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Unknown barcodes

This page covers the sheet that opens when the scanner reads a code your site hasn't seen before. Linked barcodes stay linked for the site.

Who can: Owner, Admin, Member, Inventory manager Creating a new product also needs a role that manages products. Everyone else sees the sheet titled Unknown barcode and can only link.

At the top the sheet shows what it read from the code: GTIN, Expiry, Lot and Serial.

  • Link existing. Search under Find a product and tap the product. The barcode is linked to it.
  • Create product. Fill in the form and tap Create & link. On a stock-in screen the button reads Create & add or Create & add to cart, to match how your site saves scans. If a product with the same name, vendor, size and REF already exists, it's refused: use Link existing to add the barcode to that product instead. Only roles that manage products see this tab. For them the sheet is titled New product?.
  • Skip closes the sheet without linking anything.

Box size is on the sheet too. If the barcode is on a box of several items, set "This barcode is a box of" to the number of units, from 1 to 1000. See Repeat scans, serials and boxes.

Automatic lookups

When you create a product, the form fills in from public databases. The app tries them in order:

Unknown barcodes

The first time a barcode isn't linked to any product, a sheet opens. Link it to an existing product, or (with permission) create a new one. After that, the same barcode goes straight through.

To fill in the new product for you, the app looks the code up, in order:

  1. FDA GUDID — the US medical device database, by barcode. Gives name, REF, maker, sizes and box size.
  2. Health Canada (MDALL) — by barcode, if GUDID has nothing.
  3. Health Canada by REF — runs by itself when the barcode or GUDID already gives the REF. Otherwise type the REF from the label and tap Look up.

Each lookup gives up after a few seconds. If nothing is found, fill the form in by hand.

A lookup fills only fields that are still empty. Each source adds to the one before it and never overwrites what you typed. If nothing is found, fill the form in by hand. The Health Canada lookups only run for people who can create products. You can also link barcodes ahead of time under Backfill barcodes.

Finding the REF

Finding the REF on a label

Look for the REF symbol (or "Cat. No.") on the box, usually near the product name. Type it exactly, letters and dashes included, e.g. 7.0-35-80. It's not the LOT, the SN or the long number under the barcode.

When several Health Canada devices share that REF, pick the one that matches the box.

What happens to the scanned item

  • Stock in. The item you scanned carries on through the usual saving rules, so it is saved, asked about, or put in the cart depending on your site's setting. See How scans are saved. The lot and expiry come from the barcode, or from the sheet's own fields.
  • Stock out and Case. The barcode is linked, but nothing is recorded. The message says "Scan it again to record it."
  • Visit. Nothing is recorded. Visit scanning isn't available yet.

In stock in, when label reading is on, the sheet also shows a Lot field if the code had no lot and an Expiry date field if it had no expiry. See Reading labels.