Benefits Of Bar Codes At Events
From healthcare, retail to education and the events industry, barcodes are widely used in almost all industries. Barcodes are a great way to cut costs and save time. It is a valuable and viable option for organizations seeking ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Particularly, in the events industry, where event planners look for ways to save time, barcodes are extremely effective and reliable. In this blog, we will talk about the types of barcodes, their benefits and how it can be used in an event.
Types of barcode
There are several ways to present a barcode, but the most common ways to represent it are 1-dimensional (1D) and 2-dimensional (2D).
1 Dimensional
· The most common type of barcode, used on 99% of items, including retail products, event tickets, serial numbers.
· These are rectangular in shape and comprises contrasting black lines and white spaces
· Easier to scan
· It can be easily damaged, making it unusable
2 Dimensional
· It is commonly square in shape
· Consists of white and black squares
· Can store huge volume of data
· Cannot be damaged easily, therefore, have longer shelf life
Equipment required for barcodes
Barcode
This goes without saying. You can only use a barcode if you’ve got one on products, event tickets, etc.
Barcode Scanner
You also need a barcode scanner to scan the barcode. These are generally hand held scanners connected to a computer. Smartphones can also be used to scan barcodes.
Database
Barcode scanner is used to gather information which needs to be stored in one central system. Therefore, the database is an important part of using barcodes. For instance, as an event planner you can use barcodes at your event and connect it to the database that contains the list of attendees. Once your attendees arrive, scan the barcode and the system will automatically pull all the information in your database for you to verify attendees’ details and check them in. You can scan the barcode by either connecting the scanner to a local computer or using an event registration system with a check-in app like Eventdex to wirelessly connect it through the Internet.
Now that we know the types of barcodes and how to use it, let’s look at some of the benefits of using them.
· Barcodes are a great way to eliminate human errors. It reduces the possibility of error usually seen when entering data manually. A barcode scan is quick and takes less time to enter data. It also very reliable as the data entered in the system is automated, and not entered by hand.
· Barcodes also reduces time taken to train team members. It takes only minutes to master how to use the hand-held scanner for reading barcodes. For an event planner, having this at events is a huge advantage as they can train anyone on their team and save tons of time.
· Barcodes are cheap to create and print. They can also be customized, based on their placement and their purpose. They come in a variety of finishes and materials.
· Barcodes are versatile and can be used to collect any kind of data. This could include attendee check-in data for event professionals or pricing of an inventory at a retail store.
· Barcodes can be used to collect relevant information as required. They provide fast, reliable data that can be used for a large number of applications.Since the data is directly scanned into a system, this ensure that no time is wasted on data entry or retrieval.
· Since barcode provides data in real-time, it is easy to make changes as needed. It promotes better decision making and allows users to make more informed decisions, which in turn saves both time and money.
How to use barcodes at events?
There are two ways to use barcodes at events. Barcodes can be used to check attendees into the event and to track attendance at individual sessions.
Check-in guests as they arrive
Use an event registration system that supports barcode scanners for events like Eventdex mobile apps. To set up:
· Just add a barcode to the email or the e-ticket.
· Ask attendees to present the barcode upon their arrival at the event.
· Install a barcode scanner on smartphones or tablets and ask your event staff to check attendees into the event.
Track attendance at individual session
Barcodes can also be used to track attendance at individual sessions, but this is more common at larger events and the number of concurrent sessions your guests are attending. To know who attended the session, just get a scanner and simply scan the badges when people enter the session. Alternatively, you can have the data pre-loaded into your database and check in attendees registered for the session.
