Using barcodes on fax
You probably thought nobody used fax anymore. Well think again because it’s still going strong in some sectors. In the case where fax is received directly onto a server then the sending fax machines become remote scanners, and if you combine this with the power of barcodes then you have the capability to file images directly into databases, which is quite neat.
However, one very common mistake when using barcodes on fax is to use horizontal barcodes on documents (i.e. portrait orientation).
This is why…
Most fax machines scan the document by passing the paper under a row of sensors. Unfortunately a very common fault with a fax machine is one or more faulty sensors. You can spot of faulty sensor on a fax because it leaves a white vertical line running through the entire fax in the same place on every page. If this line happens to bisect one of the bars of a barcode then you might have a problem because you’ve effectively made an edit of your barcode. If this happens 3 or 4 times then you might not be able to read it.
The solution is to align all your faxed barcodes vertically. This way a faulty sensor will make little difference to your barcode.
