---
title: "Configure Special Product Barcodes"
canonical: "https://kb.myframeworks.com.au/space/FRAM/73695278/Configure%20Special%20Product%20Barcodes"
format: markdown
---
Two system settings control whether barcodes are required when creating Special Products in Sales Order Processing (SOP) and Point of Sale (POS), and whether barcodes are generated automatically. Configuring these settings ensures Special Products have valid barcodes for EDI transmission and product identification.

**Who performs this:** System Administrator **When to configure:** Before using Special Products in environments that require barcodes (for example, sites transmitting invoices via EDI to the Timber & Hardware Exchange). **Impact:** Controls barcode field visibility and behaviour in the **Create Special Product** window in both SOP and POS.

> 📝 ## Prerequisites
> 📝 
> 📝 - Access to **System Settings - Flags** and **System Settings - General** in System Administration.
> 📝 - Understanding of your site's barcode requirements (for example, whether EDI transmission requires barcodes on all products).

## Configuration Steps

### Configure the Barcode Field Requirement (SpcItmBcode)

1. From the **Frameworks Menu**, navigate to **System Administration > System Setup > Configuration > System Settings - General**.
2. Search for the setting code **SpcItmBcode**.
3. Set the value to one of the following options:
  - **Not Required**: The **Barcode** field is hidden in the **Create Special Product** window. Users cannot enter a barcode during Special Product creation.
  - **Optional**: The **Barcode** field is displayed but users may leave it blank. This is the installer default.
  - **Mandatory**: The **Barcode** field is displayed and must contain a value before the Special Product can be saved.
4. Click **Save** to apply the setting.

### Configure Automatic Barcode Generation (SpcItmGenBcode)

1. From the **Frameworks Menu**, navigate to **System Administration > System Setup > Configuration > System Settings - Flags**.
2. Search for the flag code **SpcItmGenBcode**.
3. Enable or disable the flag:
  - **Enabled**: The system automatically generates a unique barcode for each new Special Product when the user clicks **Save**. If the Special Product is created from a supplier's Electronic Product Catalogue (EPC) and a barcode exists in the EPC data, the EPC barcode is used instead of generating a new one.
  - **Disabled**: No automatic barcode generation occurs. Users must enter a barcode manually if the **SpcItmBcode** setting requires it. This is the installer default.
4. Click **Save** to apply the flag.

> ℹ️ **Note:** The **SpcItmGenBcode** flag operates independently of the **invbarcode** flag. Even if **invbarcode** is disabled, **SpcItmGenBcode** will still generate barcodes for Special Products when enabled.

## Result

After configuring these settings, the **Create Special Product** window in both SOP and POS will reflect the chosen barcode behaviour. Users creating Special Products will see the **Barcode** field as hidden, optional or mandatory depending on the **SpcItmBcode** value, and barcodes will be auto-generated on save if **SpcItmGenBcode** is enabled.

## Configuration Options

The two settings interact to produce different outcomes. Use the matrix below to determine the correct configuration for your site.

| SpcItmBcode | SpcItmGenBcode | Barcode Field Visible? | Barcode Auto-generates? | Barcode Can Be Empty? |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Not Required | Does not matter | No (field hidden) | No | Not applicable |
| Optional | Disabled | Yes | No | Yes |
| Optional | Enabled | Yes | Yes (on save) | Yes |
| Mandatory | Disabled | Yes | No (user must enter) | No |
| Mandatory | Enabled | Yes | Yes (on save) | No |

### Scenario 1: EDI Sites Requiring Barcodes on All Products

**When to use:** Sites that transmit invoices via EDI (for example, to the Timber & Hardware Exchange) and require valid barcodes on every product, including Special Products.

**Settings:**

- **SpcItmBcode:** Mandatory
- **SpcItmGenBcode:** Enabled

**Impact:** Every Special Product will have a barcode. The system generates one automatically on save if no EPC barcode is available. Users can override the auto-generated value before saving.

### Scenario 2: Sites That Want Barcodes but Don't Require Them

**When to use:** Sites that benefit from barcodes on Special Products for scanning and identification, but don't require them for EDI or other integrations.

**Settings:**

- **SpcItmBcode:** Optional
- **SpcItmGenBcode:** Enabled

**Impact:** The system generates a barcode automatically, but users can clear the field if a barcode is not needed for a particular Special Product.

### Scenario 3: Sites That Don't Use Special Product Barcodes

**When to use:** Sites that don't need barcodes on Special Products and want to keep the creation workflow simple.

**Settings:**

- **SpcItmBcode:** Not Required
- **SpcItmGenBcode:** Disabled (or any value; the flag has no effect when the field is hidden)

**Impact:** The **Barcode** field does not appear in the **Create Special Product** window. No barcodes are generated or required.

## Validation

After configuring the settings, verify the behaviour by creating a test Special Product.

**Test procedure:**

1. Open **Sales Order Maintenance** or **Point of Sale** and create or open an order.
2. Click **Actions** and select **Add Special Product** (SOP) or **Special Product** (POS).
3. Confirm the **Barcode** field is visible or hidden as expected based on the **SpcItmBcode** value.
4. If **SpcItmGenBcode** is enabled, enter the required product details and click **Save**. Confirm that a barcode value is automatically populated.
5. If **SpcItmBcode** is set to **Mandatory** and **SpcItmGenBcode** is disabled, confirm that the system prevents saving without a barcode value.

## Related System Settings

| Setting Code | Type | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [SpcItmBcode](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FSS/pages/73138214) | General | Controls whether the **Barcode** field is Not Required, Optional or Mandatory for Special Products. |
| [SpcItmGenBcode](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FSS/pages/73203739) | Flag | Controls whether barcodes are automatically generated for Special Products on save. |
| [invbarcode](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FSS/pages/13186202) | Flag | Controls automatic barcode generation for standard products in **Product Maintenance**. Does not affect Special Product barcode generation. |

> ✅ ## Related Tasks
> ✅ 
> ✅ - [Special Product Creation](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CO/pages/30520386) for step-by-step instructions on creating a Special Product in a Sales Order.