A barcode is a machine-readable representation of stock item information in a visual format. Barcodes store data in the strips and spaces of printed parallel lines and are read by optical scanners called barcode readers. Barcodes offer benefits like exceptional security, minimal data entry errors and ensure a highly successful first-time read rate. This also ensures speed and higher productivity.

Shoper 9 supports designing and printing of barcode labels. The barcode labels can be printed using the Barcode thermal printer and Standard printers like Dot-matrix, Inkjet and LaserJet. Barcodes can be designed in different formats and printed with the available printing techniques at a low cost. The barcoding module in Shoper 9 helps in reducing labour cost as well as improving productivity and profitability. This function of Shoper 9 is designed to meet the requirements of a retail business, which uses their own choice of barcodes for items, and can be configured to meet future business needs.

To create a template for printing barcodes, scripts in text format are used and linked to the fields of Shoper 9 database. During the design phase the height and width of the barcode label and the required fields/ constant text to be displayed can be specified. The font and barcode symbology to be used in the labels can also be chosen. Shoper 9 supports symbologies like Code 39, U.P.C., Inter-leaved 2 of 5 and Code 128. In Shoper 9, a layout for the barcode label, page size, length, width, margin, etc. can be defined. The number of labels that can be printed in a page can also be specified according to the requirement. The barcode facility is not dependent on the paper size; a user can opt to use paper sizes like A3, A4, portrait, landscape, etc. Printing of barcode labels can be used for manually selecting stock items, SKU's in a Purchase Transaction file, SKU's in Purchase Orders or items added to the Master files periodically.