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Barcode-Free Scanning for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
One of the biggest barriers to adopting a WMS is the labeling project that comes before it. Barcode every bin. Label every rack location. Apply barcodes to every product in stock. For many operations, that project takes weeks and delays the go-live date before a single scan happens.
Warehouse Insight supports OCR-capable Android scanners, which read printed text the same way a standard scanner reads a barcode. Workers point the device at printed text on a shelf label, a carton, or a product, and Warehouse Insight receives it exactly as it would a barcode scan. Operations move to a scan-based WMS immediately, without a labeling project holding them back.
At a Glance
- Start scanning without barcoding every rack, bin, and product first — OCR-capable scanners read existing printed text directly into Warehouse Insight.
- OCR input arrives at Warehouse Insight identically to a barcode scan, so it works in every workflow that accepts a scan.
- Capture lot numbers, expiry dates, and item data from printed packaging text in a single scan, with no manual typing required.
- Add barcode labels over time as part of a phased approach, rather than as a prerequisite to going live.
Key Capabilities
Scan existing printed text on racks and bins. Workers with OCR-capable devices point their scanners at a printed shelf label, location code, or bin description, and Warehouse Insight receives it as a scan. Operations do not need to apply barcode labels to every rack and bin location before they start using Warehouse Insight. Existing printed location labels work immediately.
Scan product text without barcode labels. Products that carry printed item numbers, serial numbers, or descriptions but no barcode label are scannable with OCR-capable hardware. Workers point the device at the printed text, and Warehouse Insight processes it as they would any other scan. This removes the dependency on vendor barcode compliance or internal labeling before operations can move to scan-based workflows.
Lot number capture from printed packaging. Vendors who print lot numbers as human-readable text on carton sides rather than encoding them in a barcode are no longer a problem. Workers scan the printed lot number text and Warehouse Insight pre-fills the lot number field in the quantity dialog. Workers confirm rather than type.
Expiry date capture from printed packaging. Expiry dates printed directly on pharmaceutical, food, or chemical packaging without an associated barcode scan the same way. Workers capture expiry dates in a single scan rather than reading the date and typing it manually.
Works everywhere in Warehouse Insight. OCR scanning operates at the device hardware level. The scanner reads printed text and delivers it to Warehouse Insight as a standard scan input, just as with a barcode scan. Every workflow that accepts a scan — receiving, picking, put-away, counting, shipping, moves, item inquiry — accepts OCR input with no application change required.
No Warehouse Insight configuration required. Because OCR input arrives as a standard scan, Warehouse Insight requires no additional configuration. The OCR capability lives in the scanner hardware and its device-level settings. Once the device delivers OCR output through the standard scan intent, Warehouse Insight handles it without distinction.
How Barcode-Free Scanning Works in Warehouse Insight
Warehouse Insight accepts scan input via Android Data Intents. The scanner hardware reads a barcode or printed text, converts the result to a text string, and delivers it to Warehouse Insight through the device’s intent configuration. Whether the source is a barcode symbol or printed human-readable text, the scanner delivers the same type of output, and Warehouse Insight processes it identically.
Workers using OCR-capable devices follow the same workflow they use for standard barcode scanning. During receiving, a worker reaches a lot-tracked item with no lot barcode on the carton. Instead of stopping to type the lot number manually, the worker points the device at the printed lot number text. The scanner reads it and passes the string to Warehouse Insight. The lot number field pre-fills. The worker confirms and continues. The same applies to bin labels, rack locations, item numbers, expiry dates, and any other printed text Warehouse Insight accepts as scan input.
The device-level OCR configuration determines what text the scanner reads and how it formats the output. Once that configuration delivers the correct string to Warehouse Insight via the scan intent, the application handles it without any change to Business Central or Warehouse Insight configuration.
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Faster WMS Adoption Without the Labeling Project
The standard path to WMS adoption requires labeling every storage location and product before go-live. For a warehouse with hundreds of bin locations and thousands of SKUs, that project consumes significant time and delays the productivity gains the WMS delivers. Operations often spend more time preparing to use the system than it takes to implement it.
OCR scanning changes that equation. Operations deploy Warehouse Insight and start scanning against existing printed labels on racks, bins, and products from day one. Workers build scan-based habits, and supervisors see real-time Business Central updates. The labeling project becomes a phased improvement rather than a prerequisite. Operations add barcode labels to high-traffic locations first, expand over time, and capture the efficiency gains of a scan-based WMS from the moment they go live rather than weeks later.
For operations that have resisted WMS adoption specifically because of the labeling burden, OCR scanning removes the most common reason for delay.
Who Uses Barcode-Free Scanning
Operations transitioning from paper-based or manual processes to a scan-based WMS can go live without a labeling project by using OCR. Receiving teams in pharmaceutical, food, chemical, and other industries with mandatory lot and expiry tracking use it to capture tracking data from printed packaging text without manual entry or vendor label dependency. Warehouse managers evaluating hardware use it to assess WMS adoption feasibility without committing to a full labeling project upfront. Contact Insight Works or your Microsoft Partner for current hardware recommendations based on your scanning environment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. With OCR-capable Android scanners, workers read existing printed text on racks, bins, and products directly into Warehouse Insight. The scanner delivers printed text to Warehouse Insight identically to a barcode scan. Operations go live on a scan-based WMS immediately, and barcode labels are added over time as a phased improvement rather than as a prerequisite for going live.
No. OCR capability operates at the device hardware level. The scanner reads printed text and delivers it as a scan intent to Warehouse Insight, just as it delivers a barcode scan. Warehouse Insight requires no application-level change. As long as the device delivers OCR output through the standard scan intent configuration, every Warehouse Insight workflow that accepts a scan accepts OCR input.
OCR scanning works in every workflow that accepts a barcode scan. This includes receiving, picking, put-away, shipping, inventory counting, bin-to-bin moves, item inquiry, and any custom application built in the App Designer. No workflow requires separate enablement or configuration for OCR input.
Not necessarily, and operations do not need to make that decision before going live. OCR scanning removes the need for barcode labels as a hard prerequisite for WMS adoption. Operations can start scanning immediately with existing printed text and add barcode labels progressively to high-value or high-traffic locations. Many operations run in parallel: barcode labels when throughput demands it, OCR scanning when labels have not yet been applied.
OCR scanning requires an Android handheld scanner with built-in OCR. The range of compatible devices grows as hardware manufacturers expand OCR support. Contact Insight Works or your Microsoft Partner for current hardware recommendations based on your specific warehouse environment and use case.
Watch the on-demand demo at dmsiworks.com/apps/warehouse-insight#demo, or reach out to your Microsoft Partner to see how Warehouse Insight fits your operation.