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For what each method does once it’s set up, see the scanning overview.

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Set up a handheld scanner

Barcode scanners that use the HID specification send keystrokes to whatever window is active. ION detects scanner input by watching for keystrokes that arrive much faster than a person types, and treats the string as a barcode. Most USB and Bluetooth scanners work without a driver or a browser permission. For a scan to register:
  • An ION tab must be open and focused in the browser.
  • The scanner must be connected over USB or Bluetooth as a keyboard (HID) device.
  • The cursor must not be in a text field. ION ignores keystrokes typed into a field.
  • The barcode must be at least 10 characters long.
ION ends a scan at a carriage return, line feed, or Escape, which most scanners send after each barcode, or after a short pause in the input.

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Set up a camera

ION uses the device’s camera in three places:
  • Scan with camera in the sidebar on a computer or tablet. See Scan with a camera.
  • The camera scanner in the phone layout. See Scan on a phone.
  • Take a photo wherever you attach a file, such as a run step’s attachments, a File field during a run, the attachments you add while receiving, or an empty file cell in a table. See Attachments.
On a computer or tablet, Scan with camera and Take a photo appear only when the browser lists a camera on the device.

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Choose a camera

A camera opens on the rear camera by default. If the browser opens a front camera instead, ION switches to a rear camera it can find. When the device has two or more cameras, Switch camera shows over the camera preview. Click it to move to the next camera. ION remembers the camera you switch to in this browser on this device, and opens it the next time you scan or take a photo, while it’s still connected.

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Allow camera access

ION needs the browser’s permission to use the camera. If the browser blocks it, ION shows Camera access was blocked. Allow camera permission in your browser, then try again. Allow camera access for ION in your browser, then click Try again. For other camera errors, see Troubleshoot scanning.