RE: Bar code issue

Yes, it is possible and reasonably cheap, but still somewhat
labor-intensive with a hand scanner.

One scenario is to stack the mail in such a way that the operator can
hold the hand scanner in the right hand and flip the mail one piece at a
time with the left hand. This can go fairly quickly as long as the
operator doesn't have to move either hand to hit an enter key. The
barcode scanner can be programmed to "hit enter" after id decodes the
barcode.

On the other hand, a good key operator can key a five or six character
code and hit enter just about as quickly as the scanner works. Again,
the efficiency is dependent on the operator working without moving hands
from keypad or stack. If the recognition rate of the barcode and scanner
is not good (85% or better), the key operation is actually faster.

The most efficient I'm aware of is a mail-sorter type apparatus where
the machine moves individual pieces of mail in front of the scanner. In
this case, very little human intervention is required as long as the
recognition rate of the barcode and scanner is good.

Generally, you get what you pay for in recognition rate of a scanner.
Choose the barcode symbology and the scanner with the help of an
experienced vendor.

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Salter, James
Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 12:32 PM
To: midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Bar code issue

Yes, it is possible and reasonably cheap.

You can probably get by with a cheap barcode scanner tied to a client
access session.

You can verify the info on the screen and process it as you wish.

(A program would need to be written to write to the file, but this is
somewhat trivial as well).

In regards to putting it in a spreadsheet, why would you want to do
this?

Spreadsheets can be manipulated and your data accuracy is thrown out the
window.


Thanks.
James Salter
Systems Programmer
American Cast Iron Pipe Company
phone (205) 325-3033
fax (205) 307-3833


from: "John Erim(MFS)" <jerim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
subject: Bar code issue - Isn't this pretty basic, or is it too 'old
school'?

Ladies & Gentlemen -

Isn't it possible [and fairly easy/cheap] to scan the barcode on the
yellow postal return labels and load the data into either an Iseries
table or an Excel spreadsheet?

- John


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