RFID
RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) is a wireless identification technology that allows tags (passive or active) to be read at distance without line-of-sight. RFID has become central to modern warehouse operations — enabling rapid case/pallet scanning, gate reading without manual barcoding, real-time inventory visibility, and item-level tracking.
Common frequencies: LF (low frequency, very short range, e.g., animal tagging), HF (e.g., NFC), UHF (long range, dominant in supply chain). Standards include EPC Gen 2 (UHF). Modern WMS platforms support hybrid barcode/RFID workflows so warehouses can adopt RFID incrementally.
RFID removes the manual scan — items are read in bulk, at distance, without line-of-sight. That is what makes real-time, item-level inventory accuracy practical at scale, turning a full-pallet or gate read into a single instantaneous event instead of dozens of barcode scans.
(no line of sight)
What is the difference between RFID and a barcode?
A barcode must be seen and scanned one at a time; an RFID tag is read wirelessly at distance, in bulk, without line-of-sight — much faster for pallets, cases and gate reads.
What is UHF RFID?
Ultra-high-frequency RFID — the long-range band (EPC Gen 2) that dominates supply-chain use, readable across several metres for case and pallet tracking.