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Scan with the camera

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When there is no scanner on the counter, the tablet camera does the same job. It is slower than a scanner, and it is enough for a quiet till, a pop-up stall, or checking a code on the shop floor.

Scan a product

Section titled “Scan a product”
  1. On the sell screen, select Scan with the camera in the search bar.
  2. A band opens above the cart. Hold the barcode in it.
  3. The band flashes green and the product drops into the cart.

Select Close the camera scanner when you are done. The camera runs only while the band is open, never in the background.

Getting a clean read

Section titled “Getting a clean read”
  • Fill the band with the barcode rather than the whole product. The camera needs to see the bars, not the box.
  • Tap the barcode on screen to focus on it.
  • In low light, select Turn the light on to use the device torch.
  • Steady beats fast. Hold still for a moment rather than sweeping across the label.

The same barcode will not add twice in quick succession, so a code the camera reads on twenty frames a second still only adds one item. To sell two of the same product, scan it again after a moment, or change the quantity on the cart line.

Only retail barcodes are read: EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 128, Code 39, and ITF-14. A QR code on a shelf label is ignored on purpose, so it cannot be mistaken for a product.

Camera settings

Section titled “Camera settings”

There is nothing to configure. The camera picture quality settings the app uses apply on Android only, so on an iPad or iPhone what you see is what the camera gives.

One camera at a time

Section titled “One camera at a time”

The sell screen and the return screen can both be open at once, but only one of them can hold the camera. If you open the band on one and it says the camera is unavailable, close the band on the other screen first.

If it goes wrong

Section titled “If it goes wrong”
  • Camera access is off for this app. You answered no to the camera prompt at some point, and iOS will not ask again. Select Open settings on that message and turn the camera back on for OLET. Reopening the band on its own will not fix it.
  • Camera unavailable. Use the search field or a scanner. The camera could not start. Another screen may be holding it, so close the other band, or close and reopen the app.
  • The band opens but nothing scans. The barcode is likely too small in frame, or the light is too low. Move closer, tap to focus, and try the torch.

Where to go next

Section titled “Where to go next”