Barcodes Were Once Very Controversial

Barcodes Were Once Very Controversial

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Barcodes are everywhere, from toothpaste to soup cans but this wasn't always the case. These strange looking symbols took a while to catch on and were even a source of controversy when they first appeared. Today, they are an accepted part of everyday life.

Work on the barcode system started in 1948. The initial set up used ultraviolet ink, but the expensive ink faded too quickly to lend itself to practical use. The next innovation in the hypothetical system incorporated the use of Morse code. The dashes and dots of the code were simply extended and the lines were made thin and thick. For reading the code, technology created for reading optical movie soundtracks was repurposed.

This early barcode system was patented in 1949 as a classifying apparatus and method, and was later adopted by the railway system as a method for classifying and tracking railroad cars. Afterward the United States Post Office requested a system for keeping track of packages.

The first grocery item to have a barcode was a pack of Juicy Fruit gum. It was a perfect fit for the grocery store but this common use drew a lot of controversy from consumers who had never seen it before. The rumor among evangelical conservatives was that barcodes contained the mark of the beast and Phil Donahue declared them a corporate plot against consumers. As time went on, the system proved to be none of those things.

Today, almost all businesses use barcodes to keep track of payroll and inventory. This allow manufacturers to instantly keep track of sales rates and replenish the supply of fast moving inventory and likewise prevent back up of slow moving inventory. It is imperative for businesses to keep track of inventory and barcodes help them do so in a cost effective manner.

Knowing what to buy and when to buy it prevents companies from accidentally purchasing too much inventory which can be hard to get rid of once an excess has accumulated. The value of inventory decreases once it is considered overstocked and eventually a company may have to offer these items at a discount in order to free up storage space.

For a business to survive and thrive, these kind of incidents should be kept to a minimum. Having a barcode system in place makes logistical and organizational business tasks simpler and easier to manage. This alone can save a company a considerable amount annually.

Barcodes are also excellent for payroll management. They tend to save businesses a lot of money by automatically keeping track of employee time and attendance. The system automatically handles payroll generation based on information that has been logged.

A business using this technology has no need to employ an individual to take care of payroll, thus saving significant money. Since this expense is recurring, a barcode payroll system will pay for itself within a matter of months. They have many practical uses and are versatile and useful for businesses large and small.

About the Author:
Find out more about Wasp barcode scanners at Wasp Barcode - In the UK see a full range of barcode equipment and solutions from Wasp Barcode UK.



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