Barcode inventory question

Hello,
I am pretty much brand new to filemaker, using fp8. I have been tasked with
setting up a new inventory system which incorporates bar codes. i have
already been able to import the data from excel, and have set up a new field
which copies the Inventory number and shows it as a barcode-(3 of 9)format.

I need to be able to scan a barcode and have a list created with the scanned
items which i can print out.

How do i set up a list that will use the inventory number the barcode scans,
then automatically enters the needed information from the database?

I have read the posts on the barcode scripts and have a general idea of that
area, but i am not sure on how to set up the list. any help is greatly
appreicated. thanks!

Re: Barcode inventory question

In article <7dd9b9e9ccfa2@uwe>, "lenaraiwa" wrote:

> Hello,
> I am pretty much brand new to filemaker, using fp8. I have been tasked with
> setting up a new inventory system which incorporates bar codes. i have
> already been able to import the data from excel, and have set up a new field
> which copies the Inventory number and shows it as a barcode-(3 of 9)format.
>
> I need to be able to scan a barcode and have a list created with the scanned
> items which i can print out.
>
> How do i set up a list that will use the inventory number the barcode scans,
> then automatically enters the needed information from the database?
>
> I have read the posts on the barcode scripts and have a general idea of that
> area, but i am not sure on how to set up the list. any help is greatly
> appreicated. thanks!

What you need is a second database which is used to store the scanned
barcodes and looks up the other details from your current database via
a Relationship using the barcode as the link.

The basics are two databases (either two separate tables within the
current file or a two separate files).
ie.
MainDataTable
InventoryNumber
Barcode
ProductName
ProductPrice
etc.

ListTable
ScannedBarcode

There then needs to be a Relationship link in the ListTable using the
barcode fields to retrieve the other data from the MainDataTable.
ie.
rel_RetrieveMainData
Match records when ScannedBarcode = MainDataTable::Barcode

Now you can happily scan barcodes into separate records in the
ListTable (see below) and have a List Layout that can be printed which
uses the related fields in the Body part to display / print the
product's other data.
eg.

[ScannedBarcode]
[rel_RetrieveMainData::ProductName]
[rel_RetrieveMainData::ProductPrice]

Using the related fields means the data is NOT stored in the ListTable.
If you want it to be stored / kept (eg. an invoicing system), then it
gets more complicated and will require at least another Relationship
and an extra field to group the records for each invoice. You would
probably also have to worry about quantities (eg. "Bananas x3" rather
than "Banana", "Banana", "Banana").



Creating the list is a matter of scanning the barcodes into separate
records in the ListTable. How you do this will depend on your barcode
scanner. Most scanners will let you append a character to the end of
the barcode when it is sent through to the computer, this can normally
be a Return or a Tab (among other things).

Using the Return character you could have a Script in the ListTable
that you run before starting to scan the items. This Script simply
creates a new record and then waits for the barcode to be scanned
before looping around again.
eg.
Loop
New Record / Request
Go To Field [ScannedBarcode]
Pause / Resume Script
End Loop

When you scan the barcode it will be entered into the ScannedBarcode
field and then the appended Return character will make the Script
resume running to loop around and create the next record and wait for
another barcode.

You'll obviously need way out of the loop once you've scanned all the
wanted items. You can either use FileMaker's own "Cancel" button in the
side Status Bar (when the Script is paused) or put a button on the
Layout that uses the "Exit Script" command.


Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

Re: Barcode inventory question

Wow, Thanks for such a complete answer. i have been reading quite a few of
the FP posts here and you answeres have already helped a lot. I am going to
get to work on setting this up right now.

What steps do i need to take to set up the two databases so that the newly
created report is stored?

I am trying to make a invoice for export/import of items, which means that
each of the items must be seperated, the fields needed for this invoice are

customs number(unique number
inventory number(unique)
barcode(unique-derived from inventory number)
item name(not unique)
quanity
weight
cost

So what will try to set up with your infomation is a new table that takes
this info from the main datatable and puts it into the List table.

but i also need to have this new list table saved so that it can be refered
to later. Thanks again!


Helpful Harry wrote:

>What you need is a second database which is used to store the scanned
>barcodes and looks up the other details from your current database via
>a Relationship using the barcode as the link.
>
>The basics are two databases (either two separate tables within the
>current file or a two separate files).
>ie.
> MainDataTable
> InventoryNumber
> Barcode
> ProductName
> ProductPrice
> etc.
>
> ListTable
> ScannedBarcode
>
>There then needs to be a Relationship link in the ListTable using the
>barcode fields to retrieve the other data from the MainDataTable.
>ie.
> rel_RetrieveMainData
> Match records when ScannedBarcode = MainDataTable::Barcode
>
>Now you can happily scan barcodes into separate records in the
>ListTable (see below) and have a List Layout that can be printed which
>uses the related fields in the Body part to display / print the
>product's other data.
>eg.
>
> [ScannedBarcode]
> [rel_RetrieveMainData::ProductName]
>[rel_RetrieveMainData::ProductPrice]
>
>Using the related fields means the data is NOT stored in the ListTable.
>If you want it to be stored / kept (eg. an invoicing system), then it
>gets more complicated and will require at least another Relationship
>and an extra field to group the records for each invoice. You would
>probably also have to worry about quantities (eg. "Bananas x3" rather
>than "Banana", "Banana", "Banana").
>
>Creating the list is a matter of scanning the barcodes into separate
>records in the ListTable. How you do this will depend on your barcode
>scanner. Most scanners will let you append a character to the end of
>the barcode when it is sent through to the computer, this can normally
>be a Return or a Tab (among other things).
>
>Using the Return character you could have a Script in the ListTable
>that you run before starting to scan the items. This Script simply
>creates a new record and then waits for the barcode to be scanned
>before looping around again.
>eg.
> Loop
> New Record / Request
> Go To Field [ScannedBarcode]
> Pause / Resume Script
> End Loop
>
>When you scan the barcode it will be entered into the ScannedBarcode
>field and then the appended Return character will make the Script
>resume running to loop around and create the next record and wait for
>another barcode.
>
>You'll obviously need way out of the loop once you've scanned all the
>wanted items. You can either use FileMaker's own "Cancel" button in the
>side Status Bar (when the Script is paused) or put a button on the
>Layout that uses the "Exit Script" command.
>
>Helpful Harry
>Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

--
Message posted via DBMonster.com
http://www.dbmonster.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/filemaker/200801/1

Re: Barcode inventory question

In article <7de4b6ac340fd@uwe>, "lenaraiwa via DBMonster.com"
wrote:

> Wow, Thanks for such a complete answer. i have been reading quite a few of
> the FP posts here and you answeres have already helped a lot. I am going to
> get to work on setting this up right now.
>
> What steps do i need to take to set up the two databases so that the newly
> created report is stored?
>
> I am trying to make a invoice for export/import of items, which means that
> each of the items must be seperated, the fields needed for this invoice are
>
> customs number(unique number
> inventory number(unique)
> barcode(unique-derived from inventory number)
> item name(not unique)
> quanity
> weight
> cost
>
> So what will try to set up with your infomation is a new table that takes
> this info from the main datatable and puts it into the List table.
>
> but i also need to have this new list table saved so that it can be refered
> to later. Thanks again!

You can do an invoicing system using just the two tables / files, but
you would have to make sure each newly scanned barcode record is given
the same Invoice Number (unique to each invoice) so that the records
can be grouped for printing. This will complicate the scanning process
a little since you have to re-enter the same Invoice Number (or if you
use an Auto-enter option to copy the previous record's data you will
have to remember to chance it for the next invoice's items.

A better way is usually to add a third table / file which is used to
store the Invoice's main details (Customer, Address, etc.) and has a
Relationship to the List table where each line item of the invoice is
stored as a separate record.
eg.
MainDatabase
Product Barcode (unique)
Product Name
Product Cost
etc.

InvoiceDatabase
Customer Name
Customer Address
Invoice Number (unique)
Invoice Date
etc.

ListDatabase
Item Invoice Number (NOT unique)
Item Barcode (NOT unique)
Item Quantity
Item Price
etc.

(You might want a fourth table for the Customer records if they have
recurring invoices.)

The relationships would be:

InvoiceDatabase -> ListDatabase
when Invoice Number = Item Invoice Number

and
ListDatabase <-> MainDatabase
when Item Barcode = Product Barcode

Data entry of the invoice would be via the InvoiceDatabase table. You
would create a new Invoice record typing in the customer details. You
could then have a Portal displaying the related ItemDatabase records -
this Portal needs to allow creation of new records. The barcode
scanning would then have to be changed to have a Tab character
appeneded so that it scans and then Tabs to the Quantity field. You
would then need to manually tab to the next Portal row for the next
barcode to be scanned into. The Portal takes care of making sure the
correct Invoice Number is added to each new Item record.

The Invoice iteself must be printed from the ListDatabase table (using
the Relationship to the InvoiceDatabase to retrieve the related fields
for Customer, Address, etc.) and can have a Summary field to total the
Prices.



Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)