White Paper : iOS Compatibility
What is it?
Not all barcode scanners or data capture devices are compatible with Apple iOS devices, and for those that are, a significant amount of testing and development are required to assure proper device operation. However, after a huge demand from small and medium-sized business owners to incorporate iPads, iPhones, and other Apple devices into their workforce management workflow, Apple invested extensive time and resources into certifying iOS devices with select data capture devices. Now, business owners have the ability to connect their Apple device to a data capture device via Bluetooth or a physical sled or cradle in order to conduct asset tracking, point of sale, inventory management, and other applications.
When is it coming?
iOS compatibility exists today. Many businesses ranging from small to enterprise-level are using iPads, iPhones and iPods to perform inventory management, asset tracking, and mobile point of sale activities. Hardware devices such as barcode scanners, label printers, receipt printers, cash drawers, and RFID readers are now equipped with software utilities that allow for connection to your preferred Apple device.
White Paper: Mobile Coupon Return on Investment
Mobile coupon popularity is growing rapidly in the retail sector. One analyst firm, solely focused on mobile, predicts that mobile coupons redeemed will almost double between 2014 and 2019 to more than 31 billion.
Initially, the move to incorporate mobile coupons into the mix of discounts available to consumers was driven by retailers wanting to provide a unique and improved consumer experience. In addition, a handful of retailers were looking for a solution that would limit their coupon liability exposure through the use of one-time-use mobile coupons. Today, a majority of retailers are interested in the ROI of implementing a mobile coupon solution as mobile coupon use is becoming increasingly popular with consumers. This is also driving the adoption of area-imaging (2D) scanners capable of reading QR codes and other coupons directly off the screen of customers’ mobile devices.
White Paper: The Internet of Things
What is it?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the coming connectivity of everything you own, everything you see. No longer will access to the internet be limited to single point interfaces like your phone or computer, or single-point data sources like web pages or servers. Nor will it be limited to you! Everything you see can, and someday will, be interconnected and sharing data: your tv, your refrigerator, your home, your car, the roads you drive on, the building you work in, the package you’re delivering…everything.
So far, the Internet of Things has been most closely associated with machine-to-machine (M2M) communication in manufacturing and power, oil and gas utilities. Products built with M2M communication capabilities are often referred to as being smart.
The Basics of Manual and Automated Picking
1. Introduction
As a small and medium size business that fulfills and ships orders for customers, the “Picking Process”, if it is not already, will consume more resources than any other area of your fulfillment operation. Whether you know it or not, you do already have a picking process, even if it is just the daily ritual of taking the day’s orders and walking out into the garage to find the items you need to ship.
The question is, are you going to be comfortable using that process as you grow and have confidence that you will achieve the most important objective which impacts your customers – accuracy?
Will the process that works for you now with thirty orders per day still make sense when you have one hundred thirty orders per day? What about a thousand? If you are banking on your own business success in the future, then the answer to that question has to be “No”. Yes?
Now that you know that: 1. Picking is going to be a huge part of your business in terms of resources and customer impact and 2. Your existing process isn’t going to cut it as you grow. What are you going to do about it?
Continue reading to learn more about some of your options and the benefits of being pro-active about constantly evolving tools, technology and processes – your business depends on it!
9 Reasons Why You Can’t Afford Not to Invest in Mobile Power Solutions for Your Distribution Center
1. Solutions for Every Scenario
You can’t afford not to implement solutions for your warehouse challenges. Whatever the particular challenge is at your nationwide fulfillment centers, your 1 million square foot warehouse, your 24/7 distribution center, or your manufacturing plant, mobile power solutions are available to:
- Streamline your processes
- Help your employees accomplish the most each shift
- Ensure exceptional, on-time customer service
No matter what your facility’s particular needs may be, there are viable solutions available via the implementation of customized power workstations. Whether your particular situation is similar to those Newcastle Systems customers experienced, or it’s a one-of-a-kind challenge, there is an affordable, doable, and easy solution.
The following scenarios depict companies which are ‘stuck’ or are growing, and the solutions they’ve implemented:
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Five Things to Know Before Choosing an Embedded Data Acquisition Device
Successful data acquisition for barcode reading or part inspection depends on the ability of the data acquisition device, such as a barcode reader or machine vision camera, to function at peak performance within the restrictions of the application. In applications where barcode reading or machine vision inspection processes are embedded inside of equipment, limited integration space puts a unique set of restrictions on how a device can be installed, not to mention demands on the size and capabilities of the device itself. Before installation, it is important to choose a device with optimal specifications to ensure inspections can be done accurately and consistently throughout the life of the machine. This post outlines the five things an engineer should know before choosing a data acquisition device for embedding into equipment, including:
- Barcode Type and Orientation
- Inspection Requirements
- Application Speed
- Integration Space
- Data Communication Needs
How Mobility and Connectivity Bring Value to Financial Services
When it comes to maintaining secure financial operations and providing top-notch customer service, success hinges on an organization’s ability to transform information into insight. Additionally, with fraud and theft on the rise, it’s critical that financial institutions constantly improve protection plans. And since no two financial organizations are alike, a variety of multi-level security options is needed. From print-on-demand (POD) technologies that enable “intelligent” access cards and radio frequency identification (RFID) to desktop printers and document and record tracking applications, organizations are capable of securing people, products and property across their operations—while maintaining a high level of customer service.
Financial information, assets and communications are mission critical. It’s vital that solutions and devices enable officials to locate, track and manage personnel, confidential materials and high-value assets in real time—after all, the best security is proactive, not reactive. Furthermore, it’s crucial that only authorized individuals have access to secure locations. In addition to leveraging the value of mobile devices and printers, organizations can take advantage of opportunities afforded by the Internet of Things (IoT) by utilizing a set of enabling technologies to connect, capture and then analyze the data to make more informed decisions. Connecting devices to one cloud platform will enable them to gain actionable insight into their operations and processes—providing the asset intelligence they need to stay competitive.
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5 Ways the Internet of Things Adds Value to Manufacturing and Field Mobility
Manufacturers and mobile workers are the unsung heroes of invention and innovation. Their creativity builds stronger economies in their organizations, communities and around the world, and their services keep everything moving forward. But the landscape is intricate, and it’s a constant battle to maintain profit margins, revenues and quality of service. With the vast opportunities for waste throughout global manufacturing supply chains, it’s not surprising that enterprises are focusing on cost reduction and ways to improve efficiency and accuracy across their organizations.
With the increase of devices linked to manufacturing and mobility processes comes the increase in data available. However, much of this information is disjointed across the enterprise, making it difficult to obtain a realtime view of assets, people and transactions. When this decentralized scenario is replicated across the enterprise, with countless devices running disparately, inefficiencies continue to mount. This leaves enterprise workers incapable of harnessing value from their data.
Driver Vehicle Inspection Reporting for Private Fleets: Pitfalls and Opportunities
As time marches on, many of the influences on our businesses change as well. This change alone is a great reason to frequently review your operations and make sure you are employing the very best practices in every facet of your business operations. In a recent research study conducted by Vanson Bourne trucking professionals reported that only 61% of their companies had conducted any type of process re-engineering effort in the previous 12 months. That leaves 39% of transportation operations as a whole (33% of private fleets and 53% of for-hire operations) that have not made a focused effort to innovate and improve their operational processes.
When you contrast that static approach to business against constantly evolving regulatory requirements, you have an obvious disconnect. For example, let’s take a topic like commercial vehicle inspections. All commercial fleets perform them since they are required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) initiative1 . Yet, how many companies execute these inspections and reports in a manner that not only improves the fleet’s Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score, but also improves the efficiency of the operation, positively impacting everything from driver performance to customer satisfaction?
New Barcode Workflows for Nurses
A creative group of nurses are helping Honeywell uncover better ways to use barcode printers and scanners at the bedside. In the past, it was common to see barcode scanners mounted on workstation-on-wheel (WoW) carts behind the display and out of the way. It made perfect sense at a time when reading barcodes was a new and relatively uncommon task. Today, the frequency of reading barcodes at the bedside has dramatically increased and—with Meaningful Use Stage 2—this trend will continue. Nurses using Honeywell’s Xenon cordless barcode scanner quickly discovered that mounting it in an elevated, forward-facing orientation allowed them to fully benefit from the scanner’s “presentation mode” feature. Just like the built-in scanners found at the grocery store, presentation mode scanning is faster because it eliminates the need to squeeze the trigger, and frees up the second hand for quickly handling items.
