However, experience indicates most applications only require information of less than 100 total characters. That's still TEN times the size of 1D codes. The impact of this quantum leap in capacity cannot be overstated. Rather than storing a record in a database that must be referenced by the item's 1D bar code label, everything can stored on the label itself. Understanding this, one can see a clear economic advantage to using 2D technology versus setting up and maintaining the database, and installing an EDI network.
Savings associated with time and convenience can be significant also.
However, the convenience factor must have a quantifiable value that can be considered in a cost justification analysis. The third 2D quality is accuracy. Very simply put, the 2D code error detection techniques are borrowed from the data communications field, meaning they're time tested and proven in eliminating undetected errors and recovering information even when labels are damaged. There has been no ideal solution to the error problem using 1 D codes. Therefore, 2D codes are the only alternative if you cannot tolerate information errors.