Using QR code to scan items in/out

Need help Plugins
1

I am working on creating a feature in my app that lets an Admin group check out an item to specific Users using QR codes. Once the User is done with the item, they scan the QR code again to check the item back in.

The way I think this would be done is if I generated QR codes that each contained a string of random numbers, and the numbers would tie to the items being checked in/out. In the database, I could have the items and their numbers, so whenever a code is scanned, my app would know which item it is by the QR code.

I am just wondering if this is possible using the QR code plugins on Bubble, and how I would go about creating this workflow, scanning to check an item out and scanning to check it back in. I’ve watched tutorials on generating codes within the app, but what if the codes are physical and not generated by the plugin?

Thanks so much for your help, this feels difficult so I appreciate the help!

2

Describe the flow of how you envision this going, like what which user is doing on screen, which user is scanning something physical, etc.

When you say “admin checks out an item to specific Users with QR code” is that something they are doing on-screen or… how is the user getting the QR code to scan it…

If you’re talking like checking out a library book, the book just has like the SKU # in barcode format, then the grumpy lady at the counter picks the User from their screen then “checks in” the book and it finds some item is the database where the User = the user and the SKU = the barcode they scanned, changing the status to “returned” .

3

What’s the content of these “external” QR codes?

4

Hi @tylerboodman,

Here’s the flow (using the library analogy, not actually for books):

  • Reader subscribes to our app, and they are given a number of credits to use for getting books depending on their subscription.
  • Reader tells Librarian they want a book. The Reader is coming to pick their book up later, and the Librarian needs to know the Reader’s User ID (either told through the app via a Reader side and a Librarian side, or over a phone call).
  • Librarian gets the book and checks it out to the user by entering the User ID into the app so the app knows who the book is going to, and then scans the QR code on the book with a QR reader built into the app so the app knows which book is going to the Reader. I think the QR will have a string of numbers associated with it, and each book will need a different QR.
  • Reader gets their book, reads it, and now needs to return it. The Reader is in charge of checking the book back in, so they will likely need to use their app to scan a QR code on the drop box and the QR code on their book. The app now knows where the book was dropped and that the user dropped it off.
  • The books are then sorted IRL so the next Reader can read it.

There will be multiple libraries and lots of readers doing this process. I am open to ideas on how to make the process simpler (maybe the readers don’t want to have to scan their book back in) or more flexible (maybe the librarians need to scan the books again to make sure they were turned in correctly) or more foolproof (the app tells the reader their books were returned and they got their credit back so they can get another book when they want to).

Thanks so much!