Barcode Generation Best Practices
- 2 minutes to read
This help topic explains how to choose a barcode symbology and configure GS1-specific settings.
Choose an Appropriate Barcode Type
The barcode type (symbology) depends on your business requirements and industry standards.
In general, consider using Interleaved 2 of 5 for encoding digits and Code 39 for encoding the full range of ASCII characters.
For a list of supported barcodes, see Bar Code Types.
Insert Function Code Characters or Application Identifiers
Some encodings allow you to insert a FNC1 character that separates application identifiers from the rest of the barcode.
According to the GS1 specification, the FNC1 character is always inserted at the first position of the encoded data. You can insert other identifiers manually with the default “#“ character.
Although you can use any ASCII character as the FNC1 placeholder, the placeholder character is not part of the encoded data because it has no direct ASCII representation.
For the Code 128 symbology, you can also define FNC2-4 characters.
Use the following properties to specify the FNC1 placeholder:
For a list of available application identifiers, refer to the official documentation at www.gs1.org.
Use Barcodes in Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems
The Barcode Generation API does not include built-in support for matrix or thermal printers.
To access internal printer fonts or achieve the fastest printing speed, follow the native approach suggested by the printer manufacturer. Manufacturers typically provide a control-command set that you send directly to the printer port.
Quick Checks
- Increase the quiet zone for 2D barcodes. For QR codes, set QRCodeOptions.IncludeQuietZone to
true. - Match module size to printer DPI. Set BarcodeOptions.ModuleSize.