Every time you run to the store and use the self check-out stations, you're using barcodes. Retailers rely on these machine-readable components to track everything from price to inventory and more. Barcodes are an efficient and effective option for small businesses and large corporations alike to contain easily verifiable information on ID cards.
If you want to take the human error out of validating and categorizing cardholders' information, scanners can process barcodes in seconds without human interaction. Let's look more closely at the barcode's history and its purpose before discussing how to create an ID card with a barcode.
Barcode background
A barcode is a collection of several black parallel lines. When a scanner comes in contact with these lines, it provides information about the product you're scanning. The most popular barcode today is the Universal Product Code (UPC) that you scan at grocery stores and other retailers.
Your grocery store uses a special optical scanner that reads UPCs. Once you scan the UPC, a computer screen displays information about the product like price. If you're using barcodes with your ID card program, however, you need barcode scanners, which differ from the UPC models. A barcode generator creates unique barcodes for ID cards that stores personal information that is displayed on a screen when the card is scanned.
For example, libraries use barcodes to hold personal information about their patrons and to keep a record of books and other materials borrowed. This simple transaction takes less time and removes the chance of human error when checking out library materials.
Barcodes in action
You know how barcodes work for retailers, but did you know that barcodes on ID cards can contain a bevy of information about a cardholder? You can encode a barcode with name, age, sex, occupation, address, and so much more. Then it takes an instant for a card scanner to bring up that information so you can identify, verify, or authenticate the cardholder. Instead of a human entering a number, a barcode's information transmits in seconds from a scanner to a computer screen.
Barcode history
In 1948, two inventors, Bernard Silver and Norman Woodland, came up with the first barcode that was shaped like a bullseye. While the premise held great merit, the limited technology at that time made barcodes impractical.
It wasn't until the 1960s that the Association of American Railroads forged ahead by using the first linear barcode to help track train cars. It took another decade for the barcode to become ubiquitous thanks to more modern technology like lasers and integrated circuits.
Barcode on ID cards
Barcodes offer a level of security for your ID card program while also storing useful information. The most affordable option, barcodes allow companies and organizations to place information "on" an ID card without making that information available to anyone. And barcodes are impossible for forgers to create a fake ID card with a code that's operational.
This technology allows your security staff or support personnel to scan a card and immediately retrieve important information about the cardholder. Barcodes help companies process many people quickly and accurately without the possibility of human input error.
Barcode benefits
If efficiency and saving time is high on your list for a functional ID card, barcodes are optimal. They immediately retrieve and transfer information like tracking work in process or how assets move within your organization. Especially for companies that track many assets' location, barcodes speed the process, saving you valuable time with inquiries or changes in information because you know immediately where your work in process is or where your assets are.
In addition, save on security and administrative costs. Barcodes allow you to easily and quickly scan and process many people through your system. And barcode scanning is more accurate than humans processing information.
Making ID card barcodes
Printing barcodes on ID cards is as simple as printing any graphical element, like your logo or a photograph. Most ID card software programs can generate unique barcodes and add them to your cards, and any ID card printer can print barcodes. When designing your ID cards in your printer's software program, it's as easy as clicking on a button or ticking a checkbox.
Make sure you purchase black monochrome ribbons for your ID card printers. These ribbons produce crisp, sharp barcodes that function perfectly with each scan.
Final thoughts
Barcodes are an easy way to add functional information and security to your ID card program. The benefits are many and the drawbacks few. If you're unsure how you could use barcodes, contact an Idesco ID Expert at 1-800-336-1383. Our experts have helped hundreds of companies and organizations just like yours discover how a simple barcode can boost your ID card program beyond mere identification. Trust our over 75 years of experience in the industry to provide you with the best possible ID card solution at the best price available.