Code 128 Barcode Add-In for Microsoft Word

Generate, insert linear and 2D barcodes for Microsoft Word

Insert high quality Code 128 images in Word documents with this add-in

Completely compatible with Microsoft Word 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010 and 2007 versions
No programming skills are demanded when users use this mature plugin
Code 128 industry standards are predefined in the barcodes
Specifications of Code 128 are not required for users
Barcode fonts are not required in the creation of Code 128 barcodes
Quick to add Code 128 barcodes into Microsoft Word documents

How to create Code 128 barcode in Microsoft Word documents?

Download Code 128 Barcode Generator Word Add-in
Install Code 128 barcode add-in to insert, print Code 128 barcodes in Office Word files
Step by Step Guide

Introduction of Code 128 Barcode Add-In for Word

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Code 128 Barcode Add-In for Word is a mature and reliable barcode generator which is designed to help users draw and insert high quality Code 128 barcodes in Microsoft Office Word 2016, 2013, 2010 and 2007 versions.

Besides Code 128 Word Barcode Add-In, OnBarcode.com provides many other linear and 2D barcode Add-Ins for Word, such as Code 39, EAN-8, EAN-13, GS1 128, UPC-A, UPC-E, Data Matrix, PDF417, QR Code, etc.

Created Code 128 images can be printed with all high-resolution and low-resolution printers.
The created Code 128 barcodes comply with the latest Code 128 barcode specification.
Rich barcode parameters are adjustable: barcode size, rotation, font, etc.
Add the Code 128 check digit and quiet zones automatically in Code 128 barcode generation.
Four Code 128 image rotation choices are provided: 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees.
Easy to insert high quality Code 128 barcodes into serial letters.
Capable of drawing Code 128 barcode labels in Microsoft Word documents.

Insert Code 128 Barcodes in Word

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How to Insert a Code 128 Barcode in Word

Switch to "Add-Ins" tab and click "Create Barcode". After that, a panel called "Barcode Settings" pops up on the right. Then, select "CODE 128" in "Barcode Type" pull-down menu and input valid data in the text box of "Data". Ultimately, click "Generate" button and a required Code 128 barcode is generated.

How to Customize Code 128 in Word Add-In setting Panel

Take bar width as an example. If you do not satisfy with the default number, you can move to "Barcode Size" -> "Bar width (X)". Then click the pane after "Bar width (X)" and type the data you want. After that, click "Update" button. The barcode is successfully customized. Specially, "Apply tilde (~)" is used to specify special characters when it is checked.

Code 128 Barcode Data Characters Encoding in Microsoft Office Word Application

Here we will explain how to encode data and configure settings for Code 128 (also called Barcode 128, ANSI/AIM 128, USS Code 128), a high-density, high-reliability linear barcode symbology, in the Microsoft Office Word Application without using barcode fonts.

Code 128 Barcode Structure

A complete Code 128 barcode consists of the following structural components:

Quiet zone
Start character
Data characters
Symbol check character
Stop character
Quiet zone

When using the OnBarcode Word Barcode Add-in in the Microsoft Office Word Application, you only need to enter the Code 128 data characters. The add-in automatically computes and inserts all other required structural characters into the Word document.

Code 128 Data Character Set

Code 128 supports a full range of character encoding in the Microsoft Office Word Application.

Supported character types:

All 128 full ASCII characters defined in ISO/IEC 646
Extended ASCII characters based on ISO/IEC 8859-1

You can refer to the official ASCII table and ISO/IEC 8859-1 specification for complete character lists.

Code 128 Maximum & Minimum Text Length

The official Code 128 specification does not define a fixed maximum character length for a single symbol. However, some industry standards impose restrictions.

For example, GS1-128 (a Code 128-based standard) supports a maximum of 48 characters per barcode.

There is also no official minimum data length defined for Code 128. Some barcode scanners may impose practical limits on input length.

Note: Verify your scanner specifications and adjust configuration in the Microsoft Office Word Application accordingly to avoid scanning failures.

Code 128 Data Code Sets in Microsoft Office Word Application

Code 128 uses three official code sets defined in the ISO standard:

Code Set A
Code Set B
Code Set C

In the Word Barcode Add-in pane, you can select specific code set: Code 128 A, Code 128 B, or Code 128 C. This applies when your data uses only one code set.

Many data strings contain characters from multiple code sets. For such mixed data, select the general Code 128 barcode type.

Note: The add-in automatically switches and combines appropriate code sets during encoding. The generated barcode in the Word document supports complex character combinations correctly.

Code 128 Start and Stop Characters in Word

Code 128 defines three start characters (Start A, Start B, Start C) and one universal stop character.

You do not need to manually type start or stop characters in the Word barcode data field.

The OnBarcode Barcode Add-in automatically inserts correct start and stop characters at proper positions. The generated Code 128 barcode in the Word document maintains structural validity.

Note: Manual insertion of start/stop characters will cause encoding errors and unreadable barcodes.

Code 128 Check Digit Character in Word

Each valid Code 128 barcode includes a check digit calculated using the Modulo 103 algorithm.

In the Microsoft Office Word Application's 1D Barcode settings tab, the Add checksum char property does not apply to Code 128. The add-in automatically computes and adds the check digit before the stop character.

The check digit is embedded in the barcode structure but not displayed in the human-readable text label. It is also not transmitted during scanning by barcode readers or software.

Code 128 Barcode Image Dimension Settings in Word Document

Using the Word Barcode Add-in, you can fully adjust the Code 128 image dimensions and layout in the Microsoft Office Word Application.

Adjustable Properties

Unit of Measure: PIXEL, CM, or INCH
DPI (Dots Per Inch): image resolution
Bar width (X): width of the narrowest barcode module
Bar height (Y): height of barcode bars
Image width: total width of the generated barcode image
Image height: total height of the generated barcode image
Left & right margins: quiet zone, with a minimum width of 10X
Top & bottom margins: quiet zone
Text margin: spacing between barcode bars and the text below

Note: The minimum bar width (X) must comply with your printing and scanning specification. nsufficient quiet zone width may lead to failed scanning in the Word document output.

Common Asked Questions

What is the barcode Code 128 text code?

Code 128 barcode is a high-density 1d barcode symbology, which encodes digits, letters, control characters, and full ASCII 128 characters. Using Word barcode generator add-in freeware, you can create, print, insert Code 128 barcodes in Microsoft Word documents.

What is Code 128 barcode maximum length?

There is no specific definition about Code 128 barcode maximum number of characters in Code 128 ISO 15417 standard.

However some Code 128 standards will provide the limits. GS1-128 has limits the maximum length of Code 128 data to 48 characters.

Using Word Barcode freeware, you will encode and generate ISO standard Code 128 and application approved Code 128 barcodes, such as GS1-128 in Office Word application without activex, barcode fonts installed.

What is the check digit for code 128?

Code 128 barcode contains a last digit of mandatory check digit (checksum) character, which is based on module 103 (mod 103). Code 128 check digit will not be displayed in the Code 128 human readable text and will not be returned by the Code 128 barcode scanners. Using OnBarcode Word Barcode Generation freeware, the generator software will automatically calculate the check character and insert into the Code 128 barcode in Microsoft Office Word documents.

What is Code 128 barcode commonly used for?

Code 128 barcode is a common linear barcode type used in:

Food and non-food industries
Shipping and packing industry
Health, public sector and government bodies

Code 128 supports GS1 standards, which will be used in higher levels of packaging that are used in shipping and general distribution. You can easily create standard Code 128 barcodes in Word documents using Microsoft Word 365, 2024, 2021, 2019, and older versions.

Is Code 128 barcode better than Code 39?

Both Code 128 and Code 39 are popular 1d barcode symbologies. Code 128 is more compact than Code 39, supporting more data to be encoded in a smaller space. Word Barcode add-in allows Microsoft Office user to encoding and printing both Code 128 and Code 39 using Microsoft Word 365, 2024, 2021, 2019 on Windows.

How to scan, read Code 128 barcodes?

To scan, read and decode the Code 128 barcodes, you can download and install OnBarcode free Code 128 barcode scanner software, or use barcode scanner device, or smart phone (iOS or Android) camera with 3rd party barcode apps installed.

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