Using Barcodes in Order & Production Processing

Barcode scanning provides a simple, accurate, and cost-effective way to speed up your order and production processing in Business Hub. DecoNetwork offers a wide range of applications to improve the efficiency of your processes. Barcodes can be used to do the following:

• create quotes, orders, and purchase orders
• load quotes, orders, purchase orders, artwork approvals, and worksheets
• add a payment to a quote or order

• automatically update the statuses of quotes, orders, artwork approvals, and production items.

  If you have specified custom production statuses, DecoNetwork will generate barcodes for these, as well as the system statuses

• assign orders, artwork approvals, and production items to certain team members
• download item worksheets, packing slips, shipping labels
• print item worksheets, packing slips, and shipping labels

In This Article

• Why Use Barcodes?
• Why Use Barcodes?
• Barcode Setup
• Processing Quotes/Orders
• Processing Purchase Orders
• Processing Artwork Approvals
• Production Processing
• Assigning Quotes, Orders, Artwork Approvals, and Production Jobs
• Best-Practice Tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs

Prerequisites

Why Use Barcodes?

Barcode scanning helps production teams process orders faster and more accurately throughout fulfillment. Instead of manually searching for quotes, orders, worksheets, or production actions, staff can scan barcodes to instantly load records, update statuses, assign work, and perform common production tasks.

Using barcodes can help your business:

• reduce manual processing time
• improve production accuracy
• speed up order handling and shipping workflows
• streamline high-volume production environments
• create more consistent production processes across staff teams

Barcode Setup

In order to begin using barcodes in Business Hub you need to do the following:

• Make sure barcodes are enabled in your order templates.
• Configure and print the barcodes you want to use. Click here for instructions on how to configure and print barcodes.

Enabling barcodes in your order templates

To enable barcodes in your order templates:

1. Browse to Admin → Settings → Email & Order Templates.

2. Select Order Templates.

   

3. Click Edit beside the template in which you want to enable the barcode.

   

   You can enable the barcode in the Order, Worksheet, Purchase Order, Artwork Approval, and Purchase Order Stock Sheet templates.

4. Click on the Settings sub-menu item.

   

5. Tick the Show Barcode checkbox.

   
6. Click Save.

Once you have configured and printed the required barcodes, all you need to do is plug in a barcode scanner to your Mac or PC (usually in the USB port), make sure Business Hub is loaded, and then start scanning.

Processing Quotes/Orders

Creating a new order or quote

You can create a new quote or a new order using barcodes. Each of these actions has a unique barcode that will automatically create a new quote or order when scanned. To print these barcodes, go to Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Sales Barcodes.

Load a quote/order

When enabled in the Order template, a barcode is added to the top of every invoice. To load a quote or an order in Business Hub, make sure Business Hub is loaded and in focus, then simply scan the barcode on the invoice.

Add payment to quote/order

A unique barcode is available for adding a payment to a quote or an order. To print the Add payment barcode, go to Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Sales Barcodes.

Make sure you have the correct quote/order open in Business Hub when you scan the barcode. The Payments tab will be loaded, allowing you to add a payment.

Processing Purchase Orders

Create a purchase order

A unique barcode is available for both creating a purchase order for a particular order and for creating an empty purchase order. Print the relevant barcodes via Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Production Barcodes.

To create a purchase order for a particular order, make sure you have the correct order open in Business Hub, then scan the Create purchase order for order barcode.

To create an empty purchase order, make sure no orders are open, then scan the Create empty purchase order barcode.

Load a purchase order

When enabled in the Purchase Order template, a barcode is added to the top of every purchase order PDF. To load a purchase order in Business Hub, scan the barcode on the purchase order PDF.

Processing artwork approvals

Create an artwork approval

A unique barcode is available for creating an artwork approval. Print the relevant barcode via Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Production Barcodes.

To create an artwork approval, make sure you have the correct order open in Business Hub, then scan the Add new artwork approval barcode.

Load an artwork approval

When enabled in the Artwork Approval template, a barcode is added to the top of every artwork approval PDF. To load an artwork approval, scan the barcode on the Artwork Approval PDF.

Production Processing

Order actions

The following production actions can be performed on orders using barcodes:

• Mark order as produced: print the relevant barcode via Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Production Barcodes. Make sure you have the correct order open in Business Hub, then scan the barcode.

  

• Mark order as shipped: print the relevant barcode via Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Production Barcodes. Make sure you have the correct order open in Business Hub, then scan the barcode.

  

Worksheet item actions

The following production and shipping actions can be performed using barcodes for an open worksheet item:

• Download item worksheet
• Print item worksheet
• Mark item as produced
• Download item packing slip
• Print item packing slip
• Download item shipping label

• Print Item Shipping label

  

Print the barcodes for the above actions via Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Production Barcodes. Make sure you have the correct worksheet open in Business Hub, then scan the relevant barcode.

Custom Production Status Updates

If you have specified custom Production Statuses (via Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Production Statuses), the system will generate barcodes for each custom status. You can use these barcodes to update the production status of an item.

Print the barcodes for the custom production statuses via Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Production Status Barcodes. Make sure you have the correct worksheet open in Business Hub, then scan the relevant barcode.

Assigning Quotes, Orders, Artwork Approvals, and Production Jobs

You can assign quotes, orders, artwork approvals, and production jobs to particular team members using barcodes. Each staff account has a unique barcode that will automatically assign the team member to the open quote, order, artwork approval, or production job when scanned. To print these barcodes, go to Admin → Settings → Production & Order Settings → Business Hub Barcodes → Create Barcode Action Sheet → Team Member Barcodes. Make sure you have the correct quote, order, artwork approval, or production job open in Business Hub, then scan the relevant staff account barcode.

Best-Practice Tips

• Keep Business Hub open and in focus before scanning any barcode.
• Print barcode action sheets and place them near the relevant production workstations.
• Keep barcode display enabled on documents that production staff regularly scan, such as invoices, worksheets, purchase orders, and artwork approvals.
• Test barcode scanning after editing document templates to confirm the barcode still scans correctly.
• Use custom production status barcodes to match the way your production team already tracks work through each department or process.

Troubleshooting

Barcode scanning does not trigger an action

• Make sure Business Hub is open and is the active window.
• Confirm the barcode scanner is connected and working.
• Check that you are scanning the correct barcode for the action you want to perform.

The barcode does not appear on a document

• Check that the Show Barcode option is enabled in the relevant document template.
• Save the template after enabling barcode display.
• Regenerate or reprint the document after updating the template.

The wrong record is affected by a barcode action

• Make sure the correct quote, order, worksheet, artwork approval, or production job is open before scanning an action barcode.
• For document-specific barcodes, confirm you are scanning the barcode printed on the correct document.

FAQs

Do I need to manually enable barcodes in document templates?

Supported document templates for new fulfillment centers have the Show Barcode option enabled by default.

Which templates support barcodes?

Barcodes can be enabled in Order, Worksheet, Purchase Order, Artwork Approval, and Purchase Order Stock Sheet templates.

Can custom production statuses use barcodes?

Yes. DecoNetwork automatically generates barcodes for custom production statuses configured in Production Status settings.

What type of barcode scanner is supported?

Most standard USB barcode scanners that function as keyboard input devices are compatible with Business Hub barcode workflows.

Why does Business Hub need to be in focus when scanning?

Barcode actions are processed by Business Hub. If another application or browser window is active, the scanned barcode may not trigger the expected Business Hub action.

Additional Resources

• Business Hub Barcodes
• How to Create and Use Business Hub Barcodes