bar code scanner accepting inventory

[hhgllc]

Is there a way when I receive new inventory that I can scan it with my bar code scanner so I do not have to manually count 1000 new items?

[Candlestore · Accepted solution]

@hhgllc ;

Short answer with Square No.  You can create an Excel or Google sheets Spreadsheet and write a few simple formulas to do this.   I created a Google sheets Workbook which has an area where I scan barcodes, on another sheet it does a vlookup or xlookup in my downloaded csv file of my Items from Square to get the item name and see if it exists or is a new inventory item.  Then it enters the Barcode, name and in a 3rd column counts how many times it appeared on the sheet I scanned in the item.  If the Item does not appear it creates a RED cell so I know I need to create the Item in Square.  Since this is all on google sheets I use Chrome books linked to my inventory sheets to get these counts.  After everything is scanned in that I received, I can access this sheet from anywhere which can be sorted if I want or just search for the item in Square, update the Received Inventory number from the sheet I just updated.  After I input the new counts I can delete that item from my one sheet and everything is ready for next time or I know what still needs to be updated.  

I learned all this from watching different YouTube videos on Google sheets and Excel formulas.

Now if you get really good at this you could create a google Sheet that Scans, counts, looks up said item and puts the new count right into a Square template to update the New Inventory Column.  So after scanning all received Items in the received count would automatically fill into the New count the Square CSV file for each item, then all you would need to do is update your inventory by uploading that file to Square.   I did not get this far yet, because I just thought of doing something like this.

[hhgllc]

Thankyou. This was very helpful!

[dmac_trilith]

Square does not currently support barcodes, scanners, UPCs, SKUs or GTINs when receiving or searching for items in a Purchase Order.

You will have to create your own way of managing inventory outside of Square, as it pertains to Purchase Orders. (like using 3rd party software that properly performs/supports the operations and updates your Square database for you)

Good luck!!

[Candlestore]

@dmac_trilith ;

That is correct in a Purchase order I was not able to scan items to receive them , but using Square for Retail, you can Scan an item in on the POS now to add new stock.  

In the POS on an Ipad Square Stand, Tap More (bottom right corner) then Inventory.  Then there you can select Receive Inventory, scan the item and tap in the quantity, and repeat for each item then tap save or update.

This was an update between the original post and sometime late 2022 or early 2023.