Inventory Barcode Generator: Labels for Stock, Bins and Assets

Make inventory barcodes for stock items, shelf bins and asset tags, free and in your browser. Number them as a sequence or paste your own codes, choose Code 128 or another type, and download a ZIP of images, one sheet or a sheet of labels. Every code is checked before it is drawn, and nothing is uploaded.

Valid

Data

10 lines

One value per line, or rows copied from a spreadsheet: the columns are detected (tab, comma, semicolon or vertical bar).

File names

Use {row}, {data} and {type}. Characters that files cannot hold become _; repeated names get -2, -3.

First files

Barcode

Any ASCII text.

Text font, size and alignment

Font

Alignment

Colors

Contrast 21.0:1; estimated symbol contrast 100%. Below 20% is refused.

Label text

Printed in each file with the barcode, outside the quiet zone, in Helvetica.

Quiet zone (modules)Each type's minimum

Each row uses the minimum quiet zone of its type. Type a value to use your own for every row.

Rotation and background0° · Filled

Rotation

In the preview, a checkered pattern shows the transparent areas. Print a transparent barcode only on a white or very light surface: scanners need the light quiet zone around it. JPEG files keep the background color.

Margin and border0 mm · no border

The margin is blank space outside the quiet zone, for cutting; the border is drawn at the outer edge in the bar color. Both count in the print size.

Presets0 saved

No presets yet. Save the current settings to reuse them.

    Presets stay in this browser. They keep the type, size, style and output; the data, the column choices and the logo are not saved.

    Recent batches0

    The batches you make appear here, newest first.

      The last 10 batches, kept in this browser only. The files themselves are not kept.

      Check

      Checking…

      RowStatusValueFile name

      Slower. Barcodes that do not read back are listed in the CSV.

      Every row with its final value, check digits added, type, file name and status.
      Code 128 · First barcodeValid

      The first barcode appears here.

      Print simulation

      Shows how a worn print of the first barcode looks and tests it with the decoder.

      Type
      Code 128 · 1D
      Print size
      —
      Rows
      0
      Ready
      0
      Cannot be drawn
      0
      Empty
      0

      Output

      Before you print

      A PDF test sheet with the first barcode at 80%, 100% and 150% and rulers. Print it at actual size and scan each copy.

      Up to 10,000 rows on a computer, 5,000 on a phone or tablet.

      Everything runs in your browser; nothing you paste or open is uploaded.

      How to Make Inventory Barcodes

      Decide how your items are numbered, build the numbers as a sequence, and print them as labels you can scan.

      1. Choose a format for your numbers, such as INV- and six digits, and the first and last number you need.
      2. Open the Sequence tab and enter that prefix, the start, the count and the number of digits, or paste the codes you already use.
      3. Keep Code 128, set the bar width your scanner reads, and choose the output: a ZIP of files, one sheet or a label sheet.
      4. Print one page, scan a few labels, then print the rest and stick each label on its item, bin or shelf.

      Barcode Types for Inventory Labels

      Code 128 suits most inventory labels; Code 39 fits older systems that ask for it, and a 2D code fits a very small label or a link.

      Code 128 for Stock and Bins

      • Characters: letters, digits and symbols, so INV-000123 or BIN-A-04 works as written.
      • Size: the narrowest of the common types for the same code, and digits pack two to a character.
      • Check: a check character is always added, so a misread does not enter a wrong number.

      Code 39 for Older Systems

      Code 39 holds capital letters, digits and a few symbols and makes a wider barcode. Use it when your inventory software or your scanner setup expects Code 39.

      QR Code and Data Matrix for Small Labels

      A 2D code holds the same number in a smaller square and can also hold a web address to the item's record. It needs a scanner that reads 2D codes, such as a phone camera.

      Asset Tag Barcodes

      An asset tag barcode gives each piece of equipment its own number, so you can find it in your records with one scan.

      Numbering Asset Tags

      Give every asset a number that is never reused, even after the asset is sold or scrapped, so old records stay clear. A short prefix per site or department, such as NY- or LAB-, tells you where an asset belongs before you look it up.

      What to Print on the Tag

      Print the number in the barcode and in plain text below it, so it can be typed when a label is scratched. Add the owner's name or a short note on a caption line; the bulk generator takes captions from a second column.

      Inventory Barcode Labels

      Print inventory barcodes on sheets of sticky labels: the generator lays out the barcodes on the sheet, and the label generator has the sizes of common Avery sheets.

      • Label sheet: the bulk generator's label sheet output puts one barcode on each label of a grid you set.
      • Avery sizes: the barcode label generator has six Avery sheets, such as 5160 and 5167 on US Letter, and a calibration page.
      • Bar width: keep the bar width the same on every label, and check that the smallest label still fits the barcode with its blank margins.

      Barcode label generator prints barcodes on Avery and custom label sheets as a vector PDF.

      How to Number Inventory Items

      Use one fixed format for every number: the same prefix and the same count of digits, with leading zeros, so labels sort in order and errors stand out.

      • Fixed length: INV-000001 to INV-999999 sorts correctly in a spreadsheet, while INV-1 to INV-10 does not.
      • No look-alike characters: leave out O and I, which are easy to confuse with 0 and 1 when a number is typed.
      • One number per thing: a bin and the items in it each get their own number, and a number is never given twice.

      Product barcodes such as UPC belong to the brand and come from GS1. For your own stock numbers you need no GS1 number: they are internal codes, like SKUs.

      SKU vs UPC your own stock codes compared with GS1 product numbers.

      Counting Inventory With Barcodes

      Once the labels are on, count stock by scanning: the Barcode.codes scanner has a Count mode that adds one each time the same code is read again.

      1. Open the barcode scanner on a phone or a computer with a camera, or plug in a USB scanner.
      2. Choose Count mode and scan each item; the same code read again adds one to its quantity.
      3. Export the session as a CSV file and open it in your spreadsheet or inventory software.

      Barcode scanner reads barcodes with a camera or a USB scanner, with a Count mode and CSV export.

      Barcode scanner to Excel counts stock offline, with quantities and notes, and exports an Excel file.

      Frequently Asked Questions

      Is This Inventory Barcode Generator Free?

      Yes. It makes and downloads barcodes and label sheets with no account, and everything is drawn in your browser.

      What Is the Best Barcode for Inventory?

      For most inventory labels, Code 128: it takes letters and digits, stays narrow, and always carries a check character. Use the type your software or scanner expects if it names one.

      Do I Need UPC Codes for Inventory?

      No, not for your own stock numbers: internal codes need no GS1 number. Products you sell through retailers need their GTIN, usually a UPC, and you can scan that existing barcode too.

      How Many Inventory Labels Can I Make at Once?

      Up to 10,000 barcodes in one run on a computer and 5,000 on a phone or tablet. For more, split the numbers into several runs.

      Can I Print Inventory Labels on Avery Sheets?

      Yes. The barcode label generator has six Avery sheet sizes, such as 5160 and 5167, and a calibration page to check your printer before you print the labels.

      Do I Need Special Software to Scan Inventory Barcodes?

      No. The Barcode.codes scanner reads them in a browser with a camera, and a USB barcode scanner types the code into it like a keyboard. Export the count as a CSV file for your spreadsheet.

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