Barcode

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Overview

Knowlix Barcode connects physical scanning devices to warehouse operations, letting teams process receipts, deliveries, internal transfers, and inventory counts by scanning rather than typing. Assign barcodes to products, locations, and packaging, then use a compatible scanner or the Knowlix mobile app to validate transactions from the warehouse floor in real time. Key features:

• Product and location barcode assignment with bulk configuration
• Barcode Lookup integration for automatic product creation from standard retail barcodes
• Support for EAN-13, UPC-A, GS1, and custom barcode formats
• Inventory counts with scanner-based adjustments
• Receipt and delivery processing via barcode scanning
• Lot and serial number scanning with mandatory or optional enforcement
• RFID support using Zebra RFD40 scanners
• Batch, wave, and cluster transfer processing
• Operation type barcodes for triggering warehouse actions without touching a screen

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Setup

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Enabling Barcode Scanning

Navigate to Inventory > Configuration > Settings and scroll to the Barcode section. Tick the Barcode Scanner checkbox and click Save. After saving, a Barcode Nomenclature dropdown appears. Choose between:

• Default Nomenclature - uses EAN and UPC encoding
• Default GS1 Nomenclature - uses GS1 application identifier encoding for supply chain workflows

Once enabled, access the Barcode module from the main menu. The first time you open it, a welcome screen offers links to print demo barcodes and command sheets for testing.

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Scanner Types

Three hardware categories work with Knowlix Barcode:

• USB scanners - plug into a computer at a fixed workstation; suitable for checkout points and receiving desks
• Bluetooth scanners - pair with a phone or tablet, enabling mobile scanning throughout the warehouse
• Mobile computer scanners - standalone Android or Windows devices with built-in scanners; Android devices with Chrome or Windows devices with Edge are supported

For USB scanners, confirm that the scanner’s keyboard layout matches the computer’s operating system layout. For mobile computers, test compatibility before deploying at scale.

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Keyboard Layout and Carriage Return

USB barcode scanners must be configured to output characters matching the computer’s keyboard layout. For example, if the workstation uses a Belgian keyboard, the scanner should be set to output Belgian keystrokes. Knowlix has a 100-millisecond delay between scans to prevent duplicate reads. Configure the scanner to append a carriage return (the equivalent of pressing Enter) after each scan. This signals the end of the barcode input and allows the next scan to proceed. For Zebra scanners, the carriage return is typically enabled by scanning a specific code in the user manual labeled “CR suffix ON” or “Apply Enter for suffix.”

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Device Configuration

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Zebra TC21 / TC26

The Zebra TC21 and TC26 are recommended Android scanners for warehouse use.

1. On the Zebra home screen, open the DataWedge app
2. Select your profile on the DataWedge Profiles page (create a new personal profile rather than using DWDemo; add the Knowlix Mobile app and Google Chrome to the profile’s Associated Apps)
3. Scroll to Keyboard Output and ensure Enable/disable keystroke output is set to Enabled
4. Go back to the profile, open Keystroke output, then Key event options
5. Under Characters, check the Send Characters as Events option

Without “Send Characters as Events” enabled, Knowlix cannot interpret scanned barcodes. Perform a test scan after configuration.

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MUNBYN Android Devices

1. From the home screen, tap AppSettings
2. In the Process mode section, select Keyboard input

If the scanner beeps on a scan but no data appears in Knowlix:

1. Open the Scanner App on the device
2. Go to Settings > Output Mode
3. Select Keyboard Mode and tap OK
4. Tap the input field in Knowlix before scanning again

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Datalogic Android Devices

1. Go to Settings > System > Scanner Settings
2. Select Wedge
3. Under Keyboard wedge, enable Enable keyboard wedge
4. Find Keyboard wedge input mode and change it from Text injection to Key pressure

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Honeywell Mobile Computers

1. From the home screen, open the gear icon for Settings
2. Go to Honeywell Settings > Scanning > Internal Scanner > Default Profile
3. Select Data Processing Settings
4. Change Wedge Method from Standard to Keyboard

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Cipherlab Mobile Computers

1. Open the ReaderConfig app from the App Drawer
2. Select or create a profile
3. Go to General Settings > Data Output > Keyboard Emulation
4. Change Input Method from Default Mode to KeyEvent

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NETUM Screenless Scanners

By default, NETUM scanners are configured for French keyboard output. To use a Belgian keyboard layout, scan the Belgian keyboard configuration code from the NETUM user manual.

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Product and Location Barcodes

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Setting Product Barcodes

Barcodes can be assigned to products in three ways: From the product form: Navigate to Inventory > Products > Products, open a product, and enter the barcode in the Barcode field on the General Information tab. Use a connected scanner or type the value manually. When working with product variants, assign barcodes to individual variants rather than the product template to ensure scanning retrieves the correct variant. From Inventory Settings: Navigate to Inventory > Configuration > Settings, scroll to Barcode, and click Configure Product Barcodes. This opens a list view of all products where barcodes can be entered in bulk. Use the filter to find products with no barcode set. From the Barcode app: Scan a product barcode during a receipt operation. If the product is not in the system, a prompt appears to create a new product using the Barcode Lookup database.

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Barcode Lookup

Barcode Lookup automatically creates product records from standard retail barcodes (UPC, EAN, ISBN) by fetching product name, description, images, category, weight, and attributes from an online database. For cloud-hosted Knowlix systems, Barcode Lookup works without additional configuration. For self-hosted deployments:

1. Visit the Barcode Lookup website and sign up for an API key
2. Choose a plan based on expected scan volume
3. Copy the API key
4. In Knowlix, go to Settings > Integrations > Barcode Database and paste the key

To use Barcode Lookup, open a receipt in the Barcode app and scan a product that does not yet exist in the system. When the “product does not exist” message appears, tap Create New Product. The system fetches data from Barcode Lookup and creates the product automatically.

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Location Barcodes

Barcodes are automatically assigned to warehouse locations when the Storage Locations feature is enabled at Inventory > Configuration > Settings. To print location barcodes, navigate to Inventory > Configuration > Settings, scroll to the Warehouse section, and click Locations. Tick the locations to print and click Print to download a PDF of barcode labels.

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Operation Types and Commands

Operation type barcodes allow warehouse staff to trigger specific inventory workflows by scanning a printed barcode rather than navigating through menus.

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Available Operation Barcodes

Important: Scanning the WHIN barcode always creates a brand new receipt. To process an existing scheduled receipt, print and scan the picking barcode for that specific receipt instead.

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Available Command Barcodes

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Printing Operation and Command Barcodes

On first opening Barcode: The welcome screen includes a link to print all operation and command barcodes. Click it to download the PDF. From Inventory Settings: Navigate to Inventory > Configuration > Settings, scroll to the Barcode section, and click Print barcode commands and operation types. Individual operation barcodes: Go to Inventory > Configuration > Operation Types, select one or more operation types using the checkboxes, and click Print > Operation type (PDF) or Operation type (ZPL) for ZPL-compatible printers. From the Barcode app: Open an operation, then scan the PRINT PICKING OPERATION barcode or tap the gear icon and select Print Picking Operation.

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Inventory Counts with Barcodes

Barcode-based inventory counting lets warehouse teams walk storage locations and scan products rather than entering adjustments manually.

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Assigning Count Tasks

Managers can pre-assign count tasks to employees. Navigate to Inventory > Operations > Physical Inventory, select products and locations to count, and assign a user to each line. When employees open the Barcode app, a count badge on the Inventory Count button shows how many products are waiting to be counted.

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Performing a Count

1. Open the Barcode app and tap Inventory Count
2. Walk to the designated storage area and scan the location barcode
3. Scan each product barcode in that location to register it
4. Tap the edit icon to manually adjust quantities if needed; the keypad also provides +1 and -1 buttons for fine adjustments
5. After covering all products, tap Apply (or scan the VALIDATE command barcode) to submit the count

If Storage Locations is not enabled, skip the location scan and go directly to scanning products.

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Count Entire Locations

To have the system assign all products within a location to a count when the location barcode is scanned, enable Count Entire Locations at Inventory > Configuration > Settings under the Barcode section. This requires the Storage Locations feature to be active.

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Hiding Expected Quantities

By default, the current system quantity is shown during a count, which can cause employees to match the displayed number instead of counting independently. To hide this figure, navigate to Inventory > Configuration > Settings and clear the Show Quantity to Count checkbox.

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Adding Products Manually During a Count

When a product barcode is not scannable, tap Add Product at the bottom of the Inventory Count screen. On the next screen, select the product, enter the quantity using the keypad, and confirm the storage location. Tap Confirm to add it to the count.

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Processing Receipts with Barcodes

1. Create a purchase order in Knowlix and confirm it. This generates a warehouse receipt.
2. Open the Barcode app and tap Operations, then Receipts
3. Select the receipt to process from the list
4. Scan the product barcode or tap the product line and use the pencil icon to enter quantities
5. Use the +1/-1 buttons or the number pad to adjust quantities
6. Tap the location line to change the destination storage location if needed
7. Tap Confirm on the product line, then Validate to complete the receipt

To process a receipt by scanning its operation barcode directly, print the picking operation for the specific receipt and scan it to jump directly to that transfer.

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Processing Deliveries with Barcodes

1. Create a sales order and confirm it. This generates a delivery order.
2. Open the Barcode app and tap Operations, then Delivery Orders
3. Select the delivery to process
4. Scan the product barcode or tap the product line to edit quantities
5. Change the source location if the product is stored at a non-default location
6. Tap Confirm, then Validate

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Internal Transfers with Barcodes

Internal transfers require Storage Locations and Multi-Step Routes to be enabled.

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Creating an Internal Transfer

Navigate to Inventory, find the Internal Transfers card, and click To Process > Create. On the transfer form, set the source and destination locations. Add products under the Products tab. After saving, click the Detailed Operations icon on the product line to specify the exact destination location and done quantity. Click Confirm to save.

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Processing from Barcode

1. Open the Barcode app and scan the WHINT barcode, or navigate via Operations > Internal Transfers
2. Scan the source location barcode
3. Scan the product barcode to register it
4. Scan the destination location barcode or use the edit icon to specify where the product is going
5. Validate when all lines are complete

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Batch Transfer Processing

Batch, wave, and cluster transfers are created in Inventory and can be processed in the Barcode app.

1. Open Barcode and tap Operations, then select the operation type where batch transfers are grouped
2. Find the batch card and tap the BATCH smart button
3. On the batch screen, products are grouped by storage location and color-coded by picking order
4. Scan the source location barcode for the first group
5. Scan each product barcode; scan the package barcode if a specific package was assigned
6. Use the edit icon to adjust quantities for multiple units
7. Continue scanning until all lines are complete, then tap Validate

Products from the same picking order share a color on the left side of the screen. Completed lines turn green.

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Lot and Serial Number Scanning

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Configuration

Lot and serial number tracking must be enabled at Inventory > Configuration > Settings under Traceability. Tracking must also be enabled per product on the product form’s Inventory tab.

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Mandatory vs. Optional Scanning

Operation types can require barcode scanning for lot and serial numbers. Configure this at Inventory > Configuration > Operation Types, open the operation type, click the Barcode App tab, and set Lot/Serial to Mandatory Scan or Optional Scan. Mandatory scan means employees must use a scanner; they cannot type the number. Optional scan allows manual entry as a fallback. Set lot/serial scanning to Optional for incoming shipments where vendor barcodes may be damaged or unreadable, to avoid blocking validation.

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GS1-Compatible Lot Barcodes

To print GS1-format barcodes for lots and serial numbers, enable Print GS1 Barcodes for Lots & Serial Numbers at Inventory > Configuration > Settings under Traceability. GS1 lot barcodes require a 2D-capable scanner.

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Printing Lot and Serial Number Barcodes

Navigate to Inventory > Products > Lots / Serial Numbers, tick the relevant records, click Print, and choose PDF or ZPL format.

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Handling Products Without Lot Numbers

When receiving products that arrive without pre-assigned lot numbers, three options are available:

• Type manually: After scanning the product in the Barcode app, tap the pencil icon and enter the lot or serial number in the field
• Generate ahead of time: Before receipt, open the expected receipt in Inventory, go to the Operations tab, click the list icon on the product line, and click Generate Serials/Lots
• Disable for the operation: Go to Inventory > Configuration > Operation Types, open the operation type, scroll to the Lots/Serial Numbers section, and untick both Create New and Use Existing ones to allow receipt without assigning numbers

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Barcode Nomenclature

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Default Nomenclature

Default nomenclature uses EAN-13 and UPC-A encoding. Enable it at Inventory > Configuration > Settings under Barcode Nomenclature. Knowlix automatically converts between EAN-13 and UPC-A barcodes when matching rules. Default rules: The .* pattern matches any sequence of characters, making it the catch-all for standard product barcodes.

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Custom Nomenclature Rules

To add custom rules, navigate to Inventory > Configuration > Barcode Nomenclatures and select Default Nomenclature. Click Add a Line to open the rule creation dialog. Configure:

• Rule Name - internal label for this rule
• Sequence - lower numbers have higher priority
• Type - what the barcode represents (Package, Lot, Location, Coupon, etc.)
• Encoding - EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, or GS1-28
• Barcode Pattern - regular expression describing the barcode structure. N represents whole number digits, D represents decimal digits. For example, 1... matches any 4-digit number starting with 1.

Click Save and New to add another rule immediately, or Save and Close to return to the nomenclature table.

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Example: Weighted Product Barcodes

Barcodes starting with 21 followed by five product digits and five weight digits allow a point of sale or warehouse to automatically calculate price from weight:

• Pattern: (21)....{NNDDD}
• A barcode of 2112345015002 decodes as: product prefix 21, product identifier 12345, weight 01.500 kg, check digit 2

Set the product barcode to 2112345000008 (using zeroes for the weight portion) on the product form with the Unit of Measure set to kg. When the item is weighed and the printer generates 2112345015002 for a 1.5 kg item, Knowlix matches it to the correct product and quantity.

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GS1 Barcode Nomenclature

GS1 barcodes pack multiple pieces of information into a single barcode using a standardized structure recognized throughout global supply chains. Each field begins with a 2-4 digit Application Identifier (A.I.) that tells the scanner what type of data follows.

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Enabling GS1

Navigate to Inventory > Configuration > Settings, enable Barcode Scanner, and set Barcode Nomenclature to Default GS1 Nomenclature. To view and edit GS1 rules, click the arrow icon next to the nomenclature field.

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Core GS1 Rules

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Building GS1 Barcodes

Combine A.I. codes and data fields sequentially in a single barcode. For flexible-length fields that are not at the end of the barcode, use the FNC1 separator (\x1D) to mark the end of that field. Example: Product with lot number and quantity Example: Product with quantity in kilograms Scan these barcodes during a receipt operation to auto-fill the product, quantity, and lot fields simultaneously.

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GS1 Troubleshooting

If a GS1 barcode is not being read correctly:

1. Confirm the barcode nomenclature is set to Default GS1 Nomenclature
2. Verify that the feature corresponding to each A.I. is enabled (for lot numbers, ensure Lots and Serial Numbers is enabled in Traceability settings)
3. Remove any parentheses or brackets from the actual barcode value - these are used only in documentation examples
4. When a barcode with multiple encoded fields fails, test each component separately: scan the GTIN alone first, then add the lot, then the full barcode
5. If an unknown A.I. is included, add a custom rule for it in the GS1 nomenclature list

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RFID

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) uses radio waves to read tags attached to products, enabling hands-free inventory tracking without direct line-of-sight scanning.

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Hardware Requirements

• Zebra TCX Series mobile computer or an Android smartphone
• Zebra RFD40 RFID reader (paired with the mobile device)

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Setup

1. Enable the ability to install applications from unknown sources on the mobile device
2. Download the Knowlix mobile APK with RFID support from the system’s Downloads page (select “Download APK with Zebra RFID support”)
3. Transfer the APK to the device via USB or Bluetooth, or download directly on the device
4. Install the APK
5. Pair and connect the RFD40 to the mobile device

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Product Barcode Requirements

Products must have GTIN-14-compatible barcodes for RFID to function. The serial number embedded in the Electronic Product Code (EPC) must be numeric only (SGTIN-96 encoding does not support alphanumeric serial numbers). Only ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID tags are supported. Products must be GS1-registered because product codes must be globally unique.

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Retrieving EPCs

Use the GS1 EPC Encoder/Decoder tool to generate an EPC for each RFID tag:

1. Enter the product’s GTIN-14 barcode in the A.I. (01) field
2. Enter the product’s serial number in the (21) field
3. Specify the company prefix length
4. Select the tag size and filter value

After retrieving the EPC, write it to the RFID tag using an RFID writer (process varies by manufacturer).

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Managing Inventory with RFID

Open the Barcode app on the mobile device. Open an operation record or the Inventory Count operation. When the RFD40 is within range and connected, a confirmation notification appears on screen. Scan products using the RFID reader. Knowlix records each scanned EPC and matches it to the corresponding product and serial number. Validate the operation when complete. For inventory counts, open the Inventory count operation, scan all products in the area, verify quantities using the edit icon if needed, and tap Apply to update stock records.

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Best Practices

Print and post operation barcode sheets at warehouse entry points and shipping areas so staff can trigger receipts and deliveries without accessing a computer. Configure scanners to output keyboard events rather than text injection on Android devices before deploying them to the floor. Use mandatory lot/serial scanning for high-value or regulated products, but set it to optional for incoming shipments from vendors whose labels may be damaged in transit. Set up GS1 nomenclature for supply chain operations involving external partners who use GS1-registered product codes. Enable Count Entire Locations for cycle count programs so a single location scan assigns the full count task to an employee. Keep barcode command sheets accessible in the warehouse so staff can scan VALIDATE and CANCEL without returning to a workstation. Your Knowlix: “Show me all products that don’t have barcodes assigned” or “List all pending inventory counts assigned to the warehouse team” or “Which receipts are ready to be processed in the barcode app today?” or “Show me all lots created during this week’s receiving operations” or “Which operation types have mandatory lot scanning enabled?” or “List all products currently tracked with serial numbers that were received this month” or “Show me all inventory adjustments made via barcode scan in the last 7 days”