Barcode scanner

[LoriKaye]

I am a small business owner and currently use square for invoicing only.  I would like to keep track of my inventory, but typing everything in take quite a bit of time.  My products have a barcode, so I’m curious if your barcode scanner would read and import items into inventory?  Thanks!

[jjgard]

Yes, a barcode scanner would make your life infinitely easier.

Square sells one that will work with your Square Stand or Register:

USB Bar Code Scanner | Square Shop (squareup.com)

You should also be able to hook it up to your computer if you're manually entering your inventory into the spreadsheet and reuploading it to Square.

[LoriKaye]

I don’t have the register or stand.  Would this barcode scanner still work for me?  Plug it into my computer and it will scan to square items?

[jjgard]

Yes, if you're using a PC you can plug it in and when you click on the UPC field in Excel, you can scan the barcode and it'll insert it into the spreadsheet.  You might be able to find something cheaper then if you don't need Square compatibility.  Check Amazon for USB barcode scanners.

But be sure you're using inventory management for Square.  I am not sure if basic Square accounts can download their inventory spreadsheet to work on it and re-upload it into Square.

[LoriKaye]

So it doesn’t upload straight into square?  I’ll have to check into that.  I only have the basic square.  This is a side gig for me right now.

[jjgard]

Hmmm.  Let me think on it for a second.  Yes, if you're using a USB barcode reader to enter items into Square on your computer...it SHOULD work when you get to the UPC field.  It never even occurred to me.  I'm so used to downloading the spreadsheet and manipulating the inventory that way.  But if you're creating items online, there's no reason that the USB barcode reader shouldn't work for entering the barcodes in the UPC field.

[LoriKaye]

Thanks so much!  I think I’m going to try it!