Barcode Wizard

The Barcode policy allows you to create various barcode definitions for the different types of barcodes that may be used in your library. Typically, barcodes are entered exactly as they are scanned, but the policies allow certain types of barcodes to be identified and to be entered in such a way that the numbers entered do not exactly match what was scanned.

For example, the actual barcode for a user might have a 14-digit number, of which the first five digits are non unique. The actual user records might contain only the last nine (unique) digits. A Barcode policy identifies such barcodes and can be configured to drop the first five scanned characters so that only the matching portion is entered in the User ID text box.

If the Barcode Validation feature is configured, the Barcode policies are ignored. See the Barcode Validation Wizard topic for more information.

The maximum barcode length in SirsiDynix Symphony is 17 characters.

Barcode readers have to be programmed correctly to recognize any changes you make to the barcode policies. If you are using factory settings, changing barcode policies will not have any affect.

From the List Policies window, you can create, display, modify, copy, or remove the Barcode policies. Click Close to exit the wizard.

This attribute uniquely identifies the policy. This name is ten characters or less, and may not include spaces or punctuation, except for dash (-), underscore (_), and dollar sign ($). Additionally, the pipe character (|) may not be used.

This attribute provides more information about the policy and its use by the library. The description may be up to 60 characters in length. Although the Description attribute may contain spaces and punctuation, the pipe character (|) cannot be used.

This attribute allows you to specify how many characters are in the barcode, including a check digit. The Read Length must be unique for each Barcode policy. If the Read Length is the same for two policies, the first policy created will take precedence. Since the current maximum read length for barcode scanners is 32, the maximum value for this field is 32.

This attribute specifies how many characters, reading from the left, should be skipped when the barcode is scanned.

For example, if the Skip attribute for a Barcode policy is set to three, the first three characters of the barcode will not be sent to the server when the barcode is scanned. The barcode A0349920 appears as 49920 on the workstation when scanned.

This attribute specifies how many characters, reading from the left after skipping characters as specified by the Skip attribute, should be retained when the barcode is scanned.

Note: The sum of the number specified in the Skip attribute and the number specified in the Use Length attribute must be equal to or less than the total number of barcode characters.

For example, the Skip attribute determines how many characters (reading from the left) are skipped when a barcode is scanned. The Use Length attribute determines how many characters, reading from the left after the skipped characters, are to be retained when a barcode is scanned. A library uses ten-character barcodes. The library sets the Skip attribute to 7, and the Use Length attribute to 3. When the barcode 3239492A97 is scanned, the characters 3239492 are skipped, and the characters A97 display on the workstation.

This attribute specifies whether or not a check digit is used in the barcode. A check digit is a digit at the end of the barcode that represents a checksum calculated by running the other scanned characters through a mathematical formula. Check digits are used to verify the accuracy of the scan.

For example, in the barcode 50101000400981, the last digit is a check digit calculated by running the previous 13 digits through a mathematical formula.

This attribute specifies whether or not all alphabetic characters will be removed when the barcode is scanned.

For example, if this attribute is selected, the barcode ABDCE000FG123456HI0001 will scan as 0001234560001.

This attribute specifies whether or not all leading zeros will be removed when the barcode is scanned.

For example, if this attribute is also selected, the barcode in the preceding example will then scan as 1234560001. If all of the Barcode policy attributes are selected, the order of precedence for applying these attributes is as follows.