Barcode technology

To maintain a perpetual inventory system, all purchases and sales must be entered into the computer system (Carroll, 1998 West, 2003). A clerk can enter data from purchases, or the computer dispensing system can be interfaced with the computer order system. The interface allows for the inventory to be reduced when a product is dispensed. The sales data can also be entered at the point of sale by devices that use optical scanning and barcode technology. Point-of-sale (POS) devices are advantageous in that they improve the accuracy of pricing and inventory data. They eliminate the need for price stickers, reduce the frequency of pricing errors, and automatically track inventory. 

At a minimum an electronic manifest within a set of samples must identify each sample uniquely and define the plate and well location. Individually labeled sample containers are essential for this purpose. 2D barcoded tubes are, as previously discussed, ideally suited to provide this functionality. In addition, to retrieve and store samples rapidly, modular devices from companies, such as TekCel (Massachusetts Hopkinton, AAA) or The Technology Partnership (Melbourn, UK), have become available, which may fit the medium storage requirements of pharmaceutical MS laboratories. In conjunction with... 

Information collection is the basic function of an information system. The information collected forms the basis of decision making at different levels from business management to device control. There are many methods of information collection, depending on the information sources and technologies used. Device sensors may provide data regarding device status barcode scanners may provide data about the production status of online products and form scanners and database table view interfaces may provide data about order, raw material purchasing, and user requirements. Some data may also come from e-mail systems. The data collected can be stored in different data formats and different repositories. 

Data collection or electronic traceability This method allows ensuring label integrity and transparency by means of software that tracks the product from the acquisition of raw material to the finished product. The supplier feeds into the system the product information that eventually is relayed to the final brand or retailer. The technology that is frequently used in support of this method is Icebreaker Baacode. Barcodes, or baacodes, collect information along every step of the supply chain and the end consumer is able to scan the code and, for example, find out where the farm that produced their wool is. 

A number of collaboration and workflow tools are available to solve visibility problems both within the organization and between organizations. Technologies like barcode, EDI, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) have played a critical role in improving visibility. Emerging technolo-... 

Packaging technology has become extremely complex with many criteria to be met, especially in food, pharmaceutical, medical and electronic packaging. Intelligent packaging is becoming more important. Plastic electronic circuits are likely to play an important part in radio frequency identification devices that could become cheap enough to replace barcodes. 

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