Barcode Label Printing Guide: Label Types, Sizes, Code128 vs QR

By P-Soft Expert Team October 10, 2026 9 min read

To print barcode labels that work, first match the label material and size to your warehouse conditions, then choose between Code128 and QR, and test a sample with the actual scanner or phone your warehouse uses before printing in bulk. Label content should be generated from the item data already in your system, not typed by hand.

The barcode label is the smallest part of an organized warehouse, and it tends to get just as little attention. Many warehouses buy good software and good scanners, but because the wrong label was chosen, codes fade after a few weeks, peel off in cold storage or scan slowly. This guide explains step by step which label to print, at what size and with what content, so scanning in your warehouse stays fast and reliable.

What Gets a Warehouse Barcode Label?

Before you buy rolls and a printer, list exactly what will be labeled, because each use has different needs:

Individual items: a small label, usually with the item code and a short name.
Cartons and packs: a larger label that can be read from further away.
Pallets: a large label on two sides of the pallet so the forklift driver does not have to drive around it.
Storage locations (racks and rows): a durable label that stays on the shelf for years.
Outgoing shipments: a label that only has to survive until delivery but also carries recipient details.
Assets and tools: an abrasion-resistant label that lasts on heavily handled equipment.

Types of Barcode Labels: Direct Thermal, Thermal Transfer or Synthetic?

You will usually come across three broad categories. The right one depends on how long the label must last and the conditions it will face:

Label type	How it prints	Strength	Limitation	Good for
Direct thermal	No ribbon; heat-sensitive paper	Simple, low upkeep	Fades over time with light, heat and friction	Shipping labels and short-term uses
Thermal transfer on paper	With a ribbon	More durable, sharper print	Ribbon must suit the paper	Item and carton labels in a dry warehouse
Thermal transfer on synthetic material	With a tougher ribbon	Withstands moisture, cold and abrasion	Higher cost per label	Cold storage, racks, assets and damp areas

Do not forget the adhesive. Permanent adhesive suits rack and asset labels, removable adhesive suits goods that must later be handed over clean, and for cold storage choose adhesives the supplier explicitly rates for low temperatures.

Barcode Label Sizes: Which Size for Which Job?

The sizes below are common and a good starting point, but before ordering rolls, check the roll width and core against your own printer’s specifications:

Approximate size (mm)	Typical use	Suggested content
40 × 25	Individual items and small parts	One code and a short name
50 × 30 to 60 × 40	Boxes, packs and rack labels	Code, name, batch or location
100 × 50	Cartons and high-level location labels	Large code and text readable from a distance
100 × 150	Pallets and outgoing shipments	Code plus recipient details or pallet information

Code128 vs QR Code: Which Should You Print?

Both work in a warehouse, but they behave differently. Code128 is a linear barcode, mostly used for a short code such as an item code or location number. QR is a two-dimensional code that fits more data into less space and can usually still be read even if a corner is damaged.

Criterion	Code128	QR
Data capacity	Low; suits one short code	High; several fields in one code
Shape	Wide strip	Compact square
Linear laser scanner	Reads it	Usually cannot read it
Phone camera and image-based scanners	Read it	Read it
Damage tolerance	Lower	Higher, thanks to built-in error correction
Best for	Item code, location number, document number	Small labels carrying more data, shipments and assets

Rule of thumb: if your warehouse has older linear laser scanners, Code128 is the safer choice; if you scan with phone cameras or your labels are small, QR gives you more flexibility. One more important point: if your product is sold in retail stores, its retail barcode (such as EAN-13) must be issued through the official product-numbering body, usually your national GS1 organization, and it is not the same as an internal warehouse label. To compare barcodes with other technologies, see our article on barcode vs RFID for inventory.

What Should You Print on a Product Barcode Label?

A cluttered label causes as many problems as an incomplete one. These items are usually enough:

The scannable code itself, holding just one unique identifier, not all the item’s details.
The same code as human-readable text under the barcode, for the day the scanner is not at hand.
A short item name so a warehouse worker can spot a mistake even without scanning.
Batch number and expiry date for dated goods.
Unit of measure (piece, carton, meter or kilo) if one item moves in several units.

Selling prices and other fast-changing data have no place on an internal warehouse label; every change would mean reprinting.

Where to Place the Label for Fast Scanning

Placement matters as much as print quality. On every carton of the same item, put the label in the same spot so nobody has to hunt for it. Put rack labels at a height that can be scanned without bending or a ladder, and for upper levels repeat the location label at the bottom of the rack with a guide arrow. Avoid sticking labels over carton seams, on corners or on packing tape; when the box is opened or the tape is pulled, the code tears with it.

Label Printers: What to Check Before You Buy

Print width: your largest label decides whether a desktop printer is enough or you need an industrial model.
Resolution: for ordinary labels the common 203 dpi does the job; for very small codes or data-heavy QR codes, a higher resolution such as 300 dpi is more legible.
Daily volume: desktop printers suit moderate volumes; printing thousands of labels per shift usually calls for an industrial machine.
Ribbon support: if you need durable labels, the printer must support thermal transfer printing.
Supplies: buy a model whose rolls and ribbons are easy to find where you are.

Common Barcode Label Printing Mistakes

Removing the quiet zone on both sides of the barcode: many scanners cannot find the start and end of the code without that white space.
Shrinking the code too much to fit more text.
Colored backgrounds or low contrast: black on white is always the safest combination.
Glossy laminate or curved surfaces, whose reflection or curvature makes scanning harder.
Typing codes by hand in a design program, which sooner or later produces duplicate or wrong codes.
Using direct thermal paper for long-life labels such as rack labels.
Not testing with the warehouse’s real devices before printing a whole roll.

Printing Barcode and QR Labels in Avadar Warehouse Software

In Avadar, the barcode inventory software from Barsavosh (P-Soft), barcode and QR labels print from ready-made templates whose print quality has been tested. This is part of the core product, so it is available in all three editions (Industry, Cargo and Trade) and in every plan, from Start to Elite. Because labels are generated from the recorded item data, nobody types codes by hand. The same labels are then scanned with a phone camera or a scanner for receiving, issuing, transfers and stocktaking, and any item can be found instantly by barcode, serial or batch. In Avadar Cargo, all the parcels in a consignment are registered together and each parcel gets its own label. Avadar’s interface is in Persian. To see how barcodes change the whole warehouse workflow, read our guide to barcode warehouse software.

Checklist: Test Before You Print in Bulk

Print one sample sheet and read it with every scanner and phone in the warehouse.
Leave the label in its real location (cold room, near a window or a busy rack) for a week and scan it again.
Compare the human-readable text under the code with the code itself.
Make sure no two items share the same code.
Define where the label goes on each type of package and tell the warehouse team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an ordinary office printer enough for printing barcode labels?

For small quantities you can use label sheets in an office printer, but for daily warehouse work a label printer is faster and more consistent.

Is QR better than a linear barcode?

If you scan with phone cameras or label space is tight, QR is more flexible; for linear laser scanners, Code128 is more reliable.

Why do thermal labels fade after a while?

Direct thermal paper is sensitive to light and heat; for long-life labels use thermal transfer printing with a ribbon.

Does Avadar have ready-made label templates?

Yes. Barcode and QR label printing with ready-made templates is included in all three editions and every Avadar plan.

What is the smallest suitable label size?

There is no fixed number; it depends on the code type and the scanner. Always test the smallest size with your real device.

If you want to try warehouse labeling with your own items, explore Avadar barcode inventory software and request a demo.