IDAutomation's Barcode Tutorial
for Microsoft® Excel®

IDAutomation provides several products for implementing barcodes in Microsoft Excel. Barcode Fonts are available that create barcodes in Excel with an entire column, in addition to ActiveX Controls that can be used in a single cell. IDAutomation also offers Barcode Label Software that can print pre-designed labels from data in columns of an Excel spreadsheet or a Barcode Image Generator which is used to copy and paste static bar-code images into spreadsheets one at a time. With all IDAutomation barcode font packages, the XS size font is provided to automatically adjust to the smallest column height in Excel.

Self-Checking Barcode Fonts such as Codabar (for numbers only) and Code 39 (for numbers and/or uppercase letters) are the easiest to use in Excel when encoding numbers and/or uppercase letters. If Self-Checking Barcode Fonts cannot be used, or another barcode types is needed, refer to the Barcode Tutorial for Excel or the VBA Barcode Macro site for Excel. Self-checking fonts have checking code built-in so that calculation of check characters is not required.

IDAutomation's self checking fonts may be easily printed or generated as a calculated field in Excel. The following tutorial demonstrates how this is accomplished:

1. To create a proper barcode with self checking fonts, a character must be added to the beginning and ending of the data being encoded. This is referred to as the start/stop character, which is easily added to IDAutomation's Codabar (for numbers only) and Code 39 (for numbers and/or uppercase letters) fonts with the asterisk character.
2. The start/stop character may be easily added to the beginning and ending of the data being encoded with a simple Excel formula of  ="*" & CELL & "*" where CELL is the cell of the data being encoded in the bar-code.
   
3. After the formula is entered in the cell, select the correct barcode font and a symbol should appear. IDAutomation fonts with XS heights are specifically designed to be used in Excel which automatically adjust to the correct column height. The width of the column may need to be sized to contain the entire symbol.
            
4. Print and scan the barcode(s) to verify the correct data is encoded. If a scanner is needed to verify barcodes, IDAutomation recommends the IDAutomation USB Barcode Scanner.

Tabs and returns may be added with Code 39 fonts (in extended39 mode) between cells by inserting "$I" (for a tab) or "$M" (for a return.) For example, the following formula encodes a tab between cells A1 and B1:  =("*"&A1&"$I"&B1&"*")

Additional information about combining cells is provided at the OfficeBarcode Site.

IDAutomation's barcode fonts provide an easy method of barcoding a column in Excel. Code 3 of 9 barcodes are created in an Excel spreadsheet in this example, with the IDAutomationC39 font that is included in the Code 39 Barcode Font Package. Codabar Fonts may also be used to create smaller bar-codes when using numbers only. To use fonts other than Codabar and Code 39, refer to IDAutomation's VBA Macro Tutorial for Microsoft Office or the Excel Barcode Integration Guide. Watch our How to create a barcode in Excel video.

1. Barcodes are created in column B from the data in column A in this example. Enter the formula ="*"&A2&"*" in cell B2 to append the required asterisks to the text from cell A2:
   
2. Select the cell containing the formula and choose Edit - Copy. Highlight the entire column by selecting the rectangle labeled "B" at the top of the spreadsheet and choose Edit - Paste. The formulas may take some time to re-calculate if the spreadsheet is large.
   
3. Select the Code 39 barcode font for the column. With the entire column that contains the formula selected, choose the IDAutomationHC39S or IDAutomationHC39XS font from the Code 39 Barcode Font Package or another appropriate font. IDAutomation fonts with XS heights are designed to automatically adjust to the smallest format and automatically adjust to the correct column height. The barcodes will then appear in the entire column.
   
4. With the entire column that contains the formula still selected, choose the appropriate point size. In this example, 12 points is used. If there is a need to use barcodes smaller than 12 points, the IDAutomation Plug 'n Play USB Barcode Scanner dependably scans the Code 39 font when printed as small as 6 points. With the entire column that contains the formula still selected, choose the center text option so the barcode is in the center of the field. Size the column so it is wide enough to contain the generated symbol.
   
5. Print and scan the barcode(s) to verify the correct data is encoded. If a scanner is needed to verify barcodes, IDAutomation offers several USB Barcode Scanners.

IDAutomation's VBA macro tutorial for excel has moved to the VBA Macro Tutorial for Microsoft Office site.

IDAutomation's ActiveX Controls may be easily used in Excel on Windows systems. After purchasing or downloading the demo of the ActiveX Control, it may be dragged, dropped and sized on a spreadsheet. This control can only be linked to one cell. If an entire column of cells needs to be linked, the barcode fonts would be the best solution.

1. In Microsoft Excel, choose View - Toolbars - Control Toolbox. Then a tool box toolbar will appear.
2. On the tool box dialog, choose the More Controls button that looks like this:
   
3. Then, select the barcode control from the list of available ActiveX Controls. Select the control that was installed starting with "IDAutomation," and drop it on the spreadsheet.
   
    
4. After selecting it, "draw" the image for the control to appear in the spreadsheet like a graphic image.
   
    
5. After this, size the plug-in as necessary. To change the properties of the control such as bar-code height and symbology type, right click on the control and choose properties.
   
    
6. To link a cell to the data that should be encoded in the barcode, enter the cell location in the "LinkedCell" property of the control. If an entire column of cells needs to be linked, the barcode fonts would be the best solution.
   
    
7. When finished, exit design mode by choosing the design mode button that looks like this:
   
8. Print and scan the barcode(s) to verify the correct data is encoded. If a scanner is needed to verify barcodes, IDAutomation recommends the IDAutomation USB Barcode Scanner.

Design mode must be used to edit the properties of the control. If problems are encountered when editing the properties of the control, press the design mode button to enable it.

IDAutomation Barcode Label Software is an easy to use WYSIWYG bar code label printing software application that prints barcodes, text and graphics on standard laser and inkjet printers, as well as thermal transfer printers.

This software easily links to columns in Microsoft Excel or a CSV text file as a data source for a text or barcode object, which allows printing of labels from data in Excel.

1. Download and install the IDAutomation Barcode Label Software.
2. Choose Tools - Data Sets - Link External Data.
3. Choose the data type and choose Search to find the file.
4. After the source path is found, choose the appropriate table if applicable.
5. Choose Link Data and there should be a portion of the linked data visible on the screen.

5. After the data is linked, choose Close.
6. To link a column of data to a barcode or text object, click the down arrow next to "Value Type" and select "External DataSource", and click on the source column to link the value. The example window will show what is linked.
   
7. Increment the label number in the design screen to verify the data is linked.
8. When printing, choose "all rows data source" as the option, but only after printing a single page first to verify the alignment.
9. When linking to the CSV or Text files, the format should be as follows:
   CSV: "Column1","Column2","Column3"
   TEXT: Column1,Column2,Column3
10. Print and scan the barcode(s) to verify the correct data is encoded. If a scanner is needed to verify barcodes, IDAutomation offers several hand-held USB Barcode Scanners.

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