Barcode labels for inventory, products and staff IDs in one place

Put one item per row in a spreadsheet, upload it to CardDeck, choose the barcode format and label layout, and export a print-ready sheet. Every row becomes one label with its own barcode and human-readable text.

Prepare the file

• One row per label. If you need three labels for one item, repeat the row three times.
• A column for the code value: SKU, asset ID, GS1 product number or bin location.
• Optional columns for text printed on the label: product name, size, price, location or department.
• Save as CSV (UTF-8) or XLSX. In Excel, format code columns as text so leading zeros are not dropped.

Generate

1. Upload the file to the bulk barcode generator.
2. Map the code column and any label text columns.
3. Pick the format: EAN-13 or UPC-A for retail products, Code 128 for anything internal.
4. Preview the batch. Rows with the wrong length or invalid characters are flagged before export.
5. Download a PDF label sheet, or a ZIP of SVG and PNG files for your label software.

On the Team plan a single job handles up to 2,000 rows. Business raises that to 25,000 rows per job for large catalogs or warehouse relabeling. Static barcodes are unlimited on every plan, so there is no per-label charge.

The same import powers the batch generator for cards and IDs, so one spreadsheet habit covers labels and staff cards alike.

Use EAN-13 or UPC-A for products sold at a checkout, and Code 128 for everything internal: asset tags, shelf and bin labels, stock locations and staff IDs.

EAN-13 and UPC-A

These are retail product formats. EAN-13 encodes 13 digits, including a final check digit; UPC-A encodes 12 digits and is common in the US and Canada. Retailers expect the number to be issued by GS1, the standards body that assigns company prefixes. CardDeck does not supply GS1 numbers. You enter the number GS1 gave you and CardDeck calculates the check digit and draws the barcode. See the EAN-13 barcode generator for details on the structure.

Code 128

Code 128 encodes letters, numbers and symbols across the full ASCII set and stays compact. It suits:

• Asset tags such as "IT-LAP-0192"
• Bin and shelf locations such as "A03-R2-S4"
• Internal SKUs that are not sold through other retailers
• Employee numbers on staff IDs

When to add a QR code

Barcodes carry a short value for a scanner. QR codes open a web page on a phone. Add a QR code to shelf labels or packaging when customers or staff need product information, instructions or a reorder link. Make it a dynamic QR code if the page might change.

Common mistakes

• Inventing EAN-13 numbers for products sold through retailers.
• Using EAN-13 for internal asset tags, where Code 128 is more flexible.
• Mixing formats on the same shelf system, which confuses scanner settings.

Print dark bars on a white background, keep a clear quiet zone on both sides, avoid shrinking the barcode too far, and test the first sheet with the scanner you actually use.

Print rules that matter

• Contrast: solid black on white or a very light background. Red bars do not read on most laser scanners.
• Quiet zone: leave clear space to the left and right of the bars. Do not let label borders or text touch them.
• Size: avoid scaling retail barcodes much below their nominal size; small labels fail first.
• Vector files: use SVG or PDF so bar edges stay sharp at any size.
• Height: do not crop the bars too short to save space.

Label sheets and printers

CardDeck exports PDFs for common A4 and Letter label sheet layouts, plus custom grid sizes when your labels are unusual. Set the grid to match your stock, print one test page on plain paper, hold it against a label sheet to check alignment, then print the run. For thermal label printers, export individual SVG or PNG files and place them with your printer's label software.

Test before the full run

1. Print five labels.
2. Scan each with your handheld scanner and at the till.
3. Check the human-readable text matches the encoded value.
4. Stick one on the real surface, such as a curved bottle or a metal shelf, and scan again.

Testing a handful of labels takes ten minutes and saves reprinting thousands.

Use short, structured Code 128 values that never repeat and never get reused. A good scheme tells a person what the item is without needing the scanner.

A simple numbering scheme

• Prefix by type: IT for computers, FUR for furniture, TOOL for equipment.
• Location codes: aisle, rack and shelf, such as A03-R2-S4.
• Sequential number: zero-padded so values sort correctly, such as 00192.
• No reuse: when an asset is retired, retire its number too.

A sample hardware store, Harbor Supply, tags 1,400 tools as TOOL-00001 to TOOL-01400 and its bins as A01-R1-S1 onward. One spreadsheet holds both lists, and each relabeling job takes one upload.

Reprint single tags

Tags get damaged and assets move. Because each label is a row in your sheet, you can regenerate one tag without rerunning the whole job. Keep a master spreadsheet as the source of truth and edit it first, then export the labels you need.

Combine with your inventory system

CardDeck creates the barcodes; your inventory or POS system stores stock counts and movements. Export the same IDs your system already uses so a scan finds the right record. If your system can import a CSV, keep the column names consistent between the two so the list you upload to CardDeck is the list your system knows.

For more on choosing formats, see the barcode generator overview of Code 128, EAN-13 and UPC-A.

Yes. Add a Code 128 barcode with the employee number to a staff ID, and staff can scan in at the till, time clock or stockroom with the scanners you already own.

Retail teams often run three separate systems for identity: a printed name badge, a POS login and a time clock. Putting the employee number on the ID as a barcode joins them up without new hardware.

What a retail staff ID can carry

• Photo, first name and role on the front, readable from across a counter.
• Employee number as a Code 128 barcode for POS and time systems.
• A QR code that opens a verification page showing whether the ID is active.
• Store or department as a field, so one template covers every location.

How to issue them

Employee IDs are included on the Team plan. Upload a staff list, match photos by employee number and export CR80 cards (85.6 × 54 mm) for a card printer. Use the employee ID card maker to set the template once and lock it for every store.

When someone leaves

Deactivate their ID in CardDeck so the verification page shows it as inactive. Remove their POS and time-clock access in those systems as usual. The barcode itself does not change, so the deactivation step in each system is what stops it working.

Team is $6 per seat per month, or $5 billed yearly (₹299 / ₹249), with a minimum of 3 seats. Each seat includes a card, and shared cards can cover the shop itself.

Start with one category or one store, prove the labels scan, then expand. Track label errors, reprints and how quickly new stock gets labeled.

Setup checklist

1. List every label type you use: product, shelf, bin, asset, staff ID.
2. Assign a format to each: EAN-13 or UPC-A for retail products, Code 128 for the rest.
3. Confirm your GS1 numbers for retail products.
4. Build one master spreadsheet per label type with a unique code column.
5. Match label layouts to the sheets or thermal rolls you stock.
6. Run a test batch of 20 labels and scan every one.
7. Roll out store by store or category by category.

Metrics to track

• First-scan success rate at the till, checked during the pilot.
• Labels reprinted per week, which falls when sizes and quiet zones are right.
• Time from delivery to labeled stock.
• Shelf QR scans, if you add dynamic QR codes for product information, measured in analytics.

When to move to Business

Team handles batch jobs of up to 2,000 rows and 200 dynamic QR codes. If you relabel a warehouse of 20,000 bins in one go, need several brands, or want advanced analytics with export, Business offers 25,000 rows per job and unlimited dynamic QR codes.