Need help setting up barcodes and I have no clue what I'm doing. Help please!

[Artbean-Spencer]

Hey all, we're starting to sell merch and instead of the customer telling us their coffee order like how we're currently using our register, we'd like them to bring up the item from off the shelf so we can scan the item's barcode. Now, I can't figure out how to set up the barcode in Square. Not sure if I'm posting this in the correct place but one of my hypothesis' on why this isn't working is because we're using Square restaurants instead of retail.

If that's not the case, would someone be able to give me a step by step on how to do this? I've googled this 10 different ways and can't figure it out.

If you're interested in what I've tried - I create a new item, make up a code and type it in the SKU field. For example, "ASP-AC-CD." I go to a barcode generator (googled it) to create a Code 39 barcode and paste the code, "ASP-AC-CD" and it spits out a barcode. To test it out, I bring up the generated .jpg barcode on my phone as an image and scan it with our barcode scanner that's connected to our square register via USB. The scanner beeps but nothing happens on the register.

I am completely new to this barcode thing so I might be doing something that makes absolutely no sense. Anyway, all help is appreciated. Thanks!

[BofBArtStudio · Accepted solution]

Hi @Artbean-Spencer ,

I think that there may be an issue with the fact that you're converting the sku with the code 39 search that you stated.

We use barcodes to scan items. In the sku field in square, We enter in the exact value that's on the SKU on the item if it's pre-printed, or we generate a SKU in Square.

Then to print the labels we go into the item library and then under actions we choose print labels to print the stickers to put onto the products.

At checkout we can then either scan the label or type in the sku that is printed on the label.

Hopefully that helps.