Re: [EE] Suggestions for barcode scanning

If you're thinking of writing your own code the simplest solution might be 
to take a picture of the barcode along with a hand written count then dump 
all the pictures to a PC and post process. It should be trivial to process 
the pics.

Regards
Sergio Masci

On Sun, 16 Nov 2025, Denny Esterline wrote:

> I'm overseeing a physical inventory count at year end and looking for tools
> or suggestions.
>
> We’ve got about 7,000 part numbers and roughly 50,000 total parts. Every
> item has a barcode label with its part number.
>
> Ideally, I’d like to deploy 2–3 people with mobile phones or tablets using
> a simple workflow:
> Scan bin -> enter count -> upload to spreadsheet -> repeat.
> Seems straightforward, and if we can get it down to ~10 seconds per cycle,
> I think we could cover everything in a day. That’s not a hard requirement,
> just a ballpark that feels reasonable.
>
> I’ve done some searching and haven’t found anything that even remotely
> matches this workflow. Most tools I’ve seen are layered with features —
> inventory management, purchasing, stock levels, etc. They may be great in
> their own right, but they’re not built for this kind of “count only” audit,
> and they seem to take several minutes per cycle and the math on that looks
> like multiple weeks. That doesn't feel reasonable.
>
> I cannot possibly be the first person to want to do this.
>
> Usually when I can’t find something that “just has to exist,” it’s either:
>
>   - I’m describing it wrong / using the wrong search terms
>   - Or I’ve got my head up my backside and there’s something I’m not seeing
>
> There’s precedent for both. :-)
>
> I’m about 90% convinced I need to write my own app for this, but before I
> commit, I wanted to ask the hivemind:
>
>   - Am I asking the wrong questions?
>   - Am I thinking about this wrong?
>   - Any tools, workflows, or suggestions you’ve seen or used?
>
> At this point, I’d even settle for slings and arrows.
>
>
> -Denny
> -- 
> http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> https://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
-- 
http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
https://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist