Scanning 2D Barcodes

Mark26 · Post by **Mark26** » 17 Jul 2016, 23:15

It seems most letters have a 2d barcode on them somewhere, even through the plastic window.

With the old PDAs these didn't scan successfully, but the new scanner recognises them.

Surely we aren't expected to scan all of these?

Also if you type in the number manually, it never recognises it.

Post by **eastie** » 18 Jul 2016, 08:46

Where still using the old scanners and I try to scan the 2D barcodes 2 or 3 times and if they don't scan I leave them otherwise the scanners run out of battery before the end of my round

chickenwittle · Post by **chickenwittle** » 18 Jul 2016, 12:34

still using old pda , trying to scan 2d is a complete joke , any kind of crease or smudge mark it wont scan.If its raining then even worse yet manager beats office down every day about our scan performance.Joke of a company.

Post by **eastie** » 18 Jul 2016, 12:39

chickenwittle wrote:still using old pda , trying to scan 2d is a complete joke , any kind of crease or smudge mark it wont scan.If its raining then even worse yet manager beats office down every day about our scan performance.Joke of a company.

Wouldn't worry about scan performance , its the same at all offices with old scanners.
Until they give us the right tools for the job nothing will change

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 18 Jul 2016, 14:03

Mark26 wrote:It seems most letters have a 2d barcode on them somewhere, even through the plastic window.

With the old PDAs these didn't scan successfully, but the new scanner recognises them.

Surely we aren't expected to scan all of these?

Also if you type in the number manually, it never recognises it.

From the attachment to LTB 123/16:

We will need to start scanning the new 2D barcodes that will be on parcels. Items that contain
only a 1D barcode should be scanned as before.

masterblaster · Post by **masterblaster** » 18 Jul 2016, 14:51

They are all flat, the are all one-dimensional (or 1D).

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 18 Jul 2016, 15:07

masterblaster wrote:They are all flat, the are all one-dimensional (or 1D).

A 2D barcode is a graphical image that stores information both horizontally -- as one-dimensional bar codes do -- and vertically. As a result of that, 2D codes can store up to 7,089 characters, significantly greater than is possible with the 20-character capacity of a 1D barcode.

Newbie001 · Post by **Newbie001** » 18 Jul 2016, 15:23

Think confusion comes as Part-Time in many cases aren't sorting packets. Many large letters have 2D barcode now. People unsure if they came with packets or not. If in doubt just scan them all until told otherwise.

stan_lers · Post by **stan_lers** » 18 Jul 2016, 17:15

As far as I know, the only RM 2D barcodes are either on the big gold/white stamps like these, or standard RM postage labels like these. Almost all of them are on parcels, but I've had a couple on thick/do not bend A4 envelopes, maybe they're classed as parcels.

Anything inside an envelope window, or rectangular/half shaped barcodes, or on UK Mail, TNT etc parcels, doesn't need scanning.

Ricardo44 · Post by **Ricardo44** » 18 Jul 2016, 19:02

The ones on window letters if you scan them it then says deliver to customer. What's the point of having them if we only scan the ones on packets.
A lot of posties are unsure of what to do and have not been told the right procedure.

As has been said already..joke of a company.

sicknote25 · Post by **sicknote25** » 18 Jul 2016, 20:12

The barcodes are now on all Large Letter and Parcels of 100g or more, this also covers all signed for, tracked and SD. They conatin full sender and receiver information so these should be scanned instead of the normal barcode as I believe the aim is to provide customers with full send/receive information, HOWEVER the system is flawed at present due to the quality of the barcodes and the quality of the lasers being used by the old PDA's. We have been told to aim for 90% and to report any issues. It has been acknowledged that until everyone has the right equipment (customers and the company) this target will be hit and miss. I may be wrong but I have been told they are having trouble with these right through the system (mail centre forwards).

Post by **eastie** » 18 Jul 2016, 21:22

sicknote25 wrote:The barcodes are now on all Large Letter and Parcels of 100g or more, this also covers all signed for, tracked and SD. They conatin full sender and receiver information so these should be scanned instead of the normal barcode as I believe the aim is to provide customers with full send/receive information, HOWEVER the system is flawed at present due to the quality of the barcodes and the quality of the lasers being used by the old PDA's. We have been told to aim for 90% and to report any issues. It has been acknowledged that until everyone has the right equipment (customers and the company) this target will be hit and miss. I may be wrong but I have been told they are having trouble with these right through the system (mail centre forwards).

its an even bigger problem on wet days as scuffed smudged and creased barcodes don't scan at all

Mark26 · Post by **Mark26** » 18 Jul 2016, 21:22

Interesting, so the reason it is preferred to scan the 2D barcode is to give more tracking information over the 1D.

I tend to scan anything printed alongside the franking but not inside windows etc.

The photo attached shows a lot of letters which have the barcode printed, I tend to scan them.

Edit: Stan_lers quotes "Anything inside an envelope window, or rectangular/half shaped barcodes, or on UK Mail, TNT etc parcels, doesn't need scanning." So no need?

daverowland · Post by **daverowland** » 19 Jul 2016, 19:07

i spoke to a postmaster few weeks back... he wasn't aware that we been told to scan them.

As i do a lot of eBaying, those 2D barcodes are very necessary for tracking and claims of dispute.

the problem is the bloodythings are not good enough

1: creasing when applied
2: printer not cleaned often at postoffice.
3: Not large enough for customers printers, some of the barcodes are small and the resolution fails

as we are still on the old PDAs... i think the 2D system needs to be improved significantly or return to the 1D system ASAP

masterblaster · Post by **masterblaster** » 20 Jul 2016, 06:22

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
masterblaster wrote:They are all flat, the are all one-dimensional (or 1D).
A 2D barcode is a graphical image that stores information both horizontally -- as one-dimensional bar codes do -- and vertically. As a result of that, 2D codes can store up to 7,089 characters, significantly greater than is possible with the 20-character capacity of a 1D barcode.

Still one dimensional in the true sense. Ordinary barcodes work the same scanned in either 180° axis so these must be 2D as well.