Bulk Scanning/Updating of Barcodes/QR Codes records

[Adam_Workman]

I’ve been investigating the barcode scanning field/tool for inventory/asset management and have determined that you cannot currently scan a chunk of individual items with unique barcodes back to back and then update their location in a ‘mass/bulk edit’ type of action. We sell relatively expensive musical instruments that all have unique serial numbers so keeping track of their location at any given time is very important (for example, on trial with a client, at a tradeshow, in shipping, in repair, in the showroom, etc). With additional fields and data set up in a base we can plan when that instrument might be available for any new buyers that would like to get in line to try that instrument (which happens daily). Since we travel with so many of the instruments at one time it is great to just point and scan (via a handheld scanner for desktop, or via the camera in the AirTable app) all the barcodes of the instruments coming back from a tradeshow and change the status/location to ‘showroom’ in one action as opposed to having to scan and update each item one at a time. We are currently using an inventory system that is kind of clumsy and has very basic inflexible fields (which limits the type of reporting we can do with that data) but it DOES allow the bulk scanning and so that is the one we must use until AirTable or a similar service can come up with a way to make the bulk scanning/updating possible. Thinking this one feature in AirTable could revolutionize the inventory/asset management industry and would bridge the gap that we currently have in our operations. Surely a lot of other businesses would be keen on this feature as well.

[Jospeh_DeVenuta]

+1 one on this! Would the following fall under the same use-case umbrella you’re describing?

Scenario: A load of inventory is dropped off at our location. Workers pull each unit out and inspect it. If the unit is ok for sale they will scan it’s barcode and have it’s status (one of the table columns) set to “Available for Sale”.

Basically, it’s about defining an action and having that action triggered upon scan.

[Tim_Lajoie]

+1 for this. Would love to have this functionality too.

[Alex_Frost]

Another +1 for this. Been trying to figure out how to do this all day!

[Hendrik_Yang]

+1 for this!! been trying to figure out this whole day ! But up to now, it’s not updated yet!!

[Nathans]

+1. I use Airtable to track attendance, which has to happen fairly quickly as students arrive. Currently, each student takes about 5 clicks since related records are involved. Bulk barcode could make this so much faster.

[Moe]

I thought about a solution for this. It’s not exactly a straight forward one and might not be ideal for every scenario, but it gets the job done. It’s basically what Jospeh said:

Jospeh_DeVenuta:

it’s about defining an action and having that action triggered upon scan.

It involves multi steps:

1. generate a URL for every record by using this extension.

miniExtensions

Update Airtable Record by Opening a URL - miniExtensions

Generates URLs for every record in your table. When a URL is clicked, the record it belongs to will have a value updated to a new value that is pre-defined.

2. convert those URLs into QR codes by using this extension.

miniExtensions

QR Code Generator on Airtable - miniExtensions

Generating one QR code at a time? Don't. This automation generates QR codes in bulk on Airtable with a single click! Supports scheduling & webhooks.

Now every time one of the QR codes is scanned, a certain record will be updated.

P.S. use a scanner that opens web pages automatically. When I tested it with the native QR code reader in iOS 13, each scan/update took me 1 sec!

[M_k]

Hi@Moe

This is great to know and I learned something new.

Thank you,
Mary K

[Gustavo_Toledo]

+1 Sincerely hoping Airtable considers incorporating barcode generators and barcode bulk scanning as a native function.

[Gustavo_Toledo]

@Adam_Workman have you found a solution other than MiniExtensions? I’m also looking for barcode bulk scanning and barcode generators in Airtable

[Maren_Williams]

+1. I’m a university archivist and I’m trying to streamline and automate the way that we keep track of our collections. I have bunches of pre-printed barcodes, of the type that would be stuck on a library book. I’m looking for a way that I could affix these barcodes to storage locations (shelves/drawers) as well as individual collection items (archival boxes/oversized folders/unboxed items) and use AirTable to keep track of what is stored where by scanning one location barcode, followed by every item barcode from that location.

For instance, say there are two boxes for the Homecoming Collection and one box for the Local History Collection on Shelf A, which has space for three boxes. I have a new Box 3 to add to the Homecoming Collection, so I put that on Shelf A and move Local History Box 1 down to Shelf B. Ideally what I would then like to do is scan the Shelf A barcode followed by Homecoming Collection Box 3, and have AirTable associate those two in a new record for that box; then scan the Shelf B barcode followed by Local History Collection Box 1, and have it modify the existing record for that box to reflect its new location.

And of course to establish the overall inventory to begin with, I’ll need to scan every location and item like so: Shelf A (Box 1, 2, 3); Shelf B (Box 1, 2, 3)…and so on. I know (I think!) that I can accomplish this by importing the barcode numbers from a standalone barcode scanner app, but I would be great if I could do it all directly in AirTable instead.