1sixty8 Manifold supports barcode scanning in two ways. At the counter and on most pages of the platform, you scan with a keyboard-wedge scanner plugged into your computer. In the mobile bay app, you scan with your phone or tablet's camera. This article covers the keyboard-wedge path; the mobile bay camera scanner is described in the article on where you can use a scanner.

Most barcode scanners used in retail are "HID keyboard-wedge" devices. They pretend to be a keyboard. When the scanner reads a barcode, it types the digits into whatever field has focus, then sends Enter. 1sixty8 Manifold takes advantage of that by listening for those scanner-speed keystrokes platform-wide.

Two things make this work

  • A small listener watches for keystrokes that come in faster than a human can type (within 50ms of each other) and treats them as a scan rather than typing.
  • Once a scan is detected, the platform inspects the code to figure out what it is: a VIN, a UPC, an EAN-13, a document number (invoice, work order, purchase order, and so on), or a generic serial or SKU.

When you scan something, one of three things happens depending on what page you are on:

  1. If your cursor is sitting in a field that accepts scans (the barcode or SKU field on a product, the VIN field on an invoice, a serial entry input), the scanned value is typed into that field and the form reacts as if you typed it yourself.
  2. If you are on a page that registered a scan handler (the invoice line-item area, the purchase order form, the physical count screen), the page handles the scan in its own way. Usually that means looking up the product and adding it as a line item.
  3. If neither of the above applies, the platform routes the scan by content type. Scanning a printed document barcode (an invoice, estimate, refund, work order, purchase order, or return order) opens that exact document. Scanning a VIN takes you to vehicle search.

You will hear a short buzz if the scan does not find a match. Successful scans are silent so the form can update without distraction.

You can turn scanner support off on a per-user basis under Settings, Notifications.