Access DB stock control system using barcodes?

[adam_rhodes10]

Hi everyone,

Ive been asked to create a stock control system for a small tyre firm so they are able to scan barcodes and update the stock level. So when a product comes in stock it is scanned in and then when it is sold it is scanned out.

My initial thoughts were to use access, I wondered if I was right and access was the way to go and if so wondered if anyone could give me any tips and how to intergrate the bardcode element with the DB

Thanks Adam

 

[pbaldy]

Access should be a good tool for the job. I have a couple of repair/inventory applications that include barcode scanning. I happen to use SQL Server as a back end, but Access should work fine.

I use USB and wireless scanners that provide the scan data and then a tab or enter as keyboard input. That means you just write your application so focus sits in a textbox waiting for a scan. You then use the update events of the textbox to handle the incoming data.

 

[adam_rhodes10]

Access should be a good tool for the job. I have a couple of repair/inventory applications that include barcode scanning. I happen to use SQL Server as a back end, but Access should work fine.

I use USB and wireless scanners that provide the scan data and then a tab or enter as keyboard input. That means you just write your application so focus sits in a textbox waiting for a scan. You then use the update events of the textbox to handle the incoming data.

Sorry might be being a bit special, but how does it know which barcode is scanned? how are the barcodes stored in the DB?

I thought i could use something like this to generate the barcodes

http://www.terryburton.co.uk/barcodewriter/generator/

Thanks for the fast responce

 

[pbaldy]

Every database starts out empty. You could either import your barcode data from someplace, or you'll need to build the data yourself, presumably by scanning items in and adding whatever related information is appropriate to your situation.

 

[adam_rhodes10]

Every database starts out empty. You could either import your barcode data from someplace, or you'll need to build the data yourself, presumably by scanning items in and adding whatever related information is appropriate to your situation.

Yeah get ya, but how does access know wot 2 do, for example ive got a USB barcode scanner if i scan nothing will happen, i want to create the tables myself then when a barcode is scanned it just updates the tables with +/- 1 product

 

[pbaldy]

If you want a program that knows what to do out of the box, you're going to need to buy one. Access gives you the tools to build a custom application, but it doesn't magically know what you want done. You would need to program the forms to handle the input as desired.

 

[adam_rhodes10]

If you want a program that knows what to do out of the box, you're going to need to buy one. Access gives you the tools to build a custom application, but it doesn't magically know what you want done. You would need to program the forms to handle the input as desired.

I know thats wot i was saying access wouldnt know wot to do, think we are just going round in circles, do you know of where i should start, like how do i program access to update when the barcode is scanned, and how is it stored? because barcodes are just numbers right so would it just be like if 123 is scanned from the barcode +/- 1 for product 123 in the products table, but how would access pick up 123 off the barcode and know what it is

 

[neileg]

Couple of points, Adam.

This forum exists to help people with their problems with Access. Expecting to be led by the hand in the creation of an entire application is asking more than most people would be prepared to give. If you're a complete beginner, then an inventory application is pretty complex.

Secondly, a bar code is nothing special, it's just a set of numbers. Most scanners can be setup to populate the keyboard buffer with the code and then add another character, say a return or a tab. Entering data through a form, if a control has the focus waiting for input, the scanned code will be enetered as if from the keyboard and the the tab or return will shift the focus to the next control waiting for the next input. Effectively, you can igonore the barcode scanning until more or less the whole application is developed, and then graft it on.

 

[adam_rhodes10]

Thanks for the help, im not a complete access beginner its getting my head around how it will work is my problem