USB scanner to CSV with Scanlist
This page puts the scanner box first: click it, and a USB or Bluetooth barcode scanner in keyboard mode types each code and presses Enter, which adds a row. Repeat scans add to the quantity, and the list is exported as CSV or Excel.
- Connect the scanner. Most USB and Bluetooth scanners work as a keyboard (HID) out of the box.
- Click the box at the top that says Click here, then scan.
- Each scan types the code and an Enter, which adds it to the list with a beep. Keep the box focused while you scan.
- Export CSV or Excel when you are done. The list is saved in the browser between sessions.
What to know
A keyboard-wedge scanner has no software of its own: it types the code as if on a keyboard, usually followed by Enter. That makes it work with any field, but typing into a spreadsheet directly gives no quantities and no protection against a stray keystroke landing in the wrong cell. Scanning into this box gives a list with a quantity per code, a time, a note and an export.
The scanner must send Enter (CR) after each code; that is the default on most models and is changed by scanning a setup barcode in the scanner manual. Scanners set to a different keyboard layout from the computer can type wrong characters for letters and symbols; digits are usually fine. Scan a known code first and check the row.
The box tells a scanner from a person by typing speed and logs the source as Scanner or Typed, so a mixed list shows which rows were keyed by hand. A phone camera and a webcam work on the same list too: press Start scanning for items without a label in reach of the cable.
Updated · Cosmovex
Questions
Do I need to install a driver or app for the scanner?
No. A scanner in keyboard (HID) mode works in any browser. Bluetooth scanners pair with the computer or phone like a keyboard.
Why are scans not appearing in the list?
The scanner box must have the cursor in it, and the scanner must send Enter after each code. Click the box and scan again; if the text appears without being added, set the scanner suffix to CR.
Can I use a Bluetooth scanner with a phone?
Yes. Pair it as a keyboard, open this page and tap the scanner box. The phone keyboard may hide while the scanner is connected.
Can I continue a count I saved as CSV before?
Yes. Use Import CSV to continue in List options; codes and quantities from the file are added to the list.
The free plan covers everything on this page. Scanlist Pro ($5/mo, billed monthly) is described on the Scanlist page.
