Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF) Barcode FAQ

Answers to your Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode questions. For help using our software visit the technical support page.

Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode FAQ

WHAT

HOW


How do I make an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode?

Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes can't be made 'by hand': you'll need barcode software, or Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode functionality in a larger program, to create one. Our I2of5Tools software lets you make Interleaved 2 of 5 bar codes in two ways: one at a time using the I2of5Tools barcode wizard, or in batches of tens, hundreds or thousands by calling the software within your database, spreadsheet, or other application.

Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode made with I2of5Tools

Either method lets you create high-quality Interleaved 2 of 5 symbols without having to worry about the start and stop bars or the character set. We do it all for you.


How do I calculate an Interleaved 2 of 5 check digit?

You don't have to! Standard Interleaved Two of Five barcodes are said to be 'self-checking'. This means they do not require a check digit.

If you need to create an SCC-14/ITF-14, a type of Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode, there is a mandatory check digit called a 'modulo 10'. This check digit is calculated by I2of5Tools for you. If you'd like to try to figure the check digit on your own you'll find more information here.


How do I make an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode in a design program?

Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode in Adobe Photoshop

  • In your design program, create a blank text field where you want the barcode to be.
  • Open the I2of5Tools barcode wizard and create your barcode.
  • Copy the barcode, switch back to your design doc and paste into the waiting text field
  • If the pasted data looks like a string of scrambled text, highlight the entire string and use the program's font menu to format it into a Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode font. Size the barcode by highlighting it then increasing or decreasing the point size.
  • Make sure that the font color is true black (#000000). Don't use font adjustments like bold, italic, smooth, etc.
  • Embed all fonts and save/print your project at highest quality.
  • Remember that you can't simply type your data into a barcode font; barcodes must be created in a barcode wizard, or using our code for Excel, Crystal Reports, etc.


    How do I make an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode in Access?

    Open the Interleaved 2 of 5 sample Access database that comes with I2of5Tools. You can create your database inside this sample by inserting your own data and saving under a new file name.

    Make barcodes in an Access database


    How do I make an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode in Crystal Reports?

    Barcode in a Crystal Report

    Use the custom functions that comes with I2of5Tools to build barcodes into your report. You'll find a full list of our custom functions available for free download here. If you're not familar with using custom functions we've created PDF instructions to walk you through the process. Remember that you can't simply type your data into a barcode font; barcodes must be created in a barcode wizard, or using our code for Excel, Crystal Reports, etc.


    How do I make an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode in Excel?

    Use the custom Excel macros that come with I2of5Tools to make Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes in your spreadsheet. If you're not familar with copying macros into Excel, we've created PDF instructions to walk you through the process. Remember that you can't simply type your data into a barcode font; barcodes must be created in a barcode wizard, or using our code for Excel, Crystal Reports, etc.


    How do I make an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode in Word?

    To create barcodes one at a time for Word:

  • Create a blank text field in your Word document where you want the barcode to be.
  • Use the I2of5Tools barcode wizard to create your barcode.
  • Copy the barcode, switch back to your Word doc and paste into the waiting text field
  • If the pasted data looks like a string of scrambled text, highlight the entire string and use your document's font menu to format it into an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode font. Size the barcode by highlighting it then increasing or decreasing the point size.
  • Make sure that the font color is true black. Don't use font adjustments like bold, italic, etc.
  • You're ready to print or save.
  • Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode labels in Word

    To create many barcodes at once in Word (product labels, for example):

  • Use an Excel spreadsheet to manage and store your data, then create barcodes in that spreadsheet using our Excel macros. Save and close the spreadsheet before the next steps.
  • Design your label/document/design/package template in Word. Word comes preloaded with hundreds of label, mailing and design templates: you should find one that suits your needs. If not, you can create your own.
  • Use the 'Mailings' option in Word to import the barcodes that you created in your Excel spreadsheet. Word's step-by-step Mail Merge wizard is incredibly helpful, and will walk you through the importing process.
  • If the imported data looks like strings of scrambled text, use your document's font menu to format the barcode sections into an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode font. Size the barcodes by increasing or decreasing the point size.
  • Make sure that the font color is true black. Don't use font adjustments like bold, italic, etc.
  • You're ready to print or save.
  • Remember that you can't simply type your data into a barcode font; barcodes must be created in a barcode wizard, or using our code for Excel, Crystal Reports, etc.


    How do I make an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode in a program not listed above?

    Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode in Notepad

  • Create a blank text field in your application where you want the barcode to be.
  • Use the I2ofTools barcode wizard to create your barcode.
  • Copy the barcode, switch back to your application and paste into the waiting text field
  • If the pasted data looks like a string of scrambled text, highlight the entire string and use your applications's font menu to format it into an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode font. Size the barcode by highlighting it then increasing or decreasing the point size.
  • Make sure that the font color is true black. Don't use font adjustments like bold, italic, smooth, etc.
  • Remember that you can't simply type your data into a barcode font; barcodes must be created in a barcode wizard, or using our code for Excel, Crystal Reports, etc.


    How do I print an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode?

    Whether you've used the I2of5Tools barcode wizard or a larger program like Excel to create your barcodes, when you're ready to print:

  • Make sure your barcodes are formatted in pure black, on a white background. If your design requires a barcode in color, choose the very darkest font color you can, on the very lightest background. The lower the contrast between the barcode (dark) and background (light), the greater the chance of the printed barcode not scanning.
  • Make sure there is a clear white (or very light) border all the way around your barcode.
  • Set your printer settings to highest- or photo-quality. If you have a dpi (dots per inch) option, choose at least 600dpi. If you're running a large print batch that makes highest-quality printing impractical, experiment with quality options and printing speed until you find the highest quality printed output/an acceptable print speed that produces consistently scannable barcodes.
  • Print to a laserjet or inkjet printer. Read more about printer requirements on our tech support page here.

  • How do I purchase Interleaved 2 of 5 software?

    You can purchase I2of5Tools directly through the product web page; after payment you'll be directed to a software download page. If you prefer to order via purchase order or Azalea order form you'll find complete ordering info here.


    What is an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode?

    Sometimes called 'ITF' barcodes, I 2 of 5 barcodes are numbers-only symbols that can be of variable length and can be used with or without human-readable characters above or below the bars. ITF barcodes must be an even number of digits long.


    What are Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes used for?

    Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes are industry standard bar codes used for inventory and tracking purposes on documents, goods and shipping labels.


    What are the specifications and/or standards for Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes?

    There is no universal spec or standard for regular Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes; any numeric data can be encoded in them and they are not administered by a standards body (as some other barcode types are). Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes are constrained only by the ITF character set.

    SCC-14 (Shipping Container Code) or ITF-14 barcodes, a type of Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode, are bound by special standards. They're GS1 System symbols that are based around a 14 digit data structure called a GTIN. SCC14/ITF-14 barcodes are made up of four components:

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