# UPC Bar Code Printing



## BPApiaries

Working in an office I can tell you that if they say that they require a special type of label sheet there almost certainly exists an avery (or other off brand) version of that label sheet. Avery has dozens (if not hundreds) of different types of label sheets. I would find out what the specifications on the label sheets that come with the software (from someone who already has it) and first see if there are generic or Avery versions of them. Your local supply store will almost certainly carry them in stock for you (from my experience in dealing with small town office supply businesses) if you plan to buy them frequently.


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## Rader Sidetrack

SWM said:


> I'm looking for UPC Bar Code software that will allow me to use generic labels such as Avery, etc. that can be purchased anywhere.


I assume you already have been assigned a UPC "Company Number". If not here is some more info:
http://www.dataid.com/upccodeprocedure.htm

. As far as label software, in a previous job I have used Labelview Pro. It worked fine, and can use virtually any label / printer combination. However it is several hundred dollars, and may have many more features than what you need.
http://www.dataid.com/bcsoftwa.htm

You don't necessarily need a special software package to print UPC codes. Here is a link that provides info on doing it yourself for free.
http://www.barcodesinc.com/generator/barcode/


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## [email protected]

I just went through the bar code procedure. It cost me $760.00 to register my company prefix and then I emailed it to my printer and she set up the suffixes and printed them on the respective lables. BTW it also costs $136.00 a year to maintain my registration. I keep wondering if I got ripped off, but couldn't find another way to get the company prefix. After all this, some one told me that everyone is going to those square QR codes. I never tried to print any myself.


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## DeeAnna

We have to create bar codes for one of our customers. We just use a standard Avery label that is designed for address labels -- nothing special. Here's what we do, copied from the customer's documentation:

Step One: Go to Website. 
To create your free barcode go to: http://www.barcoding.com/upc/

Step Two: Entering in Barcode SKU
In the “Barcode Data:” field, type the code you want to make a bar code from.

Step Three: Select the Barcode Type
In the “Barcode Symbology” drop down menu select the UCC/EAN 128

Step Four: Select the Output Format
In the “Output Format” drop down menu select ‘jpg’ and click the “Generate Barcode” button

Step Five: Select the Avery Label Wizard template
Open a Word document and follow directions on how to use Avery Label wizard provided in the label box or in the help menu of Microsoft Word.

Step six: ‘Copy’ barcode image from site
Once you have selected and opened the appropriate Avery Label template go back to the barcode generator web page and ‘right click’ the barcode image and select copy.

Step six: ‘Paste’ barcode image into the label template from site
‘Right click’ in the first field and ‘click’ on paste. This copies the generated readable barcode in the template field. (Note: The size of the barcode is typically larger than the space provided. So you will have to adjust the size.)

Step seven: Adjust barcode image to fit template area
‘Left click’ on the barcode that you just pasted into the template. ‘Click’ and hold the bottom right ‘size box marker’ and drag your mouse to the left and upward until the barcode fits into the template space provided.

Step eight: Centering Barcode in template area
Select the barcode and click on center button to center your barcode and then add your description and other information required on the label.

Step nine: ‘Copy’ barcode and description to other marked areas
Highlight the entire template cell, ‘right click’ and select ‘copy’ from the menu. Once you have copied the information ‘right click’ the cell directly located to the right of your first cell and select ‘paste’, this places the first cells information into the adjacent cell. Repeat the paste portion of step eight in the remaining cells located to right until you form an entire row.

Step nine: ‘Copy’ the first row into each row of the template
Highlight the completed row that was created by following steps 1 – 8. ‘Right click’ on a portion of the highlighted area and select ‘copy’. This allows you to ‘paste’ the entire row in each of the remaining rows by ‘right click’ and ‘paste’ in each of the far left cells of the template.


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## SWM

Thanks to everyone for your input.
DeeAnna, using your step by step instructions I used the bar code generator, downloaded the Avery label wizard template and I'm well on my way to printing the bar codes! This is exactly what I needed. Thank you...


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## DeeAnna

Super!!!! Glad I could help.


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## deknow

..we just had them printed on a roll. It cost about $30/roll of 1000. I don't know that blank Avery labels are.any cheaper......and with a roll you can use an applicator. If I were to print them in house, I would get a dedicated printer for the roll of labels and print on demand.
deknow


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## lakebilly

SWM, 

Can you tell us what your total costs ended up being & what the registration laws are? I have considered this. 

This link you can buy 3 upc codes for $150. & a lifetime reg. Is this a scam?


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## deknow

Gs1 is the only actual registrar (like intermixed with domain registrations) . There are some companies that will sell you a code.or codes for your product (these companies are.grandfathered...you can't setup to be a registrar anymore) , but that is a single code that is under someone else's.prefix (think WWW.domainname.com/mywebsite as opposed to WWW.mywebsite.com.
for $760 you get your own prefix with 100 codes available...you set up the codes as you need them. There is a maintence.fee, but if you plan to have more than a few codes, this is the only way to go. 

Deknow


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## lakebilly

That sure is good deknow ;-) where no ganewz iiiiizzzzz good ganewz!


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## sqkcrk

deknow said:


> Gs1 is the only actual registrar (like intermixed with domain registrations) . There are some companies that will sell you a code.or codes for your product (these companies are.grandfathered...you can't setup to be a registrar anymore) , but that is a single code that is under someone else's.prefix (think WWW.domainname.com/mywebsite as opposed to WWW.mywebsite.com.
> for $760 you get your own prefix with 100 codes available...you set up the codes as you need them. There is a maintence.fee, but if you plan to have more than a few codes, this is the only way to go.
> 
> Deknow


Thanks Dean. I was trying to figure out how to say just that. I have a UPC Registration which requires an annual fee being paid to maintain my business's codes, so that they are universally unique and verifiable everywhere.

Y'all aught to look into UPCs. They tell you interesting things, like Country of Origin in which the product was bottled.


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## SWM

lakebilly, my state Dept. of Agriculture has a program where codes can be purchased through them at a reduced rate. They have purchased the codes through gs1 and are acting as a reseller...apparently a grandfathered reseller based on the info from deknow. I only need 5 codes and the total cost will be $52.50. I will pay an annual maintenance fee of $8.75 after the first year.

I sell most of my honey through local retailers and none of my current customers require the upc codes. I've been approached by another retailer who wants to carry my honey in their store but upc codes on each product is required. I would like to have their business so I'm trying to do this as cheaply as possible because right now it's just for one customer. It may expand some in the future but my customer base will always be fairly small compared to large producers. It's not cost effective for me to spend $760 plus a yearly maintenance fee of $100+ for a block of 100 codes, most of which will go unused. Especially not for just one customer, currently.

I've heard stories that some retailers will not accept upc codes from resellers because the first 6 digits of the 12 digit code will always be identified with whoever purchased it from gs1. So I think the key will be educating the customer, which I'll do and get approved before I proceed. I'm sure they can program their system to recognize and associate the codes with my company name. 

There are lots of resellers on the Internet and the one you saw, 3 codes for $150, may be legit. I would check for any state or local commodity groups who act as resellers similar to the one we have here and shop for the best price. I suppose one risk with codes from any reseller is if they fail to pay the annual maintenance fee to gs1, then the codes would be cancelled for them and could be reissued to someone else.

As deknow stated, going directly through gs1 is the best way to go if you have the volume to justify the cost. Right now I'm trying to get set up with a "poor man's bar code" and hope that it works.


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## lakebilly

Gonna save this to favs. for reference. THX.

Mark, how do you "look into" UPC's?


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## beckyrebecca

Nice discusstion!


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## JRG13

What are poor man's barcodes? If you need barcoding help, let me know. I have 1d and 2d scanners and experience, like you need to format your inputs correctly for scanners to read them, typically an * on each side of your scan string. 2d codes don't require them but typical code 39 fonts do. Zebra makes some small relatively non expensive printers that would do a great job printing labels.


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## deknow

JRG13 said:


> What are poor man's barcodes?


....if you find yourself with a sharpie, a ruler, and a magnifying glass.........


deknow


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## JRG13

that's true deknow...lol.... I can recognize some patterns by eye, not too hard once u get to know some of them, but typically only the ends, everything in between is just lines to me.


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## SWM

Okay, so here's an update on my 'poor man's bar code'. I'm using the process described above with no special software or printer to purchase. I'm using the Avery Label Wizard and my standard laser printer. The labels are Avery #5167 return address label, 1/2" X 1 3/4". They come 80 per sheet and I bought a box of 8000 labels at Staples for about $40.00...you do the math. They aren't free, but pretty darn close and they are working great for my customer. So, that's a Poor Man's Bar Code for those who asked.


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## wilisdsew

SWM said:


> I'm looking for UPC Bar Code software that will allow me to use generic labels such as Avery, etc. that can be purchased anywhere. I want to print them on my standard laser printer. I've seen several software packages that require you to buy their labels along with a special printer. That's not what I'm looking for.
> 
> Any recommendations would be appreciated.


I have used this UPC-A barcode printer before.


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## derek054

I did a barcode project before, and it seems to me that most of the barcode software I tested didn't ask you to buy a printer. They only help you create a barcode image, like a UPC barcode in your case, then you can freely print it out with any printer of yours. So to sum up, you can find many barcode encoder to draw UPC barcodes, but first you need to have your UPC numbers and printer ready.


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## sqkcrk

SWM said:


> lakebilly, my state Dept. of Agriculture has a program where codes can be purchased through them at a reduced rate. They have purchased the codes through gs1 and are acting as a reseller...apparently a grandfathered reseller based on the info from deknow. I only need 5 codes and the total cost will be $52.50. I will pay an annual maintenance fee of $8.75 after the first year.
> 
> I sell most of my honey through local retailers and none of my current customers require the upc codes. I've been approached by another retailer who wants to carry my honey in their store but upc codes on each product is required. I would like to have their business so I'm trying to do this as cheaply as possible because right now it's just for one customer. It may expand some in the future but my customer base will always be fairly small compared to large producers. It's not cost effective for me to spend $760 plus a yearly maintenance fee of $100+ for a block of 100 codes, most of which will go unused. Especially not for just one customer, currently.
> 
> I've heard stories that some retailers will not accept upc codes from resellers because the first 6 digits of the 12 digit code will always be identified with whoever purchased it from gs1. So I think the key will be educating the customer, which I'll do and get approved before I proceed. I'm sure they can program their system to recognize and associate the codes with my company name.
> 
> There are lots of resellers on the Internet and the one you saw, 3 codes for $150, may be legit. I would check for any state or local commodity groups who act as resellers similar to the one we have here and shop for the best price. I suppose one risk with codes from any reseller is if they fail to pay the annual maintenance fee to gs1, then the codes would be cancelled for them and could be reissued to someone else.
> 
> As deknow stated, going directly through gs1 is the best way to go if you have the volume to justify the cost. Right now I'm trying to get set up with a "poor man's bar code" and hope that it works.


GS1 is only $150.00/year to maintain your prefix and you can make as many individual product codes as you might want to.

If your "poor man's bar code" isn't registered then it isn't transferable to another store, is it? And what if the store you use it in is hooked up to the UPC System? Won't that be a problem?

I don't have a Bar Code Printer. My label designer uses the software from GS1 to generate and keep bar codes for each of my items and those codes individually go on the corresponding label.


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## Honey-4-All

sqkcrk said:


> GS1 is only $150.00/year to maintain your prefix and you can make as many individual product codes as you might want to.


To follow up on what Mark said: The whole GS1 "idea" is a great example of industry working together to adapt and adopt a uniform system for commerce without the heavy hand of gooberment involved. Last fall I was at an RFID conference where one of the big wigs from GS1 gave a talk. We have been with them since the UCC days. 

"Joining" is just one of those things that needs to be done if you want to move out of the horse and buggy era...


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## sqkcrk

It was a business decision for me, for sure. If I had not had UPC I would not have been able to sell to a grocery store in my county and then it became a selling point when I branched out to other outlets. It may not make sense for someone selling exclusively at Farm Mkts.


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## deknow

Considering that they are simply maintaining a database (not providing inspectors or cloud based services) it's pretty expensive. It's a lot cheaper to register a domain.


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## sqkcrk

Which would be helpful in labeling a product in what way? How does one scan a domain name?


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## SWM

sqkcrk said:


> GS1 is only $150.00/year to maintain your prefix and you can make as many individual product codes as you might want to.
> 
> If your "poor man's bar code" isn't registered then it isn't transferable to another store, is it? And what if the store you use it in is hooked up to the UPC System? Won't that be a problem?
> 
> I don't have a Bar Code Printer. My label designer uses the software from GS1 to generate and keep bar codes for each of my items and those codes individually go on the corresponding label.


Yeah, the annual renewal fee is $150.00 but you paid a one-time $750.00 fee for a block of 100 codes to get started. They now have a lower category at $250.00 for 10 codes and $50.00 annual renewal. That's a much better deal for someone with only 10 products or less. 

The codes I'm using are registered and purchased from gs1 by the Dept. of Agriculture.They provided them to me as a re-seller to make it more affordable for small producers. The codes are not "hooked up to the UPC system". They are self-contained within the computer database of each customer. This is true regardless if you went directly through gs1 or not.

When I got mine 2 years ago they were $8.00 each with an annual renewal of $1.50 each...I only needed 6. I'm now using them with 3 different customers (major grocery chains) with no problems. Not all of my customers require them so I print as needed using inexpensive Avery return address labels. I described the formatting and printing process previously in this thread.


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## sqkcrk

Good to know.


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## djastram

So I signed up on the GS1 website, and setup 2 barcodes. I think I did everything correctly.

How long does it take before it is "active"?

Thanks to all for a very helpful thread.

Dave.


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