Bulk barcode generator: create hundreds of barcodes from Excel or CSV

A bulk barcode generator is a tool that reads a list of values, usually from a spreadsheet, and creates a barcode for each one in a single job. It replaces typing values into a single-barcode tool hundreds of times.

The CardDeck bulk barcode generator runs on the same batch generator that produces ID cards and badges. In code-only mode it outputs barcodes without designing cards around them. If you also want a QR code per row, the same job can produce both.

What it is used for

• Asset tagging. Every laptop, tool and piece of equipment gets a Code 128 tag tied to your asset register.
• Inventory and bin labels. Shelf, bin and location codes for warehouses and stockrooms.
• Retail products. EAN-13 or UPC-A barcodes for a whole product range from your GS1-issued numbers.
• Library and school equipment. Book and device barcodes from a catalog export.
• Membership and ID numbers. A barcode per member or employee, for cards or key fobs.
• Tickets and vouchers. A unique code per ticket for a check-in scanner.

Why bulk matters

Manual barcode creation causes the errors scanners hate: a skipped digit, a duplicated number, a check digit worked out wrong. Generating from the source spreadsheet keeps every barcode tied exactly to the record it represents.

Save your list as XLSX or CSV, upload it to CardDeck, choose the barcode format, map the value column, review the preview and export. Most batches of a few hundred rows are done in minutes.

Step by step

1. Build or export your sheet with one row per barcode and a header row.
2. Start a batch job in CardDeck and choose barcode output.
3. Upload the file. CardDeck shows a preview of your columns.
4. Choose the format: Code 128, EAN-13 or UPC-A.
5. Map columns. Pick the value column, the file name column and, if you want, a label column.
6. Review the validation report. Each row is marked Ready or flagged with the reason, such as wrong length or duplicate.
7. Fix and re-check. Correct flagged rows in CardDeck or in your sheet and re-upload.
8. Export a ZIP of SVG or PNG files, a PDF sheet, or both.

Tips for Excel users

• Format ID and barcode columns as Text before typing or pasting values. Excel removes leading zeros and turns long numbers into scientific notation, such as 4.00638E+12, which breaks EAN-13 and UPC-A values.
• Save as "CSV UTF-8" if you export to CSV, so special characters in labels survive.
• Remove blank rows and merged cells inside the data range.

Choose Code 128 for internal identifiers that may contain letters, and EAN-13 or UPC-A only when every row is a registered GS1 product number. One batch uses one format; run separate jobs if you need more than one.

Code 128 for internal use

• Any mix of letters, digits and symbols, up to 40 characters per barcode in CardDeck.
• Ideal for asset tags (AST-00412), bin locations (A-03-2), employee numbers and ticket codes.
• No registration needed; the values are yours.
• More on the format at the Code 128 barcode page.

EAN-13 and UPC-A for retail

• Numbers only, fixed length: 13 digits for EAN-13, 12 for UPC-A, including the check digit.
• The numbers must come from GS1 if the products will be sold through retailers.
• Enter 12 digits (EAN-13) or 11 digits (UPC-A) per row and CardDeck calculates the check digit. If your sheet already includes check digits, CardDeck verifies them and flags any that are wrong.

Mixed lists

If one spreadsheet holds both retail products and internal parts, filter it into two files. Run the retail file as EAN-13 or UPC-A and the internal file as Code 128. This keeps validation strict for each format.

Every row is checked against the rules of the chosen format before anything is generated, so problems show up on screen rather than at the scanner. Rows that pass are marked Ready; the rest show the reason they failed.

Checks for every format

• Empty values. A row with no value is flagged rather than producing a blank file.
• Duplicates. Two rows with the same value are flagged, because two identical barcodes on different items cause inventory errors.
• File name clashes. Two rows that would produce the same file name are flagged.

Code 128 checks

• Characters outside the supported set are flagged.
• Values longer than 40 characters are flagged; long values also make wide barcodes that may not fit a label.

EAN-13 and UPC-A checks

• Digits only. Letters, spaces and dashes are flagged.
• Length. 12 or 13 digits for EAN-13; 11 or 12 for UPC-A.
• Check digit. If you supply the full number, the check digit is verified. A wrong check digit usually means a typo somewhere in the number.

How the check digit is calculated

For EAN-13, the first 12 digits are weighted alternately 1 and 3 from the left and summed. The check digit is the number that brings the sum up to the next multiple of 10. For example, 400638133393 gives a check digit of 1, so the full EAN-13 is 4006381333931. UPC-A uses the same modulo-10 method with the weights starting at 3.

The rows per batch job depend on your plan: 25 on Free, 500 on Pro, 2,000 on Team and 25,000 on Business. Static barcodes themselves are unlimited on every plan, so you can run as many jobs as you need.

Limits by plan

• Free ($0): 25 rows per job. Enough to test your layout and scanner.
• Pro ($8/month, or $6 billed yearly): 500 rows per job.
• Team ($6 per seat/month, or $5 billed yearly, minimum 3 seats): 2,000 rows per job.
• Business (from $199/month, or $149 billed yearly): 25,000 rows per job, with custom pricing for higher volumes.

Working with large registers

For a register larger than your per-job limit, split it into logical files, such as by site, department or product line. Use the same mapping for each file so the output is consistent. Full plan details are on the pricing page.

Run a test job first

Upload a small sample, such as the first 20 rows, before the full register. Print it on your real label stock, scan it with your real scanner and check the values. Fixing a mapping or size problem on 20 labels is much cheaper than on 2,000.

Export SVG files for professional printing or packaging artwork, and the PDF sheet for printing directly on paper or label stock. Whatever you choose, keep the barcode at the right size, keep quiet zones clear and test-scan a sample before the full run.

Choosing the output

• ZIP of SVG files. Vector barcodes for designers and packaging printers. Sharp at any size.
• ZIP of PNG files. Raster images for spreadsheets, documents and web use.
• PDF sheet. Barcodes laid out in a grid on A4 or Letter with optional label text, ready for office or label printers.

Size and spacing

• Keep the X-dimension (the narrowest bar width) large enough for your scanner. For EAN-13 and UPC-A, GS1's nominal X-dimension is 0.33 mm, with an allowed range of roughly 80% to 200%.
• Leave quiet zones: at least 10X on each side for Code 128, 11X left and 7X right for EAN-13, and 9X on each side for UPC-A.
• Do not cut the bar height to squeeze barcodes onto small labels.

Test before the full run

1. Print one sheet on the final label stock.
2. Scan barcodes from each corner and the center of the sheet with the scanner your team will use.
3. Check the scanned value matches the row in your spreadsheet.
4. Check thermal printers' darkness setting; faded bars are a common cause of failed scans.

For a deeper look at stock control, see CardDeck for retail and inventory.

Yes. The batch generator can place each row's barcode on an ID card, membership card or event badge template, and it can generate a QR code alongside the barcode for every row.

Barcodes on cards

1. Add a barcode element to a card template and choose the format.
2. Map it to the ID column in your spreadsheet.
3. Run the batch. Each card is generated with the person's name, photo and their own barcode.
4. Print on CR80 card stock (85.6 × 54 mm) or share the cards digitally.

This is how teams issue employee ID cards and membership cards that work with existing door readers, time clocks and front-desk scanners.

Barcode plus QR code

Use both when dedicated scanners and phones need to read the same item: a Code 128 barcode for the warehouse scanner and a QR code that opens the item's record on a phone. The bulk QR code generator explains the QR side, including static and dynamic options. Leave clear space between the two codes on a label so each keeps its own quiet zone.