> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.docexport.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.docexport.com/template/1d-barcode.md).

# 1D Barcode

This article explains how to turn a column from your monday.com board into a **scannable 1D barcode** in the document that DocExport generates. It supports two barcode types: **Code 39** and **Code 128**. We first help you decide which one you need, then walk you through the setup once, side by side, for both.

Barcode generation works entirely through free barcode fonts: you write the barcode value as text in a monday.com column and when DocExport generates the document it converts that value into a font that a scanner can read as a barcode.

<figure><img src="/files/ZIeciaNsqIZnkCjOTSll" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
**Board requirement:** You need a column that holds the barcode values. This works with both a **Text column** and a **Numbers column**.
{% endhint %}

***

### Which barcode type do you use/need?

Before you set anything up, decide which code is used for your use case. The two types work differently:

* **Code 39** maps each character to a **fixed** bar pattern, so the font alone can render it. You mark the start and end yourself with an asterisk (`*`), and there is no checksum. It only supports **digits, uppercase letters, and a few symbols** (`- . $ / + %` and space). It is the simplest option and needs no extra tools - but it produces wider codes and can't store lowercase letters.
* **Code 128** is more capable but needs one extra step. It supports the **full ASCII range including lowercase letters**, is much more **compact** (it can pack two digits into a single symbol), and includes a **mandatory checksum** for more reliable scanning. The catch: a font cannot calculate the required checksum and start/stop characters, so you must run your text through an **encoder** first and store the already-encoded string in your monday.com column.

#### Use this as a guide

<table><thead><tr><th width="339.328125">Application area</th><th width="160.23046875">Often used code</th><th>Why</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Simple internal product labels</strong> (furniture, household goods, basic articles)</td><td>Code 39</td><td>Short, uppercase/numeric SKUs</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Office, files, asset tags, membership/ID cards, event tickets</strong></td><td>Code 39</td><td>Small data volumes, easy to maintain, works with legacy systems.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Library, archive, schools</strong></td><td>Code 39</td><td>Long-established standard for short item numbers.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Government, defense, automotive (legacy systems)</strong></td><td>Code 39</td><td>Historically mandated; still widely supported.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Food &#x26; retail packaging</strong> (batch, best-before, lot data)</td><td>Code 128</td><td>Compact and alphanumeric; GS1-128 is the industry standard for this data.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Logistics &#x26; shipping</strong> (parcels, pallets, cartons)</td><td>Code 128</td><td>GS1-128 / SSCC shipping codes are built on Code 128 - the global standard.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Warehousing &#x26; inventory</strong></td><td>Code 128</td><td>Long alphanumeric SKUs and location codes fit in little space.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Healthcare</strong> (patient wristbands, medication, specimens)</td><td>Code 128</td><td>Compact alphanumeric codes; reliable thanks to the built-in checksum.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Manufacturing</strong> (serial numbers, part tracking)</td><td>Code 128</td><td>High data density on small components; supports the full character set.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Any code with lowercase letters or many characters</strong></td><td>Code 128</td><td>Code 39 only supports uppercase and a limited character set.</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="success" %}
**Rule of thumb:** If you just need to label and scan simple products and control your own (uppercase/numeric) codes, it´s almost always **Code 39** that is being used. As soon as it involves shipping/logistics, standardized labels, long or mixed-case data, or tight space, **Code 128** is used.
{% endhint %}

***

### Step-by-step setup (for both codes)

The steps below work for either barcode type. Where Code 39 and Code 128 differ, you'll see both side by side.

#### Step 1 – Download and install the font

Download the free font from Google Fonts and install it on the computer where you edit your template. The only difference is *which* font you install:

|                                 | **Code 39**                                                                      | **Code 128**                                                                       |
| ------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Font (bars only)                | [Libre Barcode 39](https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Libre+Barcode+39)           | [Libre Barcode 128](https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Libre+Barcode+128)           |
| Font (with readable text below) | [Libre Barcode 39 Text](https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Libre+Barcode+39+Text) | [Libre Barcode 128 Text](https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Libre+Barcode+128+Text) |

On the Google Fonts page, click **Get font → Download all**, unzip the file, and install the `.ttf` file (double-click → *Install*).

{% hint style="info" %}
Want the plain-text value shown below the barcode as well? Use the **Text** variant of either font. For bars only, use the plain variant.
{% endhint %}

#### Step 2 – Prepare the value in your monday.com column

This is the other main difference between the two codes:

|                         | **Code 39**                       | **Code 128**                                |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| What goes in the column | The **plain value**, e.g. `12345` | The **pre-encoded** string, e.g. `Ì12345zÎ` |
| Extra step needed?      | No                                | **Yes** — encode the value first            |

**For Code 39:** simply enter your value in the column. Remember that only **digits, uppercase letters**, and `- . $ / + %` / space are allowed - no lowercase letters.

**For Code 128:** your column must already contain the data **including the start, stop, and checksum characters**. A font can't calculate these, so encode your text first using an **official encoder.**&#x20;

Enter your plain text, **copy** the encoded output, and paste exactly that into your monday.com column. Examples:

| Desired plain text | Exact Code 128 content of your monday.com column |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `12345`            | `Ì12345zÎ`                                       |
| `123456`           | `Ì1234560Î`                                      |
| `Hello`            | `ÌHellomÎ`                                       |
| `TEST-123`         | `ÌTEST-123&Î`                                    |
| `ABC-99`           | `ÌABC-993Î`                                      |

The first character (`Ì`) is the start character (Start B), the last (`Î`) is the stop character, and the one right before it is the calculated checksum.

{% hint style="warning" %}
&#x20;Copy the encoded string **exactly** (via copy & paste) - do **not** retype it. The control and check characters are special characters such as `Ì` or `Î`, and a single wrong character makes the code 128 unreadable.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
The examples above are encoded as **Code Set B** and are valid and scannable. For pure digit strings, the encoder may output an **equivalent, slightly shorter** variant (via Code Set C), both read back to the same value. Always use what the encoder gives you.
{% endhint %}

#### Step 3 – Insert the placeholder into your template

In both cases, add the placeholder for your barcode column at the desired position in your `.docx` template:

```
{{Barcode}}
```

#### Step 4 – Add start/stop characters (Code 39 only)

This is the second difference:

|                   | **Code 39**     | **Code 128**  |
| ----------------- | --------------- | ------------- |
| What you type     | `*{{Barcode}}*` | `{{Barcode}}` |
| Asterisks needed? | **Yes**         | **No**        |

**For Code 39**, place an asterisk (`*`) before and after the placeholder. Code 39 needs a defined start and stop marker so the scanner knows where the code begins and ends. The font does not add it automatically. Without the asterisks, the printed code looks like a barcode but cannot be scanned.

**For Code 128**, leave the placeholder as is. The start and stop are already part of the encoded string from your column, so no asterisks are added.

#### Step 5 – Apply the barcode font

Select the **entire** expression and set the font:

|             | **Code 39**                                | **Code 128**      |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------ | ----------------- |
| Select this | `*{{Barcode}}*` (including both asterisks) | `{{Barcode}}`     |
| Set font to | Libre Barcode 39                           | Libre Barcode 128 |

**In your template it then looks like this:**

| **Code 39**                                                                       | **Code 128**                                                        |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <p><img src="/files/R4T30RloudcpvMbzCLY0" alt="" data-size="original"></p><p></p> | <img src="/files/oELBP9dmEC9pHP72tZXD" alt="" data-size="original"> |

{% hint style="success" %}
**Tip – Minimum size:** We strongly recommend a minimum font size of **36 pt** so the code scans reliably when printed (on low-resolution 203 dpi thermal/label printers, use exactly 24 or 30 pt). The more characters the code contains, the wider it becomes - long values need either a larger size or more space on the page.&#x20;

Always print and scan a test label before producing a whole batch - do this once after you've set up the template to confirm everything works, then you're good to go.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**One more tip:** Leave a **quiet zone:** some empty white margin before and after the barcode. As a rule, keep at least 10× the width of the narrowest bar clear on each side; in practice, about 3–5 mm (roughly ⅛–¼ inch) of empty white space left and right is a safe minimum. If the code sits right against text or a border, the scanner can't capture it cleanly. When testing on a screen you may also run into read issues (glare, anti-aliasing) - when in doubt, print the code out briefly.
{% endhint %}

#### Step 6 – Embed the font when saving the .docx

So the barcode is generated correctly even when the font is not installed on the DocExport server, you must **embed the font in the .docx file when saving the document**. This applies to both codes.

> **help-center article "**[**Embedding a font in a .docx template**](/template/customization/custom-fonts.md)**"**

#### Step 7 – Generate the document in DocExport

Generate the document as usual via DocExport. The result now shows a **scannable barcode** in place of the placeholder, containing the value from your monday.com column.

### Download a Starter Template for Code 39 to see how it works:

{% file src="/files/QWKmqydCechO0qMclmBp" %}

***

### Quick comparison: Code 39 vs. Code 128

|                       | **Code 39**                              | **Code 128**                           |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Column content        | Plain text (e.g. `12345`)                | Pre-**encoded** text (e.g. `Ì12345zÎ`) |
| Asterisks `*` needed? | **Yes**, `*{{Barcode}}*`                 | **No**                                 |
| Encoder needed?       | No                                       | **Yes** (official encoder)             |
| Character set         | Digits, uppercase letters, a few symbols | Full ASCII incl. lowercase letters     |
| Font                  | Libre Barcode 39                         | Libre Barcode 128                      |

***

**Related articles**

* [Embedding a font in a .docx template](/template/customization/custom-fonts.md)