Resolving invalid scans

If your barcode scanner or camera scans a barcode that the barcode reader is not able to interpret, the barcode reader goes into the Attention state.
A red bar is displayed next to the barcode reader in the portlet. It continues to read barcodes. Check whether intervention is required to resolve errors.

There are many reasons that cause a barcode scanner or camera to fail to read a barcode. For example:

  • Dust or other contamination is on the lens.
  • The lighting conditions have changed.
  • Different media is being scanned and the barcode is not detected on the new media.
  • The barcode scanner or camera is not aligned correctly.
  • The barcode scanner or camera configuration or calibration has changed.
  • The barcode scanner or camera received scan data that it does not recognize.
  • The barcode format used to produce the barcode does not match what the barcode reader is expecting.
  • The mail piece did not contain a barcode in the expected location. This failure could happen if, for example, the first page of the second document was put in an envelope at the end of the first document.
  • An unexpected event triggered the barcode scanner or camera.

To restore the state of the barcode reader:
  1. Find the barcode reader that is in the Attention state and open its log. Look for information about the last valid barcode scanned and the next valid barcode scanned, to help identify the scan that was detected as invalid.
  2. Find the items that scanned incorrectly and take the necessary actions to resolve the errors.
  3. In the Barcode Readers portlet, right-click the barcode reader that is in the Attention state and select Clear Alert.
Parent topic: Working with jobs when using Automated Verification