Bar code systems have spread far from the supermarket checkout counter. In hospitals, blood banks, warehouses and automobile assembly lines, bar code systems enter data at speeds, efficiency and accuracy levels far beyond human ability.

According to industry estimates:
- One in every 300 manual entries are entered incorrectly. When entries are bar coded, the error ratio is reduced to one in three million.
- A skilled operator can keystroke 600 entries per hour, while a handheld bar code scanner can read 6,000 entries. A high-speed fixed scanner can read hundreds of bar codes per second.
- Each keystroke error costs $27 — $12 for management and $15 for clerical time to reconcile the error. These numbers are always rising.

It's no wonder that bar coding, a mature, proven technology is attracting interest from businesses looking to improve productivity and cut costs.

Reprinted with Permission from www.cybra.com