Create items by scanning barcodes with Square for Retail
About creating items by scanning barcodes
In Square Dashboard and the Square Retail POS app, you can automatically create an item by scanning a GTIN with a compatible barcode scanner or the camera on your iOS device.
Before you begin
A Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN, is the source of truth and used to identify trade items and products throughout the supply chain, primarily within barcodes. Learn more about how to use GTINs
To create items by scanning barcodes, you need to have access to your Square Dashboard or the Retail POS app. You also need a compatible barcode scanner or an iOS device with a camera connected to the Retail POS app.
View barcode scanners compatible with Square hardware and learn how to connect a barcode scanner to your point of sale.
Create an item by scanning a barcode
You can easily create items by scanning a UPC/GTIN from Square Dashboard, the Square POS app with retail mode enabled, or from the Square Retail POS app on iOS devices, Square Terminal, or Square Register.
- Sign in to your Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Items & services (or Items & menus or Items & inventory) > Items > Item library.
- Click Create item.
- Under the Details section, click Auto create.
- Scan the GTIN associated with the item you want to create using a compatible barcode scanner or the built-in camera on your device. You can also search by name or barcode number.
- Select the item.
- To add variations, scroll down to the Variations section and click Add.
- Click Auto Create.
- Scan or search for variations or select from the list of suggested variations. Click Select.
- Click Create and add another or Done.
- Click Save.
From your Square Point of Sale app in retail mode or your Square Retail POS app:
- Open your app tap ≡ More > Items > All Items.
- Tap Create Item.
- Tap Auto create and scan a barcode using a compatible barcode scanner or the built-in camera on your device. You can also tap Search for items to search by name or GTIN.
- Select the item from the Auto create item screen.
- Scroll down and click Add Variation to add variations.
- Select the gray text below Stock on hand to scan or search for a variation.
- Select the variation.
- Tap Done and Save.
During the item creation process in the Retail POS app, you may see description hints (highlighted in green) that provide suggestions for Category names, as well as words and/or phrases to add to the Item Description.