Barcoding Assistance - What scanner do people use?

Joshua Parr

Hello, we would like to implement barcoding to speed up gift entry for direct mail response gifts and so far I've had no success. We purchased a barcode scanner that will register individual pieces of data into RE separately (an ID number, gift amount, appeal code) but producing the recommended formatted barcode out of RE does not work. Either manually creating the string of information or creating the barcode using the Mail process. Before I try purchasing another bar code scanner, I'd like to see if anyone can tell me what specific bar code scanner they use, if you downloaded a font and from where, and any other tips you may have. Thanks!

Suzie MacMillan

I am also very interested in what programs/apps etc people are using, we've been looking into the papersave app, however at this time it only works with the database view that is hosted through Boston (we are hosted in TO) and we do not have gift batching set up yet in NXT, which it is available for, for anyone (https://www.papersave.com/integrations/blackbaud/)

Mark Guncheon

This is the bar code reader we use but it is used to scan in text that I use when doing repetitive entry. For example, I have a sheet of bar codes I created that have my most used logins. I have a sheet with the complete names of fundraisers so when I am assigning them to prospects, the notes I create with that info and the relationship tab info can be scanned in using the reader to scan names, "primary solicitor" for solicitor type, "Assignment" for note title, Note description is :

Coded as primary solicitor

which I then move my cursor back to a space before "primary solicitor" where I then scan in the name of the fundraiser.


I had a project a few years ago where I was updating about 200 donors who had never had their membership tabs updated. I created a series of bar codes with the end of the year dates for the five years I was updating so I could scan those in as well as the membership category and level of membership.


This is the hand-held scanner I use:



Symbol Technologies

It's under a hundred dollars. I create the bar codes with an online bar code creator.

Darrel Giesbrecht

We use Symbol LS 2208 scanners, available for $60 from Amazon, and lots of other places.

Used them for years on pledge cards and reminders; they work great on Raiser's Edge created bar codes.

There are some things to know, just like any new process.

1. Use a True Type 3 of 9 font (AKA Code 39), which is more reliable than some others out there.

2. We use 18 points size on reminders and intention cards. Anything under 14 is problematic.

Joshua Parr

This is really helpful information. I will try one of those scanners with the font/font size recommendations. Is there a certain website/source you used to download the true type 3 of 9 font you use?