Barcode Nomenclatures in Odoo 18

Warehouse managers scanning barcodes getting wrong products create fulfillment disasters: scanner reads weighted produce barcode "2100012340056" but system doesn't know "21" prefix means product code follows so treats entire string as unknown product, another barcode scans as different item because UPC-12 vs EAN-13 format not converted causing inventory duplicates, and GS1 barcodes with embedded lot/expiry data ignored because nomenclature not configured—creating picking errors, shipment delays, and inventory chaos from barcode misinterpretation.

Odoo 18 Barcode Nomenclatures enable intelligent barcode interpretation with pattern-based rules defining barcode structure, automatic format conversion (UPC↔EAN), support for EAN-13/EAN-8/UPC-A/GS1-128 standards, weighted product decoding (prefix+product+weight), lot/location/package type recognition, Stock Barcode Database auto-lookup for product details, and custom nomenclature creation—transforming barcode scans into accurate inventory actions without manual lookup or interpretation errors.

How Odoo Interprets Barcodes

Barcode nomenclatures define interpretation rules using:

• Predefined patterns: Regular expressions specifying barcode structure
• Prefix recognition: "21" prefix = weighted item with product code + weight
• Field mapping: Match barcode segments to product fields
• Standard formats: EAN, UPC, GS1 support

Default Nomenclature Setup

1. Go to Inventory → Configuration → Settings
2. Enable Barcode Scanner
3. Select Default Nomenclature
4. Save

Default supports: EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, GS1-128. Suitable for environments with internal consistency but non-standardized external suppliers.

Configuring Product Barcodes

1. Click Configure Product Barcodes link in settings
2. View product list with Name, Reference, Barcode, Company
3. Click product to edit barcode
4. Create/update barcode number
5. Save

Printing Barcodes

• Print barcode commands: Download printable barcode sheets
• Print storage locations: Generate location barcodes for warehouse bins
• Print barcode demosheet: Sample sheet for training/testing

Creating Custom Nomenclatures

Enable Developer Mode to access advanced configuration:

1. Activate Developer Mode
2. Go to Inventory → Configuration → Barcode Nomenclatures
3. Click New
4. Configure:
   • Barcode Nomenclature: Name
   • UPC/EAN Conversion: Auto-convert 12-digit UPC ↔ 13-digit EAN (add/remove leading zero)
   • Is GS1 Nomenclature: Uncheck for default (check for GS1 mode)

UPC/EAN Conversion Options:

• Never: No conversion
• Always: Convert all barcodes
• EAN-13 to UPC-A: Remove leading zero from EAN-13
• UPC-A to EAN-13: Add leading zero to UPC-A

Creating Rules

Click Add a line in Rule Name tab:

Pattern Examples:

Stock Barcode Database

Auto-lookup product details from scanned barcodes:

1. Go to Inventory → Configuration → Settings
2. Enable Stock Barcode Database
3. Scan UPC/EAN/ISBN barcode
4. System auto-retrieves:
   • Product name
   • Description
   • Images
   • Categories
5. Reduces manual data entry errors

Best Practices

Test Nomenclature with Demosheet: Print demosheet before production use. Test all barcode types (product, location, weighted) ensure rules fire correctly. Prevents warehouse disruption from misconfigured patterns.

Enable UPC/EAN Conversion: Suppliers send mix of UPC-12 and EAN-13? Enable auto-conversion prevents duplicate products from format differences. Set to "Always" or specific direction based on primary format.

Sequence Rules by Specificity: Specific rules (21NNNNNPPPPP for weighted products) get low sequence numbers = high priority. Generic rules (any EAN-13) get high sequence = applied last. Prevents generic rules capturing specific barcodes prematurely.

Use Cases

Conclusion

Odoo 18 Barcode Nomenclatures transform barcode scans into accurate inventory actions through pattern-based interpretation rules, automatic format conversion, multi-standard support, and Stock Barcode Database integration. Eliminate manual lookup and interpretation errors in warehouse operations.