Digitally transform physical workflows by turning the devices you already have into cost-efficient scanning tools

Scanning barcodes is a critical part of many frontline worker workflows – whether you are managing shelves in a retail store, inventorying goods in a warehouse, managing assets on the factory floor, or accessing records in a hospital. We are excited to share the immediate general availability (GA) of the improved barcode reader control. Workers will now be able to scan barcodes quickly, accurately, and flexibly on their Android and iOS devices.

This new barcode reader control replaces the existing barcode scanner control. The barcode scanner control is still available behind an app setting in the Retired tab. We will continue supporting the barcode scanner but recommend moving any existing apps with the barcode scanner to the barcode reader so that your apps can take advantage of this modern scanning experience.

Select what you want to scan

Being able to identify and recognize what barcodes have been read is key to rapidly capturing data in context. The barcode reader control enables a variety of scenarios through its new capabilities.

• Select to scan – Select which of the visible barcodes you want to be scanned, instead of only being able to automatically scan the first visible code.
• Multiple scan – Within a single barcode reading session, scan as many barcodes as you want, returned as a table output property.
• Better user experience – See what you are scanning and have scanned with barcode tracking indicators and a dropdown drawer showing your scan history.

Scan more codes

Different code formats are optimized for specific situations. We’ve made it easier to scan the types you need for your tasks, wherever those barcodes may be.

• Supported types – The improved barcode reader supports a larger range of barcode types.
• Zoom – Use your device’s zoom capabilities to scan barcodes that are further away.
• Flashlight – Toggle the device’s flashlight or torch on and off while scanning to illuminate and recognize barcodes even in sub-optimal lighting conditions.

Using the barcode reader

We are confident that barcode reading will unlock tremendous value for your business and we are excited to be on this journey together with you. Leverage low-code development to drag-and-drop the barcode reader control directly in your apps today from the Media section of the insert pane. More details in our documentation.

As always, we would love to hear from you on how we can keep improving our barcode scanning capabilities. Please leave your feedback and comments on this post or in the Ideas Forum with the ‘mobile’ label, so we can keep track of your comments and requests.