This guide covers the initial setup with terminal activation, default label styling, and the critical "Print on Arrival" automation logic for Barcode Manager which is the main tool for printing barcode labels, onto A4 label sheets and label printers like Zebra.

Terminal Activation & Hardware Linking

Before using the Barcode Manager, it must be enabled and assigned to your specific computer terminal. Remember to repeat these steps for each computer.

1. Go to Setup → Point of Sale → Terminals.

2. Under Label Printing Options, select Barcode Manager. Click Save and Close.

3. Set Default Operator: Each terminal is assigned Operator 0 by default. An Operator number is similar to a queue number, and you can use multiple queue numbers to organise labels printing to different printers. To change this, edit the Operator column in the terminal table and click Save.
   
   

   

   Important: Restart Retailer after making terminal-level changes.

Printer Selection

1. Click on Stock → Barcode Manager from the main screen of Retailer.
   
2. Click on Stock Maintenance → Barcode Manager on the top menu bar.

Scannability: Avoid "Printing to PDF". The conversion often distorts barcode widths, making them unreadable by scanners.

Default Label Styles

You can set default "looks" for your labels at the Department or Item level. Retailer comes pre-configured with multiple different label styles that can be used.

At Department level

At Item level

At Department level

1. From the main screen of Retailer, go to Stock → Suppliers and Departments.
   
2. Select a department (by using magnifying glass to search, or arrow buttons).
   
3. Choose a default Barcode Style or Shelf Label Style in the dropdown boxes.
   
4. This applies to all new items created in this department. Existing items will need to have settings updated at item level.
   

It's possible to set up a Department so any new products in there will use Barcode labels as the Shelf label. Set the Department default Shelf Label Style as one of the Barcode Shelf Labels (5x13).

This only works for A4 label sheets, and will make these products queue a shelf label in the Barcode Label queue instead of Shelf Labels. Barcode labels are laid out differently to Shelf labels, on the label and on the A4 sheet.

At Item level

1. From the main screen of Retailer, click on Stock → Stock Screen.
2. Search for the particular stock item to change using the magnifying glass.
3. Click on the Other tab.
4. Choose the Default Barcode/Label style using the drop-down box.
5. Click on Save.

You can change the default label style for multiple items at once using the stock manager. For help with the stock manager, click HERE.

 Shelf Label Description: To use longer names on shelf labels, go to Setup → System → Stock and tick Shelf label with long stock description. (Requires Software Level 'B')

Automation: "Print on Arrival"

This setting determines if a label is automatically queued to Barcode Manager, when stock is arrived via Invoice Arrivals.

• Stock Wizard: When adding new items using Stock Wizard, the setting "Print a label for this item when it is arrived?" is ticked by default for Retailer-generated barcodes and unticked for supplier barcodes. This setting can be seen on the screen following the pricing information screen.
  

This setting can be enabled on existing items individually, or in bulk.

Magazines: You must enable this on the Other tab for both the Parent magazine item and the specific Issue.

For Interstore Transfers: Note that disabling auto-printing for transfers is not possible without disabling the "Print on Arrival" option for the item entirely.

A4 Sheet Alignment

Calibrate your A4 label sheets to ensure the text fits perfectly inside the stickers. You may print onto plain A4 paper first to check if changes are suitable. Hold it against a real label sheet in front of a light to check alignment.

1. Open Barcode Manager, and click on Barcode Settings or Shelf Label Settings.
   

2. For Barcode Settings, you can choose between Normal (Short Stock Description) or Condensed (Long Stock Description)

3. The Baseline: This is a good starting point. Click Restore Defaults then OK, then close and restart Retailer.

4. Shuffling:

   • If labels are too high/low, click Shuffle Rows up or down (1 click = 1 mm).

   • If too far left/right, click Shuffle Columns left or right.
     

   • You can also manually type values into the Row/Column Position boxes.

5. Note: These settings move the entire print block, not individual elements. Calibration and settings are local to each PC; you must repeat this on every terminal used for printing.