Assigning UPC Barcodes & Camera Scanning

Attach a barcode or SKU to a product, then use your phone's camera to scan it during checkout or when setting one up.

1. Assigning a Barcode to a Product

  1. In the mobile app, go to Config > Products and open a product (or start a new one).
  2. Scroll to SKU / Barcode.
  3. Either type a value directly (a real barcode number, or your own SKU like HONEY-8OZ), or tap the scan icon next to the field to capture it with your camera — point the camera at the barcode and it fills in automatically once recognized.
  4. Tap Save.

The same field exists in the Web Portal's product form as Barcode / SKU, but it's a plain text field there — camera scanning to fill it in is a mobile-only capability.

This field isn't limited to standard retail barcodes; it doubles as a general SKU field, so you can use it for your own lookup codes on products that don't have a manufacturer barcode.

2. Scanning at Checkout

On the register screen, tap the scan control to open the camera scanner, then point it at a product's barcode — a match adds that product to the cart instantly, the same as tapping its tile. This uses your device's back camera and works hands-free once a barcode comes into frame; no external scanner hardware is required.

3. What the Scanner Recognizes

The built-in scanner (powered by your device's camera, via react-native-vision-camera) reads several common barcode and code formats, including:

  • EAN-13 and EAN-8 — the formats most grocery/retail UPC barcodes are encoded in.
  • UPC-E (compact UPC).
  • Code 128, Code 39, Code 93 — common for shipping labels and custom SKU labels.
  • QR codes, Data Matrix, and PDF417.

If a code doesn't scan, you can always type the number in manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a physical barcode scanner?

No — scanning uses your phone or tablet's built-in camera. No external hardware is required.

What if my product doesn't have a printed barcode?

Leave the barcode field blank, or use it as a custom SKU (e.g. a short code you print on your own labels) — it doesn't have to be a real UPC.

Can I scan a barcode from the Web Portal?

Not directly — camera scanning is a mobile app feature. You can still type a barcode number into the Portal's product form manually.