How to generate a barcode in Excel

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This tip shows you how to generate a barcode in Excel that will enable you to  track stock, sales, purchases or fixed assets. Applies To: Microsoft Registered Excel Registered for Windows 2010, 2013, and 2016. Excel has no built-in functionality to generate a barcode.   However, this is easily achievable by simply downloading and installing a font.
This tip will enable you to generate a barcode in Excel by using 39 barcodes.   Code 39, or Code 3 of 9 as it is sometimes referred to, is the most used barcode and is scannable by every barcode scanner.   It can encode 26 upper-case letters, 10 digits and 7 special characters. To generate a barcode, follow these steps:
  • Download and install the free barcode font from idautomation. This is a fully-functional, freeware font.   Please refer to the free product section of their license agreement for additional information.
  • Once the font has been installed, select the cell in which you want to generate the barcode.
  • Enter the value for the barcode.
  • Change the font from your standard font style to "IDAutomationHC39M Free Version".

  • Once the font has been changed, the text will be converted into a barcode.
This is an easy way to not only generate a barcode, but also one that can be printed and scanned.