Use a barcode scanner

Use a barcode scanner with AppSheet as described in the following sections:

• Overview of barcode scanning with AppSheet
  • Supported barcode scanners
  • Supported barcode formats
  • General limitations of barcode scanning using AppSheet
• Get started with a sample template
• Enable barcode scanning
  • Enable barcode scanning using the camera on a mobile device
  • Enable barcode scanning using an external barcode scanner
• Test barcode scanning

Overview of barcode scanning with AppSheet

Note: Barcode scanning is supported for Core and Enterprise plans only.

AppSheet can read data from a barcode or QR code using the camera on your phone or tablet, or an external barcode reader.

The following sections provide more details about barcode scanning with AppSheet:

• Supported barcode scanners
• Supported barcode formats
• General limitations of barcode scanning using AppSheet

Supported barcode scanners

AppSheet supports two options for barcode scanning on your mobile device.

Barcode scanner	Description
System default	Provides barcode scanning out of the box. Requires no additional set up after you enable barcode scanning in your app.
Scandit	Delivers a robust set of barcode scanning features and formats for situations where scanning conditions are more challenging (such as, poor light, damaged or bent barcodes) or when you need to scan a lot of codes. You must have a Scandit account and register a license key with AppSheet in order to use Scandit for barcode scanning. See Use Scandit.

Supported barcode formats

AppSheet supports the barcode formats, or symbologies, out of the box.

Note: If your app requires a barcode format that isn't currently supported out of the box, contact AppSheet Support or consider using Scandit for barcode scanning.

• Codabar
• Code 39
• Code 93
• Code 128
• Data Matrix
• EAN-8 and EAN-13
• Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF)
• PDF417
• QR Code
• UPC-A and UPC-E

The Scandit barcode scanner also supports the following formats:

• Code 11
• Code 25
• Dotcode
• EAN 13+2
• EAN 13+5
• GS1 Databar
• MaxiCode
• Micro PDF417
• MicroQR
• Truncated PDF417

Note: Not all formats supported by Scandit are enabled in AppSheet at the moment. Contact AppSheet Support if you are interested in a particular format.

General limitations of barcode scanning with AppSheet

The limitations of barcode scanning with AppSheet include the following:

• Scanning is supported only when running an app on mobile devices.
• Scanning is not supported:
  • When running an app in a web browser. The Scan button is not shown.
  • In the app editor's emulator window. The Scan button is displayed to show you how the app would look like on a mobile device, but it is not operational and always generates the same value: 111122333.
• Line breaks in multi-line QR codes will be removed.

Get started with a sample template

To get started using barcode scanning, check out the Inventory Management sample template. The Inventory Management template manages inventory items and enables you to use a barcode scanner to generate the Item ID when adding a new item.

Enable barcode scanning

Enable barcode scanning as described in the following sections:

• Enable barcode scanning using the camera on a mobile device
• Enable barcode scanning using an external barcode scanner

By default, the System default barcode scanner is enabled. To use Scandit for barcode scanning, you also need to register your Scandit account with AppSheet and enable Scandit for barcode scanning. See Use Scandit.

Enable barcode scanning using the camera on a mobile device

To enable barcode scanning using the camera on a mobile device:

1. Sign in to AppSheet.
2. Open the app in the app editor.
3. Go to Data  and select the table to which you want to add barcode scanning in the list.
   We've made some improvements to the app editor.
   You are opted in to the new editor by default, but you can switch back to the legacy editor at any time.
    

   If you are using the legacy editor

   Go to Data, click Columns, and expand the table to which you want to add barcode scanning.

4. Perform one of the following tasks:

   • Enable the Scan setting for the desired column in the column list.

     

     
     Optionally, enable Search to enable scanned input in the app's built-in search box at the top of the app screen.

   • Click the Edit (pencil) icon to open the row configuration dialog, expand Other Properties, and enable Scannable.

     

     
     Optionally, enable Searchable to enable scanned input in the app's built-in search box at the top of the app screen.

5. Save your changes by selecting one of the following options:

   • Save - Save the app.
   • Save & verify data - Save the app and verify that it is runnable based on external dependencies.

    

After you enable barcode scanning, within the app the column will include an icon to indicate its input may be scanned:

When the icon is tapped, the device's camera will be activated to read the barcode or QR code . The scanned data will be entered as the column value.

If a column that is scannable is also searchable, the app's built-in search box at the top of the app screen will also allow scanned input, as indicated by the scan icon:

 

Enable barcode scanning using an external barcode scanner

Set the type of the column to Text. Any supported external barcode scanner that interacts with your mobile device as a keyboard when a barcode is scanned will insert the barcode into the text field on the input form.

Test barcode scanning

Test barcode and QR code scanning by running your AppSheet app on a mobile device.

Note: Barcode scanning is not available from within the browser-based app or the app editor's emulator window. See General limitations of barcode scanning with AppSheet.