Example workflow Manufacturing

How a Production Team Can Identify and Count Parts With DataScan

Scan a bin label to see the part's specifications from your own parts list, and count the parts room with quantities and part data in one export.

This page shows how DataScan can be set up for this task. It is an illustration, not a report about a specific customer. All codes and values on it are examples.

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Manufacturing worker scanning parts bin barcode to view specifications

The problem

Parts that look alike are rarely interchangeable. Two bearings with the same outer size have different load ratings, two screws differ in thread pitch. People on the floor end up squinting at stamped numbers, leafing through a printed catalog, or asking the one colleague who knows.

Counting the parts room has the opposite problem. Someone walks the shelves with a clipboard, writes part numbers and quantities, and someone else types it all into a spreadsheet. Each step adds a chance for a wrong digit.

Most of the information already exists in your ERP or a spreadsheet: part number, description, dimensions, material, where it is used. Put that list on a phone and the bin label becomes the key to it, both for answering "is this the right part?" and for counting.

The setup

Two modes share one parts list. Lookup Scan shows the specifications on the spot. Single Value Scan records counts and, with cross-reference on, adds the part data to every counted line.

Scan modes Lookup Scan for identification, Single Value Scan for counting
Lookup data Comma-separated CSV with the bin or part barcode first, then description, dimensions, material, used in, and any other columns you want to see
Import source A file, or a URL with daily refresh if your ERP publishes the parts list there
Quantity Input Label Pieces (or kg for parts counted by weight; decimals are allowed)
Quantity Column Header Pieces
Cross-reference with Lookup Data On, so the count export carries the description and other part columns
Summarize Quantities On if the same part sits in several places and you want one total per part

Step by step

  1. Import the parts list Export the parts master from your ERP or spreadsheet as a comma-separated CSV with the barcode in the first column, and import it in Lookup Scan on each phone.
  2. Identify a part In Lookup Scan, scan the bin label. All columns of the matching row appear: description, dimensions, material, where it is used.
  3. Search by any field Label out of reach? The searchable data view finds a part by any field, for example a dimension or a word in the description.
  4. Count the parts room Switch to Single Value Scan, scan each bin and type the quantity on the numeric keypad. The list shows a running total.
  5. Export and book the count Export the count as CSV or Excel and compare it with the stock figures from your ERP in a spreadsheet, or load it through your ERP's file import.

What you get out

The count export from Single Value Scan, with cross-reference turned on, looks like this:

Column Example value What it holds
Barcode P-10233 The bin or part label
Pieces 148.0 The counted quantity, under your renamed header
Timestamp 2026-03-14 14:05 When the bin was counted
Description Deep groove ball bearing 6204-2RS From your parts list; further columns of your list follow

With Summarize Quantities on, the file has one row per part with Total Quantity, Scan Count, First Scan and Last Scan.

Fits well if…

  • Your bins or parts carry a barcode label with a unique part or bin code.
  • You can export your parts master as a CSV.
  • People on the floor want specifications at the bin, also where there is no network.
  • You count stock a few times a year and want quantities in a file.

Put Your Parts List on a Phone

Import a slice of your parts master, scan a few bins, and run a test count. The free trial includes every feature.

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