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QR Code and Barcode Generation

In Zoho Inventory, you can generate QR codes and barcodes for your items using a variety of item identifiers, such as SKU, EAN, UPC, ISBN, serial numbers, and batch numbers. Once generated, labels can be printed individually from the item’s detail page or in bulk from the Items list. Scanning these labels during transactions allows Zoho Inventory to identify and select items automatically, making stock handling faster and more accurate.

Barcode Templates

Barcode templates control the layout and appearance of your printed barcode and QR code labels. Zoho Inventory includes two default templates out of the box:

  • Barcode Template: Generates a standard linear barcode displaying the item name and price.
  • QR Code Template: Generates a QR code displaying the item name and price.

You can use either default template as-is, or create custom templates to include additional details such as warehouse location, batch number, or custom item fields.

To enable item barcodes:

Item barcodes must be enabled before the Generate Barcode option appears on item detail pages.

  • Click the Gear icon in the top right corner to go to Settings.
  • Select PDF Templates under Customisation.
  • Scroll down in the templates list on the left and select Item Barcodes.
  • Click Enable Item Barcodes.

Once enabled, the two default barcode templates appear and the Generate Barcode option becomes available on all item detail pages.

To view or manage barcode templates:

  • Click the Gear icon in the top right corner.
  • Select PDF Templates under Customisation.
  • Select Item Barcodes from the templates list on the left.

To create a new barcode template:

  • Click + New in the top right corner.
  • In the Choose a Template screen, hover over a template card to reveal customisation options.
  • Click Default Editor to use the visual editor, or Code Editor to customise using HTML.
  • Select the Template Language and click Use This.
  • In the template editor, configure settings across two tabs:
    • Page Properties tab:
      • Paper Size: Select the label sheet size (such as A7 or A4), or enter custom dimensions.
      • Page Margin: Set the margin (in mm) around the entire printed page — Top, Bottom, Left, Right.
      • Number of Rows and Number of Columns: Set how many labels are arranged per page.
    • Template Properties tab:
      • Template Name: Enter a name for the template.
      • Label Margins: Set the spacing (in mm) between the label edge and its content — Top, Bottom, Left, Right.
      • PDF Font: Select the font used for text on the label.
      • Barcode Type: Select the barcode format (for example, Code 128 for linear barcodes). Click Apply Recommended Barcode Size to set dimensions that minimise scanning errors.
      • Display Barcode Value: Enable to print the encoded value as text below the barcode.
      • Item Name, SKU, Item Rate, Organisation Name: Enable each field to include it as a text line on the label.
  • Preview the label using Label Preview and the full page layout using Page Preview.
  • Click Save.

Note: If you use a dedicated barcode printer, ensure the template’s paper size and label dimensions match the paper size and label format configured in your printer before printing.

Configure Barcode Scanning Field

The barcode scanning field tells Zoho Inventory which item field to match against when a barcode is scanned during a transaction, for example when adding items to a sales order or recording a purchase receive. To ensure items are identified correctly on scan, this field must match the Barcode Generation Field you use when generating barcodes.

To configure the barcode scanning field:

  • Click the Gear icon in the top right corner.
  • Select Items under Module Settings > General.
  • Click the Preferences tab.
  • Under Select items when barcodes are scanned using:, choose the field from the dropdown.

The available options are:

FieldDescription
SKUMatches items by their Stock Keeping Unit code.
ISBNMatches items by their International Standard Book Number.
UPCMatches items by their Universal Product Code.
EANMatches items by their European Article Number. This is the default selection.
  • Click Save.

Insight: The barcode scanning field and the Barcode Generation Field must match. For example, if you generate barcodes using SKU, set the scanning field to SKU so items are matched correctly when scanned in transactions.

Generate Barcode or QR Code

You can generate a barcode or QR code for an item from its detail page. The generated barcode is saved against the item and can be printed at any time until you regenerate it with different settings.

Generate for a Single Item

  • Go to the Items module under Items from the left sidebar.

  • Click the item for which you want to generate a barcode or QR code.

  • Click Generate Barcode in the top right corner of the item’s detail page.

  • In the Generate Barcode popup, configure the following:

    • Template: Select the label layout. Choose Barcode Template to generate a linear barcode, or QR Code Template to generate a QR code.
    • Barcode Generation Field: Select the item field whose value will be encoded in the barcode or QR code.

  • Click Generate & Save.

Once generated, the button in the top right corner changes to Print Barcode or Print QR Code, depending on the template selected.

Note: Clicking Generate Barcode again for an item that already has a barcode will regenerate it using the new settings. The previous barcode configuration is replaced.

Barcode Generation Fields

The Barcode Generation Field determines the data encoded in the barcode or QR code. Select the field that best fits how you identify and scan items in your workflow:

FieldDescription
Item NameEncodes the item’s display name. Use when items are identified by name at the point of scan.
SKUEncodes the item’s Stock Keeping Unit code. Best for organisations using internal item codes.
EANEncodes the item’s European Article Number. Use for standard retail products with EAN barcodes.
UPCEncodes the item’s Universal Product Code. Use for products with standard UPC barcodes.
ISBNEncodes the item’s International Standard Book Number. Use for books and publications.
Serial NumberEncodes a specific serial number. Available only for serial number tracked items.
Batch NumberEncodes a specific batch number. Available only for batch tracked items.

Pro Tip: For the most consistent scanning experience, use the same field for both barcode generation and the barcode scanning preference in Settings. For example, if your items have EAN codes printed on their packaging, generate barcodes using EAN and set the scanning field to EAN.

Serial Number Barcodes

For items tracked by serial number, you can generate individual barcodes or QR codes for each serial number. This lets you label individual physical units uniquely and scan them to identify the exact unit during transactions such as delivery or returns.

To generate serial number barcodes:

  • Go to the Items module under Items from the left sidebar.
  • Click the serial number tracked item.
  • Click Generate Barcode in the top right corner.
  • Select a template under Template.
  • Select Serial Number under Barcode Generation Field.
  • Select one or more serial numbers under Select Serial Numbers.
  • Click Generate & Save.

A unique barcode is generated for each selected serial number.

Note: The Serial Number option in Barcode Generation Field appears only for items with serial number tracking enabled. To enable serial number tracking, go to Settings > Items > Preferences and select Enable Serial Number Tracking under Advanced Inventory Tracking.

Batch Number Barcodes

For items tracked by batch, you can generate barcodes or QR codes for individual batch numbers. Batch barcodes help identify and move stock through receiving, storage, and dispatch by batch, reducing the risk of mixing or mislabelling.

To generate batch number barcodes:

  • Go to the Items module under Items from the left sidebar.
  • Click the batch tracked item.
  • Click Generate Barcode in the top right corner.
  • Select a template under Template.
  • Select Batch Number under Barcode Generation Field.
  • Select one or more batch numbers under Select Batch Numbers.
  • Click Generate & Save.

Note: The Batch Number option in Barcode Generation Field appears only for items with batch tracking enabled. To enable batch tracking, go to Settings > Items > Preferences and select Enable Batch Tracking under Advanced Inventory Tracking.

Generate Barcodes in Bulk

You can generate barcodes for multiple items at once from the Items list view. This is useful when onboarding a new product catalogue or refreshing barcode labels across your inventory.

To generate barcodes in bulk:

  • Go to the Items module under Items from the left sidebar.
  • Select the checkboxes next to the items for which you want to generate barcodes.
  • Click Generate Barcode from the bulk action bar that appears at the top of the list.
  • In the popup, select the Template and Barcode Generation Field.
  • Click Generate & Save.

Note: There is a maximum limit on the number of items that can be selected for bulk barcode generation at one time.

After generating barcodes, you can print labels individually from the item’s detail page, or print in bulk from the Items list view.

You can print the barcode or QR code for an item from its detail page and specify the number of label copies to print in a single print job.

To print a barcode or QR code:

  • Go to the Items module under Items from the left sidebar.
  • Click the item whose barcode or QR code you want to print.
  • Click Print Barcode or Print QR Code in the top right corner.

Note: The Print Barcode or Print QR Code button appears only after a barcode has been generated for the item. If the button shows Generate Barcode instead, generate the barcode first.

  • In the Print Barcode popup, review the configuration:

    • Associated Template: The template used when the barcode was last generated.
    • Associated Field: The item field encoded in the barcode.
    • Number of Barcode Copies: Enter the number of label copies to print.

  • Click Print.

To update the barcode configuration before printing:

  • Click Edit in the Print Barcode popup.
  • Update the Template or Barcode Generation Field as needed.
  • Click Generate & Save to regenerate the barcode with the updated settings.
  • Click Print to print the updated labels.

Print Barcodes in Bulk

After generating barcodes for multiple items, you can print all their labels in a single job from the Items list view, without visiting each item’s detail page individually.

To print barcodes in bulk:

  • Go to the Items module under Items from the left sidebar.
  • Select the checkboxes next to the items whose barcodes you want to print.
  • Click Print Barcode from the bulk action bar that appears at the top of the list.
  • In the popup, enter the number of label copies to print per item under Number of Barcode Copies.
  • Click Print.

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