Barcode Fonts with Business Central Online

APPLIES TO: Business Central 2021 release wave 1 (v18.0) and later

Business Central online includes the following one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) barcode fonts and symbologies from IDAutomation. The fonts have different specifications for characteristics like encode numbers, symbols, uppercase, and lowercase text. Knowing the specifications is useful for calibrating fonts used on report layouts. Barcode symbology is the mapping between data and the barcode image. It defines how to encode the data, including computation of a checksum and required start and stop marker symbol.

For information and examples about adding barcodes to reports, see Adding Barcodes to Reports.

One-dimensional barcode fonts

Font Symbology Description Specifications
Code39 Code39
  • Variable length
  • 43 characters, uppercase letters (A through Z), numeric digits (0 through 9), and special characters (-, ., $, /, +, %, and space)
  • * is used for both start and stop delimiters.
  • Nine elements per character (five bars and four spaces).
See...
Code_93 Code_39
  • Primarily by Canada Post to encode delivery information.
  • Alphanumeric
  • Variable length
  • Every symbol includes two check characters.
  • Each character is nine modules wide, with three bars and three spaces.
  • Each bar and space is from 1 to 4 modules wide.
See...
Codabar Codabar
  • Characters 0-9, letters A to D and the following symbols: - $ / +.
  • Self-checking, no checksum characters requirement.
  • Uppercase letters A, B, C, and D are used for start and stop codes.
  • Parentheses ( ) can be used as the start and stop code so letters don't appear readable version of the fonts.
See...
Code 128 Code 128
  • High-density linear barcode symbology for alphanumeric or numeric-only barcodes
  • Encodes 128 ASCII characters
  • Uppercase letters A, B, C, and D are used for start and stop codes.
  • Compact barcodes compared to other fonts like Code 39, especially when text is mostly digits
See...
Interleaved 2 of 5 Interleaved 2 of 5
  • Continuous two-width barcode symbology encoding digits
  • Encodes pairs of digits. The first digit is encoded in the five bars (black lines). The second digit is encoded in the five interleaved spaces (or white lines).
  • Two out of five bars or spaces are wide
See...
MSI Plessey MSI Plessey
  • Continuous symbology
  • Not self-checking.
  • Primarily for inventory control, marking storage containers and shelves in warehouse environments
See...
USPS Postnet
  • Postal Numeric Encoding Technique used by the United States Postal Service to assist direct mail.
  • ZIP code encoded in half and full height bars.
See...
UPC/EAN ---- UPC and EAN barcode font characters are contained in a single font represented in several different heights. The fonts can be printed in sizes from 12 points up to 32 points. See...
UPC-A
  • Common and well-known 12-digit barcode
  • Subset of EAN-13
  • Encodes GTIN-12 numbers
UPC-E
  • 6-digit variation of UPC-A that suppresses trailing zeros.
  • Commonly used where space is a factor.
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EAN-8
  • Linear, 12-digit barcode
  • Derived from EAN-13, but smaller
  • Encodes GTIN-8 numbers
EAN-13
  • 12-digit barcode
  • Superset of UPC-A, with an extra digit added to every UPC-A number
  • Encodes GTIN-13 numbers

Two-dimensional barcode fonts

Note

Two-dimensional (2D) barcode fonts and encoders are only included in version 19.1 and later.

Font Description Specifications
Aztec Area-efficient symbology capable of encoding large amounts of data. Encoded data can include alphabetic characters, numbers, text, and bytes of data, including extended types, Unicode characters, and small pictures. See...
Data Matrix Capable of encoding much larger quantities of data than standard linear barcodes. Data Matrix can be more efficient and compact than other 2D symbologies like PDF417 and QR-Code. Encoded data encoded may include text letters, numbers, and actual bytes of data such as extended characters, Unicode characters, and images. See...
Maxicode An international barcode that's used on UPS shipping labels for world-wide addressing and package sorting. Barcodes have a fixed size with offset rows of hexagonal modules arranged around a unique finder pattern. See...
PDF417 Area-efficient symbology capable of encoding and reading approximately 850 characters. Uses Reed Solomon error correction, which means it can withstand some damage without loss of data. This error correction leads to less read errors then linear barcodes. See...
QR-Code Generates QR-Code symbols with font encoders and graphic encoders. Support byte, text, and numeric encoding modes. See...

Font versions and names

A font can consist of several versions to support different requirements for characteristics like width and height, human-readability, and so on. Each font version has a specific name. You use the font name to set up the barcode in a report layout.

IDAutomation also provides evaluation (demo) fonts for trial and test purposes. The evaluation fonts have names that are similar to the purchased fonts. Evaluation fonts typically include an S and Demo in font name. For example, Code 39 includes a purchased font with the name IDAutomationHC39M and an evaluation font with the name IDAutomationSHC39M Demo.

When you're applying barocode font in the report layout for a Business Central online production environment, be sure to use the purchased font name; not the evaluation font name. If you use the evaluation font name, the barcode won't render. Refer to font specifications linked above to see a list of purchased font names.

Adding Barcodes to Reports
Request Pages
Creating an RDL Layout Report
Creating a Word Layout Report
Developing Extensions
AL Development Environment