Barcode
A Barcode is a machine-readable symbol that encodes data — most often a GS1 identifier such as a GTIN (product) or SSCC (logistics unit) — so it can be captured instantly by a scanner instead of keyed by hand. Linear (1D) barcodes such as EAN/UPC and GS1-128 encode a line of digits; 2D symbols such as QR and DataMatrix pack far more data in a small square.
In the supply chain, barcodes are scanned at every handover — goods receipt, put-away, picking, despatch — to identify items and units, drive the warehouse system, and build the traceability record. They are the everyday link between the physical goods and the data about them.
The barcode is what makes fast, accurate, hands-free identification possible across the whole supply chain. Every scan replaces manual keying — cutting errors and labour at receiving, picking and despatch — and creates the event data that stock control and traceability depend on.
What is the difference between a 1D and a 2D barcode?
A 1D (linear) barcode encodes a line of characters, like the EAN/UPC on retail packs; a 2D barcode (QR, DataMatrix) encodes much more data in a square pattern, used where more information or a smaller mark is needed.