What happens when you scan a barcode to add an item?
When you scan a product barcode using Ply Barcode Lookup and select "Add to Catalog and Inventory," Ply creates the new material and saves the scanned code as a barcode, not as a UPC.
This means:
✅The material gets created successfully
✅The scanned code is saved to the item, as a barcode
✅Next time you scan that same code, Ply will recognize and pull up that material
❌The code will not appear in the UPC field under Manage UPC in the item details
What's the difference between a Barcode and a UPC in Ply?
| Barcode | UPC |
Used for | Scanning & identifying items in Ply | Supplier-specific product codes |
Set automatically on scan | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Linked to a supplier | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (one per supplier) |
Used for RFQ/PO matching | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
In short: a UPC is a supplier-linked code used for purchasing workflows, while a barcode is used for scanning and identifying items within Ply.
What if Ply can't find the barcode?
In some cases, after scanning, you may see this message:
"We couldn't find any matching materials for this barcode. You can try searching again or add it as a custom item."
This means the scanned barcode doesn't match any existing material in Ply's database. In this case:
Tap "Add custom item"
Fill in the details manually
Check "Add to Catalog and Inventory" before tapping the button, if you want it saved directly to your catalog
💡 Note: Even when adding a custom item this way, the scanned barcode will be saved to the material as a barcode, not as a UPC. See below for how to add a UPC manually if needed.
Where to find, view, or replace the barcode on a material
Option 1: Scan + Assign
Scan the barcode using your scanner
Hit "Add material"
Search for the material you want to link it to
Pick the location and set the quantity
Save
Once you save, that barcode will be linked to the location you chose.
Option 2: Edit from the Location
Go to the location where the item lives
Find the item and click the three dots (⋯) next to it
Select "Edit availability"
Enter your barcode in the field and hit "Add code"
Want to remove the current one? Just click the "X".
Where to find, view, or replace the barcode on a material
🚀 Option 1: Scan + Assign
Scan the barcode using your scanner
Hit "Add material"
Search for the material you want to link it to
Pick the location and set the quantity
Once you save, that barcode will be linked to the location you chose; done and done!
✏️ Option 2: Edit From the Location
Go to the location where the item lives
Find the item and click the three dots (⋯) next to it
Select "Edit availability"
Enter your barcode in the field and hit "Add code"
Want to remove the current one? Just click the "X"
Once added, just lick on "Save Changes"
How to manually add a UPC to a material from your mobile app
If you also need the code to appear as a UPC (for example, for supplier matching in RFQs), you can add it manually:
Go to Catalog and open the material
Click on the "Information" tab
Scroll down to Variations and click Manage UPC
Click + Add Supplier UPC
Select the supplier and enter the UPC code
Click Save ✅
How to manually add a UPC to a material from your mobile app:
If you also need the code to appear as a UPC (for example, for supplier matching in RFQs), you can add it manually:
Go to Catalog and Open the material
Click on the "Information" tab.
Scroll down to Variations and click Add UPC
Select the supplier and enter the UPC code
Click Save ✅
Why this matters
Barcode scanning and UPCs solve two different problems in Ply: barcodes make it fast to identify and pull up materials while you're scanning in the warehouse or on a truck, while UPCs are what Ply uses to match materials to specific suppliers during RFQ and PO workflows. If you're seeing a scanned code missing from the UPC field, it's not a bug, it just means that connection needs to be made manually so supplier matching works correctly.
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