Code Not Valid

[woudstrameats]

I'm struggling with my barcode scanner. I have 2 square stands, and they both use the same barcode scanner. The one square stand works fantastic, but the other one sporadically will give me a "Code not valid" error message where it only reads the first 2 numbers of the barcode I'm attempting to scan. When I look up how to fix this one of the options is to switch switch which port the scanner is connected to in the hub. This works for a small period of time, and then it just switches back to not reading the codes again. I have tried factory resetting the scanner, but I'm also not convinced the physical scanner is the problem. I have switched the scanners back and forth between the square stands, and they both work with one and both give the error message with the other.

Any advice would be appreciated 🙂

[MayaP]

Hey there @woudstrameats I am sorry you are continuing to have issues with your barcode scanner. I know dealing with hardware issues can be frustrating and I appreciate you trying all the troubleshooting you can! 

At this time point, I would recommend reaching out to Square Retail so our team can investigate this further, they will be able to confirm if the scanner is actually causing the issue. Since it does work with one stand and not the other it is odd. We need to get more insight into your setup, the scanners that you are using, and how the items/SKUs are set up. For account security, we won't be able to file a ticket here but our team will! You can reach Customer Support at 1-855-700-6000 squ.re/contactsqsupport. 

Please reach back out if you need anything else! 

[woudstrameats]

I did try to reach out to them, but then it says they will text me a link to chat with someone, but the link always says it's invalid. Do you have any advice?

[Candlestore]

I have a similar problem with 1 Stand.  

2 Identical setups

switched Scanners, Ipads, Hubs, even bought a New Hub for the Stand, even switched the entire POS cables stand hub and scanner.  Still problems at Stand 1  (Blue circled stand).  

At Stand 1 Blue circled Stand the Scanners just randomly disconnect from the Square Stand.

At Stand 2 Green Circled Stand they never disconnect and work as they should.

Location 1 and Location 2 are about 5 feet from each other in the same building and the router (repeater Red circle for wifi) is between them

I called Support about this and they just asked if the IOS and Square app were up to date.  This is also when they told me to buy a new Hub... So I ordered a new hub, this did not help.  Same problem at the same physical register location.  

When my scanner Disconnects at Stand 1 we just unplug it at the base for 10 seconds, wait till it shows connected on the stand, and try again.  95% of the time this works for sometime, other times it disconnects by the next transaction.  Some days we have no issues then another day it seems as though it is every transaction.  We use the Stand 1 because the Cash drawer is next to it and mainly use Stand 2 for non cash transactions when we get busy.  Both stands will open the cash drawer but then it messes up the counting of the drawer since its two stands on 1 drawer, or at least that is what the Square says could happen when more devices use a single cash drawer.

I am thinking my problem could be electrical interference or some other interference by that one stand.

[woudstrameats]

Keith,

My scanners never disconnect, they just don't read the barcode correctly. How much was the new hub you had to order? I'm tempted to try that just as another "troubleshooting" method. 

[Candlestore]

Here is the one I ordered from Square for my Version 1 Stand (the white stand)

square-stand-power-adapter-usb-ca 

You could also make sure the lens on the scanner is clean.  

I have had a few of my barcodes not scan correctly because of the way the supplier had the barcode on the product and I would only get 5 or 6 digits when I used my scanner.  I mention this because you get 2 digits.  

What happens when you scan a not valid barcode on the other stand?  For me when this happened both only read partial barcode, maybe not the same amount of characters but not the entire code either.  

I am not sure which barcode scanner you have but I have Zebra Scanners.  I can actually download software to program them.  There is also a way for me to Update software in my scanners, which I have done.  Not sure if yours can be updated by the manufacturers website or their software.  This could help or not, just more troubleshooting ideas.

[woudstrameats]

Keith,

I also have the zebra scanner. When I unplug the scanner and use it on the stand that works then it reads the barcode spot on. And both scanners that I have do not work correctly on the stand that I am having problems with. That's why I feel more inclined to believe it is the stand giving me issues. But is that possible? For the stand to be the reason it wouldn't be scanning correctly? 

[Candlestore]

@woudstrameats ;

Anything is possible.  The only way to test the stand is like what I did, completely unplug everything from your stands, take the Ipads out and then physically switch the stands.   Then see if the problem has moved.  Mine did not move so mine was not a STAND issue...... still have no idea what is going on with mine.  Mine disconnects but reads fine when it stays connected.  Yours only reads part of the Barcode giving you Item Not found or Invalid Barcode.  I actually had my problem with wired USB scanners which is another reason why I upgraded to the USB to cradle - wireless from Cradle to Scanner models..... but I have the same issue with all 4 scanners only at the Physical Location circled in Blue.   I swapped 1 at a time, Scanners, Scanner charging base, Wires to the scanner, usb Hub for Stands, Ipads, and finally the White Stand itself.  No matter what I tried at that physical location scanner just connects and reconnects for unknown reasons.  For me since I can not pin point it on mine I am just living with it disconnecting here and there.  I see other have similar problems with other USB devices connected just disconnecting.   I am starting to think I might have too many electrical items over there interfering with my scanner.   That side has the Stand plus these items the other side does not.  The Cash Drawer and Receipt Printer.  Just thought of that and have not moved them at all.  Your problem is not the Scanner disconnecting, but maybe it is and reconnecting before it registers since you are getting a partial barcode?  I am guessing here.  

As you see my POS systems are not far away, so when I have a barcode not read on the one pos I can easily turn around and test it quickly on the other system..... are you able to do that to make sure the Barcode that gives you a problem also does not read on the other stand?  I have had the issue where my Barcode was damaged slightly and read partially on both stands 4 or 6 characters the same characters at both stations.  Even though when I typed in the digits for the search field the item populated in Square.  The other thing you can do is to take a picture of the problematic barcode and see if Barcode Reader & Generator can read the code fully with your cell phone.   Or if you use the Camera on the Ipad in the Stand you can use this as a scanner for 1D and QR code barcodes to look up an item.

Here is me using the Camera on the Ipad in my Stand showing the Camera can read a QR code but it also works with 1D barcodes.  This is just to test your Barcode, to see if that could be part of the problem.

When I had barcodes scan in partially, it was mostly due to incomplete barcode (mis print) or from a smudge or damage to the barcode giving me the partial barcode.  I was able to verify this by getting the same misread barcode on different devices.  Barcode reader apps on cell phone or the Ipad Camera as in the video.  Even my other scanner for the Ipad which is one reason I keep saying to test the actual misread barcode.  If I get the same item off the shelf it may read fine on all devices but that one at checkout only read partially because of something with it but that same issue of the misread was on all devices not just the stand.  So if you have a miss read, quickly tap the Square box on the right side of the search field to enable the Ipad camera, you may have to tap the circle if the camera image is all Black, wrong camera.  All black on the left side means its the camera facing into the stand not back at you.  By testing this, it is Testing the Actual barcode to see if that is the issue.  2 it is eliminating ALL other variables, cables hardware etc. 

If this is still not working try uploading a picture of your barcode your having problems with.  Because if my scanner reads a barcode that is not in my system Square asks if I want to add or create the item and shows the entire barcode.  Is the issue on the same products barcode?  Same Vendor / supplier?  Just thinking there are so many variables and I am just looking to see if anything in common.

Both stands on the same Version?

[Spoublon]

So has anyone found an answer to this problem? I have a compatible Honeywell 1250G and I can't get past this message. The scanner is recognized and scans the barcode. It is clearly seeing the correct barcode number, but giving me the message: Code not valid - the scanned code ##### could not be applied. It has the correct number listed and if I search by that number square recognizes it in my inventory. Why is this happening?

[Candlestore]

@Spoublon ;

My issues seem to have gone away since May or Junes update.   My issue was my scanner was disconnecting from the Stand for an unknown reason.  The issue was only at the one location of my POS system.  Meaning If i swapped my stands, The issue stayed at the same physical location and did not follow the Stand or Barcode reader.  When I read a barcode that is not in the system I get a message asking if I would like to add that item, not a Code not Valid error.

The exact text I get is :

No matches found

Item, Customer, or Discount 639277042651 was not found.

(buttons)

Cancel or Create item

Now that Barcode is for a USB phone charger that we do not sell which is why my Item was not found, but that is the correct barcode of the item.  No missing numbers etc.

Whenever I scan an item and only got a partial barcode has been when the Barcode itself was damaged or printed improperly.  The spacing of Barcodes is important for scanners to read.  You cannot just scale the barcode from an image and expect it to scan properly.  Sometimes this may work other times the bars of the barcode get improperly spaced (too close or too far) from the other bars.  Not sure if you are printing your own barcodes or not which is why I mention this.

[carmichaelsbook]

Have you found a solution to this problem?  I am having this with both ipads and socket mobile scanners and I am so frustrated. 

[Candlestore]

@carmichaelsbook;

My issue went away from August or so 2023 and just returned after getting a Square update.  Current version of Square for Retail with issue was 6.29.1 but may have appeared again as early as version 6.27.1.  I am not sure which version of Square POS you are using currently.  

I use Zebra DS6878 USB scanners, so I am not sure if this is related to your issue just letting you know mine went away and Recently has returned to being a problem.

[Candlestore]

@carmichaelsbook ;

Since I see your Name here has 'book' in it I wll assume you are trying to scan ISBN numbers.  Square does not recognize the ISBN + 5 barcodes.  Is this the type of Barcode you are trying to scan?  

Maybe you can put the barcode in as a SKU.... The SKU field is less restrictive on the formating and can contain numbers and characters in Square upto (I believe 40 Characters), I stop my SKU fields at 30 characters because of Quickbooks limits for their SKU field.

When I scan a ISBN barcode my scanner only scans the GTIN field and not the +5.  I tried this to help someone else out with a book store and their +5 edition codes.

[swimminstuff]

I recently bought the square hub so I can use my usb barcode scanner with the square terminal. Whenever I try to scan an item, it says my code is not valid and could not be applied. If I manually type the barcode number, the item shows up. I've also used the scanner with my phone and virtual terminal on my PC and it worked perfectly, so I know it's not the scanner. I've tried resetting the terminal and plugging the usb into different ports on the hub but nothing has worked. I've tried both of my Symbol scanners as well.

[BernadetteA]

Hi @swimminstuff 

I found a troubleshooting guide here that may help you out. Also, can you make sure your Square Terminal is up-to-date, and let us know what version you are on? 

Thanks in advance! 

[swimminstuff]

I've already tried resetting my scanner. My scanner is not the problem because it works with everything else. My Square Terminal is up to date. I am running the latest version which is 5.43.0098.

[BernadetteA]

Thanks for clarifying. I found a different thread from Sellers having a similar issue, and I moved your post over. Check out the reply from @Candlestore here 

[Candlestore]

@swimminstuff ;

I see I was tagged by @BernadetteA ; for this issue.  Which Scanner are you using?

I have a Terra Scanner it works with my PC, Chrome Book, but does not work with my Square Stand.  My Terra Barcode Scanner is NOT compatible with Square and is not on Squares approved hardware list.  I now use it for scanning inventory in and for doing stock counts on my Chromebook and Google Sheets. 

Here is the list of Compatible Scanners with Square Terminal:

https://squareup.com/us/en/compatibility/accessories/barcode-scanners?device%5B%5D=terminal 

Is your scanner on this list?  Could that be the issue?

Even if your scanner connects to USB, it has to be able to communicate with Squares Proprietary computer language.  That is why there is only a small list of scanners that work with Square.

[swimminstuff]

Yes it's supposed to be compatible. I bought it directly from Square. I already returned the hub as it is not worth the trouble. Square has way too many problems with its equipment and software for a company so large and popular.

[woudstrameats]

I continue to have problems with the hub as well. Sometimes I can unplug all the USB's and then replug them in and everything works. Other times my cash drawer won't open, my receipt printer won't print, or my bar code works and it jus doesn't recognize labels, or it won't work all together. I would agree with you....It is very frustrating.