Getting the barcode to scan the ID, Appeal & Package

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Miranda Diakiw
Miranda Diakiw
Ancient Membership First Comment Facilitator Level 1
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion
We are working with our exported data in excel for our direct mail program. We are creating a barcode that will allow our gift processing team to scan the reply devices and have the ID, appeal, and package populate into the batch.



We have created a barcode formula (=code128(B2&CHAR(9)&DB2&CHAR(9)&DC2)) but when we convert it to the barcode and scan it, it only scans the Constituent ID, the appeal, and then draws a blank for the package and asks for a start date. [b2 is the ID; DB2 is the appeal; DC2 is the package] and the font we are using is IDAutomationSC128M.



I believe we have the correct barcode font as the first two elements are scanning correctly into the batch file, but the package will not scan. Has anyone been able to scan all three fields properly without using the mail module in RE? (We are using RE version 7.93).
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  • John Heizer
    John Heizer
    Ancient Membership 500 Likes 500 Comments Photogenic
    The formula you provided is specific to the Excel spreadsheet you've created, so it's hard help without more information.



    From what I can tell, you're trying to create a barcode that will, when scanned, will act as if you typed the text data directly into the Batch (as opposed to using the barcode methods built into RE and Mail).  I'm also assuming that the "=(code128(" function is something that's been added to your setup (not a standard Excel function) that addes the necessary checksum digits, etc. necessary for Code128 barcodes.



    I suggest you start by opening Word and scanning a barcode (be sure to configure Word to show "hidden" codes like tabs, spaces and carriage returns).  That will show you what the barcode is "typing" into the Batch.  Try manually typing the EXACT same sequence of characters in the Batch. That may help you find out where the problem is.



    If the Appeal or Package isn't already in RE (and the Package associated with that specific Appeal) then RE will open a prompt asking if you want to add that Appeal or Package.  It may be that the barcode is automatically answering "Yes" to something before you see it.
  • Amy Mitchell
    Amy Mitchell
    Tenth Anniversary Photogenic First Comment Praiser Level 1
    Hi Miranda,



    Yes, we've been using scanners to batch for several years now. The trick in building the barcode, for us at least, was combining the System Record ID for the consituent record and the System Record ID for the associated package ID. When scanned, the barcode (made up of the two System IDs) will populate the donor record, the appeal ID and the package ID. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me separately or email me at amitchell@idahofoodbank.org. 



    Amy
  • Tracy Wadlow
    Tracy Wadlow
    Tenth Anniversary 10 Comments Photogenic Name Dropper
    Hi;


    Have you used this to process returned mail from appeals yet? Just interested in away to speed up address processing updates to R.E. from Returned mail. Other than NCOA of course, there can be many addresses to end date and it can be time consuming. Also i work in Canada


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