How to Create Barcodes in Excel Easily from A to Z
In the digital age, barcodes are not just tools for product identification—they play a crucial role in inventory management, sales tracking, and optimizing business operations. For individuals or small businesses, owning a barcode management system is no longer a luxury.
The good news is that you don’t need specialized software or costly solutions. With just Microsoft Excel, you can create professional, fast, and efficient barcodes on your own.
In this article, iCheckQR will guide you step-by-step through the process of creating barcodes in Excel—from preparing your data and installing barcode fonts to printing and applying them in real-world scenarios. Start now and turn Excel into your smart management tool at your fingertips.
1. What is a barcode?
A barcode is a series of symbols used to store product information, allowing systems to process data quickly when scanned.
Types of barcodes:
1D barcodes: Linear codes like EAN-13, Code 39, Code 128 – used for short strings of numbers or letters.
2D barcodes: Such as QR Codes – can store more data like URLs, text, etc.
Common barcode types used in Excel:
EAN-13: Used in retail; supports numbers only.
Code 39: Used in warehouses; supports both letters and numbers.
Code 128: Used in logistics; compact and flexible but requires a special font.
QR Code: Used in payment, marketing; stores various data types but needs a scanning app.
Note: Creating barcodes in Excel usually requires a barcode font or an add-in.
2. Methods for Creating Barcodes in Excel
Creating barcodes in Excel is simple and can be done in multiple ways, depending on your needs and technical skill level. Below are two common, easy, and completely free methods:
Method 1: Create Barcodes Using Free Barcode Fonts
One of the fastest and simplest ways to generate barcodes in Excel is by using special barcode fonts such as Code 39 or Code 128.
Steps to Follow:
Download and install a barcode font on your computer. Common options include Code 39 and Code 128.
Open Excel and type the content you want to convert into a barcode (e.g., ABC123 for Code 39).
Select the cell containing the text, then change the font to the barcode font you just installed.
The barcode will display instantly and can be printed or used as needed.
Note: Some fonts require you to add special characters (like asterisks *) at the beginning and end of the content to ensure the barcode displays correctly.
Method 2: Generate Barcodes Using Online Tools and Insert Images into Excel
If you prefer not to install fonts, you can use online tools to generate barcodes, download them as images, and insert them into your Excel sheet.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Step 1: Open your browser and go to iCheckQR official website: https://icheckqr.com/vi. On the homepage, navigate to the menu bar and select “Solutions” → “Create Barcode.”
Step 2: You will see a list of popular barcode types such as: EAN-8, EAN-13, EAN-14, EAN-8 Composite Symbology, UPC-A, UPC-E, etc. → Choose the barcode type that suits your needs.
Step 3: Enter the data you want to encode into the "Data" field. For example: product code, serial number, or any string of characters.
Step 4: Customize and download your barcode
Adjust barcode settings (bar color, background color, orientation, etc.)
Choose your desired image format (PNG, JPG, PDF, WEBP)
Click “Download” to save the barcode to your device.
Step 5: Insert the barcode into Excel
Open your Excel file.
Select the cell where you want to insert the barcode.
Go to Insert > Pictures > This Device
Choose the downloaded barcode image and click Insert
Adjust the image’s size and position to match your spreadsheet layout.
Advantages: No installation required. Supports a wide range of advanced barcode types
Limitations: Difficult to automate when generating multiple barcodes at once
3. Creating Barcodes in Excel Using Formulas and VBA (Advanced)
If you want to generate a large number of barcodes in Excel with accuracy, speed, and flexibility, using advanced formulas or VBA macros is the optimal solution. This section is intended for users looking to automate the process and customize barcodes to fit their specific needs.
Using Formulas to Automatically Generate Barcode Strings
For certain barcode types like EAN-13 or Code 39, you can write formulas directly in Excel to generate barcode-compliant strings.
Example: Code 39 Barcode Formula
Code 39 requires the content to be enclosed with asterisks *.
Formula: CopyEdit ="*" & A2 & "*" .Here, A2 is the cell containing the data you want to convert into a barcode.
After entering the formula, simply apply the installed Code 39 font to display the barcode.
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
Writing VBA Code to Automatically Generate Barcode Images
With VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), you can write a macro to automate barcode generation, including creating barcode images and inserting them into specific Excel cells.
Basic Instructions:
Step 1: Go to the Developer tab > click Visual Basic.
Step 2: Paste the following sample code into a new Module:
Sub GenerateBarcodes()
Dim cell As Range
For Each cell In Range("A2:A10") ' Range of original data
Dim barcodeUrl As String
barcodeUrl = "https://barcode.tec-it.com/barcode.ashx?data=" & cell.Value & "&code=Code128&dpi=96"
ActiveSheet.Pictures.Insert(barcodeUrl).Top = cell.Offset(0, 1).Top
Next cell
End Sub
This script takes values from cells A2 to A10, generates Code 128 barcodes using an online API, and inserts the barcode image into the adjacent cells in column B.
Step 3: Press Run to execute the macro. The barcodes will be inserted automatically.
Security Note: VBA macros may be blocked by Excel if macros are not enabled. Be sure to select “Enable Content” when opening a macro-enabled file.
4. Integrating Barcodes with Data Management and Real-World Applications in Business
Once you’ve successfully created barcodes in Excel, the next step is to implement them into your inventory, product, and sales management processes. Integrating barcodes with your data management system helps businesses save time, reduce errors, and improve operational efficiency.
Managing Inventory and Products with Excel Barcodes
A well-structured Excel file can help small businesses manage their inventory as effectively as professional software. Using barcodes enables you to:
Easily check stock levels using a barcode scanner
Track detailed history of product entries and withdrawals
Automate stock quantity updates in real-time
Suggested Columns for a Simple Inventory Excel Template:
Product Code (with barcode)
Product Name
Stock Quantity
Entry/Exit Date
Inventory Status
Design a basic, easy-to-use Excel inventory management template
Demo image of a free sample Excel file (with download link)
Connecting Excel with POS Software or Barcode Printers
Printing barcodes directly from Excel is entirely feasible when paired with barcode printers or POS (Point-of-Sale) software that supports barcode integration.
Common Methods to Connect Barcode Printers:
Recommended printers: TSC TTP-244 Plus, Zebra ZD220/ZD420
Basic Steps:
Install the printer driver according to the manufacturer’s instructions
Adjust paper size and print settings in Excel (it’s best to use a standard label template)
Use the “Print Labels” command from Excel or your POS software to print in bulk
Pro Tip: Export your Excel file to PDF before printing to ensure consistent formatting across devices.
5. Common Barcode Generation Errors in Excel and How to Fix Them
Although creating barcodes in Excel is relatively simple, users may encounter common issues during the process that result in barcodes not displaying correctly or being unreadable by scanners. Below are the most frequent errors and quick solutions to fix them.
Error: Barcode Displays but Cannot Be Scanned
One of the most common problems is that the barcode appears correctly in Excel but cannot be scanned. This usually happens due to:
The barcode font is not installed or not selected correctly
Missing special formatting characters (e.g., asterisks * at the beginning and end for Code 39)
The input contains invalid characters for the barcode type (e.g., EAN-13 only supports numeric values)
How to Fix:
Check the font being used: go to Home > Font, and ensure you’re using the correct barcode font such as Code 39 or Code 128
Add required formatting characters using a formula:
Example: ="*" & A2 & "*" for Code 39Avoid using unsupported characters such as spaces or special symbols
Quick Troubleshooting Checklist
Error: VBA Macro Not Running or Blocked by Security Settings
When using VBA macros to generate barcodes, Excel might block the code from running if security settings are not properly configured. This can be due to:
Macros not enabled in Excel
High-security mode blocking all VBA scripts
The file is not saved in a macro-enabled format (.xlsm)
How to Fix:
Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings
Click Macro Settings, then enable:
“Enable all macros”
“Trust access to the VBA project object model”
Save the file as: Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm)
Close and reopen the file, then click “Enable Content” if prompted by a security warning
Security Note: Only enable macros for files from trusted sources. Avoid running VBA scripts from unknown origins to reduce the risk of security threats.
Learn more through the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZC7nn5YVh8
Conclusion
In the era of digital transformation, barcodes are the “key” to unlocking efficient and professional management. Excel—a tool familiar to every business—can now become a powerful assistant, enabling you to digitize your entire product management process with just a few simple steps.
Start implementing it today to save time, reduce errors, and elevate your inventory management efficiency using barcodes in Excel with iCheckQR.
