is ready, please press TEST & CONTINUE.
Once your activity runs successfully, let’s proceed to another Zap. That’s where we program the actual barcode reading of the files you add to Google Drive.
Step 7
Choose PDF.co as the app in the list of Your Apps. Choose Barcode Reader as Action Event.
See how it is done on the screenshot below:
Step 8
Now it’s time to link your PDF.co account. You can use Your API Key for that. You get a specific API key once you create an account with PDF.co.
Step 9
Here’s you will set the URL as Web Content Link.
In the Barcode Type field, type the type of your barcode. After that, press CONTINUE.
NOTE: PDF.co engine will get data from your Google Driver folder directly. That’s why the folder should be publicly accessible.
Check the screenshot below if you have any doubts:
Step 12
Give your Zap a name and turn it on!
We have completed the steps and we have read the barcode successfully. The BarCode Reader API is available to use, but you need to sign up for free to use it. Barcode reader from images is the most widely used of barcodes used in mobile apps nowadays. However, this barcode reader tool provides higher accuracy and automation.
