About Barcode Types

Code 39Code 39 (also called "Code 3 of 9") can represent the capital letters A through Z, the numbers 0 to 9, the space character, and certain symbols. The name "3 of 9" results from the convention that 3 of the nine elements used in the code are wide.

Code 39 w/ Mod 43 ChecksumThis variation of Code 39 automatically includes a checksum character used to verify the accuracy of the data.

Code 128-AutoCode 128-Auto uses a combination of Code 128-ACode 128-A can represent numbers and uppercase letters, as well as control characters., B, and C. DYMO Label software analyzes the data and then uses whichever combination of codes yields the most compact barcode, switching from one code to another in the middle of the barcode, if necessary.

Code 128-A

Code 128-BCode 128-B can represent numbers, upper- and lowercase letters, and punctuation characters.

Code 128-CCode 128-C yields very compact numeric-only barcodes. This code requires numeric information only and an even number of digits.

Interleaved 2 of 5Interleaved 2 of 5 requires between 2 and 30 numbers. This code requires numeric information only and an even number of digits.

UPC-AUniversal Product Code (UPCUniversal Product Code (UPC) is commonly used to identify retail products sold in stores in the United States.) version A is commonly used to identify retail products sold in stores in the United States. This code requires 12 digits: the first digit represents the product type, the next five digits encode the manufacturer’s UPC code, the next five digits represent the product code, followed by the checksum digit. After you enter the 11 digits to be encoded, the program automatically calculates the checksum for the 12th digit. This code requires numeric information only.

QRQuick Response code; a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) that has become popular due to its fast readability and large storage capacity compared to standard UPC barcodes.

UPC-EUniversal Product Code (UPC) version E is small in size and is commonly used for small packages. The information encoded in the UPC-E barcode is identical to information encoded in UPC-A barcodes, except that zeros are omitted from the encoded number in order to reduce the number of digits from 12 to 6. This code requires numeric information only. UPC-E can only be used for product UPC codes (the product type character must be 0 or 1).

EAN-8European Article Numbering (EANEuropean Article Numbering (EAN) is used for products that are made or marketed outside the United States.) is used for products that are made or marketed outside the U.S. EAN 8 requires 8 digits: 2 country-code digits, 5 data digits, and a checksum character. After you enter the 7 digits to be encoded, the program calculates the 8th (checksum) digit. This code requires numeric information only.

EAN-13European Article Numbering (EAN) is used for products that are made or marketed outside the U.S. EAN 13 requires 13 digits: the first 2 digits represent the country code, followed by 10 digits of data, and finally a checksum character. After you enter the 12 digits to be encoded, the program automatically calculates the checksum for the 13th digit. This code requires numeric information only.

CodabarCodabar is commonly used to represent mathematical and financial figures because it can contain the digits 0 through 9, plus (+) and minus (-) signs, as well as decimal points. This code can also contain punctuation characters, including the forward slash (/), dollar sign ($), and colon (:).

Code 39 LibraryDYMO Label software includes two special versions of Code 39 that are used to barcode books. One version calculates the checksum from left to right (L>R). The other version calculates the checksum from right to left (R>L).

Codabar LibraryDYMO Label software includes two special versions of Codabar that are used to barcode books. One version calculates the checksum from left to right (L>R). The other version calculates the checksum from right to left (R>L).

UCC/EAN 128UCC/EAN 128 is used instead of EAN 8/EAN 13 when additional information needs to be encoded.

ITF-14ITF-14 is similar to Interleaved 2 of 5, but requires 14 characters. This barcode is printed in a larger size, surrounded by a bounding box, and is typically used in warehouse applications.

PDF417A stacked, linear barcode symbol format used in a variety of applications, primarily transport, identification cards, and inventory management.