Basic Barcode Setup & FAQ

Step 1 — Log onto your cloud site, or Install Standard Time®

Download and install Standard Time® from the downloads page. Choose the 32-bit version unless you have a specific reason to use 64-bit. The installer includes a fully functional 30-day trial — no license key required to begin.

After installation, Standard Time® uses a local Microsoft Access database by default. You can connect to SQL Server later for multi-user networked scanning.

Step 2 — Create User Accounts

Navigate to File > Users and Organization to create accounts for each employee who will scan. Each user needs:

• A unique username (avoid spaces — use underscores or hyphens if needed)
• An optional password for login access
• Appropriate user rights for their role

The username is what employees will scan on the shop floor to identify themselves. Keep it short and scannable.

Step 3 — Create Work Orders (Projects)

Use File > Project Wizard to create your first work order. Add tasks or production phases within the project. Each project and task name becomes a scannable item on the shop floor.

To duplicate an existing work order: File > Projects > right-click > Duplicate. This copies all tasks and structure — modify as needed for the new job.

Step 4 — Download & Install the Barcode Font

Download the free barcode font: IDAutomationHC39M_FREE.otf

Available from: fontpalace.com/font-details/idautomationhc39m-otf/

1. Download the .otf file.
2. Right-click and select Install (Windows) to install the font system-wide.
3. Open Microsoft Word or Excel — the font will appear in the font list as "IDAutomationHC39M".

Step 5 — Print Barcode Labels

In Word or Excel, type the text you want to encode (e.g., an employee name or job number), apply the IDAutomationHC39M font at a readable size (28–36pt recommended), and wrap the text in asterisks.

Example: *JOHN_SMITH* becomes a scannable Code 39 barcode when the font is applied.

Print labels for:

• Each employee name / ID
• Each work order / project name
• Each task name
• A STOP label for ending timers
• Any other scan commands you use (COMPLETED, status codes, etc.)

Step 6 — Connect Your Barcode Scanner

Plug a USB barcode scanner into the workstation or tablet. No drivers needed — the scanner emulates a USB keyboard. Windows will recognize it automatically.

Test the scanner by opening Notepad and scanning one of your printed labels. The text should appear in Notepad just as you typed it (without the asterisks).

Step 7 — If on-prem: Set Up the BC Scanning Application

The BC (Barcode Client) application is a lightweight scanning interface included with Standard Time®. It is located at:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Standard Time\Utilities\BC\

Copy the BC folder to the desktop of each scanning workstation. Double-click bc.exe to launch it. Verify there are no errors at startup.

For multi-user SQL Server environments, copy your Standard Time SQL.dsn credentials file to the BC folder or the Documents folder on each workstation. See the BC Install Guide for full instructions.

Step 8 — Test Your First Scan Sequence

With bc.exe open and the scanner connected:

1. Scan an employee username label.
2. Scan a project / work order label.
3. Optionally scan a task label.
4. Confirm a timer has started (shown in Standard Time® or bc.exe).
5. Scan the employee username + STOP label to end the timer.
6. Open Standard Time® and navigate to Time Logs — your record should appear.