Barcode decoding functionality
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Where barcode decoding functionality is required within PreBilt, the following sections must be completed.
Barcode decoding is required when the barcode labels being used have specific qualifiers and/or data identifiers.
The PreBilt barcode decoding is based on the standard SAP WM barcode decoding but with some enhancements and therefore is separate from the standard WM setup that may already be in place. This allows IM warehouses to have barcodes configured similarly to the standard WM approach and cater for some basic non-GS1 barcodes.
All fields should be capable of receiving a scanned entry where the field logically relates to an object that would be scanned from a barcode. In the PreBilt apps this includes barcodes with Application Identifiers (AI), such as with GS1 standards, or fixed length barcodes that could be made up of several different data elements, or a custom barcode definition.
Examples of barcode data using Application Identifiers (AI) are shown below:
Selection Field
Additional Comments
Application
Standard AIs
Storage Unit
SSCC, SU
1
(00)
Handling Unit
SSCC, HU
11
(00)
Material
EAN / UPC
2
(01), (02)
Material
3
(03)
Storage Bin
Storage bin (verification field)
5
Quantity
6
(37)
Batch
12
(10)
Production Date
(11)
SLED
Best Before Date, Sell By Date, Expiration Date
(15), (16), (17)
Serial Number
(21)
The Application Identifiers are assigned a Barcode Type AI Applications code which can then be used against specific fields in the app master data.
Complex barcodes (containing multiple data fields) can be scanned into the Smartscan field. This field must have the ‘SSC’ input type when added to an input screen. The barcode decoding logic will read the complex barcode and extract the individual elements of data (for example, material number, batch number, quantity, etc.) based either on 'AI' (Application Identifier) configuration, 'Fixed' barcode configuration or custom logic that can be coded into an enhancement point. When the complex barcode is scanned into the Smartscan field, PreBilt will map each relevant part of the data to the relevant input field on the screen, resulting in multiple fields being populated with one scan.
In standard SAP, the application codes available are read from a static list that cannot be updated. This list has been added to PreBilt as a configurable list so additional entries can be maintained and mapped against Application Identifiers (AI) as needed.
Create any new application codes as required.
These application codes can then be assigned to Application Identifiers.
Fields in the app master data will be assigned to a particular application code to identify which part of the barcode is relevant.
As per standard SAP, a barcode type definition can be set up in line with GS1 standards as show in the example ‘EAN128’ below.
When a warehouse uses barcodes that do not comply with GS1 standards, fixed length or custom barcode functionality can be set up. No fixed length settings are provided as standard, but if required, set up the barcode using the Fixed Length instructions below. Custom barcodes are also not provided as standard and can be set up with code added to enhancement points.
Barcode Types are created as required and will either be of type:
AI – denoting that it is a GS1 compliant barcode using Application Identifiers (AI) to identify each section of data in the barcode.
Fixed – denoting that there are no specific Application Identifiers but rather the barcode is divided into lengths of fixed data.
Custom via enhancement – denoting a barcode with requirement for custom supporting code implemented via an enhancement point.
For each barcode that is Application Identifier type, the following information must be maintained:
Barcode type – AI.
Min - minimum length of the AI in the barcode type.
Max - maximum length of the AI in the barcode type.
Prefix - if one exists in the barcode and the devices are configured to read and pass the prefixes to PreBilt.
AI delimiter - defines a character string that separates an AI with a variable length from the next AI.
For each barcode that is Fixed Length type, the following information must be maintained:
Barcode type – Fixed.
Prefix – if one exists in the barcode and the devices are configured to read and pass the prefixes to PreBilt.
Length – this is the total length of all the barcode data including the prefix and any text fields that will not be needed when the barcode is scanned e.g. a barcode containing 4500010203/123456789 will have a length of 20 (10+1+9).
The following GS1 compliant Application Identifiers are maintained as part of the standard PreBilt installation and configured as example for Barcode Type EAN128:
Add or edit the settings as required for your barcode setup.
For each Application Identifier (AI) the following information must be maintained:
AI - this is the GS1 compliant application identifier.
AI partial field - this can be used for subdivisions and partial fields of an application identifier to combine several values into one AI. The values will be combined, in ascending order, according to the numerical sequence that is defined in the content of the field.
Description of the GS1 application identifier.
Defined checkbox - certain AIs could be reserved for future enhancements by standardisation organisations such as the Uniform Code Council (UCC) in the USA, EAN International or the CCG in Germany. However, except for length, no information would be available. For these AIs, it would be sufficient to maintain an entry with a length greater than zero. This field must be selected for AIs that can be used or are already in use.
Barcode Type AI Applications - this is then assigned to fields in the app master data for each transaction and links the AI to a specific field in the app.
Length of AI.
Delimiter for variable barcode lengths - this field defines that a delimiter is expected to determine the end of a data section when it reads a barcode.
Format – this is either Numeric, Alphanumeric or Alphabetic.
Even variable length checkbox – this identifies that the data must always be an even multiple.
Number of places in AI for decimal figures.
Number of places in AI for variable length specification.
Multiplier for AI length specification.
Addition factor for AI length specification.
AI is provided for logistical units with variable quantity checkbox.
ISO code for unit of measurement.
Additional checks for AI - this identifies whether there is special check digit logic or data formatting.
For the fixed length barcode, the structure of the barcode needs to be defined as seen in the AI type 'FIXED' and 'FIXED-13' in the screenshot below.
For the 'FIXED' example, the overall length of the barcode is 20 characters and there is no prefix expected.
The structure of this can then be defined as per the diagram below. The first 10 characters will be considered for a field relating to application 12 (e.g., Batch), the next single character will be ignored as no application code is maintained (perhaps this a dash) and the last 9 characters will be mapped to application 6 (e.g., Quantity).
The total length of the barcode in this example is 20 characters. If the Batch, for example, varies in length, a different Barcode Type will need to be created with an alternative overall length and alternative length assigned to Application 12, as the overall length in the definition needs to be exact.
The multiple Barcode Types can be assigned to the Bar Code Type Determination Procedure to cater for different barcode lengths.
For the 'FIXED-13' example, the overall length of the barcode is 16 characters which includes the prefix expected.
The structure of this can then be defined as per the diagram below. The first 3 characters, which is the prefix, will be ignored as no application code is maintained. The next 13 characters will be considered for a field relating to application 2 (e.g., EAN/UPC).
The total length of the barcode in this example is 16 characters.
Create a new Bar Code Type Determination Procedure as required. This will then later be assigned to the specific warehouses it is relevant for.
For each Bar Code Type Determination Procedure that is created, select ‘Sequence’ and enter all the required Bar Code Types in the correct sequence.
When a barcode is scanned, PreBilt will go through this sequence until it finds a match.
Once the Bar Code Type Determination Procedure has been created, the warehouse can be updated with that procedure, which will control how barcode decoding will work for that warehouse.
