How a scanner talks to your till
Handheld and counter scanners usually work in keyboard mode (sometimes called keyboard wedge or HID mode). The scanner reads the barcode and sends the digits to the computer exactly as if someone had typed them very quickly, usually followed by Enter. Whatever box has the cursor receives the code.
That's why a good POS keeps its search box ready for a scan, and why a scan that lands in the wrong window simply types numbers there.
Connect it
- USB scanners: plug it in and wait a few seconds while Windows installs it as a keyboard. No driver is normally needed.
- Bluetooth scanners: put the scanner in keyboard (HID) mode, then pair it from Windows Bluetooth settings like any keyboard. Some models need a configuration barcode from their manual to switch modes.
- Scanners with a cradle: plug the cradle into USB and pair the scanner to the cradle as the manual describes.
Test it in Notepad first
- Open Notepad and click inside the page.
- Scan a product barcode.
- You should see the digits, then the cursor jumps to a new line. That new line is the Enter suffix your till relies on.
- Scan a few different products to check the code length looks right: 13 digits for EAN-13, 12 for UPC-A.
The Arabic keyboard problem
A keyboard-mode scanner sends keystrokes, and Windows translates them through the active keyboard layout. If the counter PC is switched to an Arabic keyboard, letters in a code can arrive as Arabic characters and the product won't be found.
- Switch the input language to English while scanning (Alt+Shift or Windows key+Space).
- On a dedicated counter PC, make English the default input method and add Arabic as a second one for typing names.
- Some scanners can be set to a specific keyboard country in their configuration; check the manual.
Which barcodes you'll meet
| Type | Looks like | Where you'll see it |
|---|---|---|
| EAN-13 | 13 digits | Most packaged products sold in the UAE |
| UPC-A | 12 digits | Many products from North America |
| Code 128 | Letters and digits | Shelf labels and products you label yourself |
For loose or unlabelled products, print your own labels with a Code 128 barcode made from the product's SKU. That keeps codes unique within your shop without buying barcode numbers.
Troubleshooting
| What happens | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| It beeps but nothing appears | The cursor isn't in the till's search box | Click the search box, or use the till's search shortcut, then scan |
| Extra characters before or after the code | A prefix or suffix is configured | Reset the scanner's prefix/suffix using its manual |
| Codes arrive as Arabic letters | Arabic keyboard layout active | Switch input to English while scanning |
| The same item adds twice | Double read on a shiny label | Increase the scanner's same-code delay in its settings |
| Two products match one barcode | The code was reused or imported twice | Pick the right one, then fix it in your catalogue |
Speed tricks at the till
- Type a quantity and an asterisk before scanning, such as 3*, to ring up three at once.
- For weighed goods, type the weight first, such as 1.25 x, then the product.
- Keep the scanner on a stand for hands-free scanning of small items.