UPC for Scanning

[choster]

Hello.

When I print tags it provides the item number.  How can I scan a UPC code that came with the garment we ordered.  If it already has one on it, I would like to use it and not the generated item number for scanning.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Chris

[Candlestore · Accepted solution]

@choster ;

What system of Square are you using?   Square POS, Square for Retail, etc?

What Hardware are you using to keep track of your sales?  Square app on a cell or tablet, Square Stand, Square Register, Square Terminal?   Do you have a scanner that is compatible with Square?

I started with a Square Stand and WiFi Ipad.  Upgraded to adding a usb barcode scanner.  This has worked great.

For me when I get a new item that has a barcode on it, I scan it from my checkout screen.  If Square sees the barcode as a gtin it populates its name, this is for Square for Retail not Square POS.  If the barcode comes up as a SKU then you would have to type in the name and other information that is needed.  I have done this with items I buy and resell such as shirts, hoodies, candle holders etc.

You could also add the item and manually type in the UPC as a SKU, but this can lead to an error if you or someone either missreads the UPC or miss types it.  This is why I prefer to scan it, with the Scanner on my Square Stand.  You can also use the bulit in camera on an iphone or ipad to read barcodes.  Now the biggest thing is make sure the scanner works with Square!!!!  Just because it works with ios or android does not mean it will work with Square!  I found this out the hardway.... with a lower priced scanner.  Now I use it for inventory with a chromebook.

If you tell more of your setup and which Square POSyou are using you will get more help.  

Here is more about Square POS and Square for Retail:

5980-compare-square-for-retail-and-square-point-of-sale 

[choster]

So it seems like GTINs on the clothing that we receive are not size specific.  So to keep track of accurate inventory by size, we would have to use SKUs.  Does that sound correct?  So GTINs should only be used when there is not multiple variations of a product?

Chris

[Candlestore]

@choster 

Yes that is correct.  

Do you have 1 gtin for ALL your clothing items or are they different based on design and color but not Size?

Meaning All your Red Wolf T-shirts have one GTIN 12345678, But your Blue Wolf T-shirts have a GTIN of 87654321 for example.   In this case you could make an item Red Wolf T-shirt , Variation Small, Medium, Large, XL and XXL.

Item - Red Wolf T-shirt has GTIN 12345678    SKU (Blank)

  Variation Red Wolf T-shirt Small has GTIN 12345678   SKU rwSmall

  Variation Red Wolf T-shirt Medium has GTIN 12345678   SKU rwMedium

  Variation Red Wolf T-shirt Large has GTIN 12345678   SKU rwLarge

  Variation Red Wolf T-shirt X-Large has GTIN 12345678   SKU rwXlarge

  Variation Red Wolf T-shirt XX-Large has GTIN 12345678   SKU rw2XLarge

My SKU's are not very creative  Color r=Red  Design w=Wolf  then Size.   The other thing is keep all your SKU's to the same number of characters so your Barcode is the same length.  8 to 14 characters or let Square generate SKUs if you use Square for retail.  Then print out your newly created SKU's as a Barcode, scan that and that specified item should appear in your Checkout cart.

If you would scan the GTIN by accident and not your SKU, you would get a popup asking basically Which Size.  You could also delete the GTIN from Item Red Wolf T-shirt leave GTIN (Blank)    SKU (Blank), so that the Main Item Name does not appear, only the Size choices appear.   

[choster]

Thanks!

Chris

[TCSlaguna]

@choster, as @Candlestore mentioned, in Square for Retail when creating an item, scan or input the product's UPC code in the GTIN box: 

When checking out a customer, you can either scan the UPC code, scan your own barcode with SKU number, type UPC code, or type SKU number. 

We have a USB barcode scanner for our computer to scan UPC codes during product creation and another one for our Square Stand to checkout.