Bar-code symbols are comprised of a number of adjacent bars of varying widths and spaces from predefined codes. A bar-code scanner is used to read or scan the bar-code symbol to decode the information it represents. Once the symbol is scanned by a hand-held or computer reading device, it can then be used by computer software to track inventory and conduct other functions. Microsoft Excel is one computer application that can make use of bar-code information in order to conduct business operations.
Instructions
1. Plug the bar-code scanner into your computer using its "keyboard wedge interface cable." The keyboard wedge cable interface looks similar to your printer's computer connection, and only differs in that it is a connection between the bar-code scanner and your computer's serial or USB port. The cable comes as a standard periphery with hand-held bar code scanners.
2. Open Microsoft Excel on your computer after the bar-code scanner is connected to your computer.
3. Left-click the Microsoft Excel cell to enter the bar-code information and scan the bar code to load it into Microsoft Excel.
4. View the data in the Excel file that is a translated view of the bar-code information.
