Barcode Scanning and Product Lookup

barcode scanning product-lookup upc isbn setup

One of the fastest ways to add items to your collection is by scanning a barcode. MDCollections can look up product information from UPC, ISBN, and EAN codes — automatically filling in details like title, brand, description, and category so you don’t have to type them yourself.

This guide walks through enabling the feature, mapping product data to your collection’s properties, and using it day-to-day.

How It Works

When you scan a barcode (or enter a code manually), MDCollections queries the UPCitemdb.com API to find matching product information. The API returns data like the product’s name, brand, description, category, and more. MDCollections then maps that data to the properties in your collection, creating a new item with the fields already filled in.

The result: you scan a barcode, review the details, and save. What would normally take a minute or two of manual entry takes just a few seconds.

Setting Up Product Lookup

Product lookup is tucked behind the advanced options toggle, so you’ll need to enable it before it becomes available.

Step 1: Enable Advanced Options

Open App Settings and toggle on Display Advanced Options. This reveals additional settings throughout the app, including the product lookup configuration.

Step 2: Enable Product Lookup

With advanced options visible, you’ll now see a Enable UPC Lookup toggle in App Settings. Turn it on to activate barcode-based product lookups.

Step 3: Configure Collection Mappings

This is the key step — you need to tell MDCollections how to map the data returned by the product API to the properties in your collection.

Open your collection’s settings and look for the Product Item Type Mappings section. Expand it and you’ll be able to:

  • Select a Product Item Type — choose the type of product this collection holds (more on Product Item Types below).
  • Map API fields to your properties — the API returns fields like title, brand, description, category, and others. For each one, choose which property in your collection it should map to.

For example, in a book collection you might map:

  • API title → your Title property
  • API brand → your Author property
  • API description → your Synopsis property
  • API category → your Genre tags property

This mapping is what makes the auto-fill work. When a barcode is scanned and product data comes back, MDCollections knows exactly where to put each piece of information.

Step 4: Set Up Product Item Types (Optional)

Product Item Types let you customize which fields from the API are relevant for different product categories. For instance, a “Books” type might care about title, author, and ISBN, while an “Electronics” type might care about brand, model, and UPC.

To set them up:

  1. Create a folder for your Product Item Type definitions — this can be anywhere on your device.
  2. In App Settings, set the Product Item Type Folder to point to that folder.
  3. Use the Edit Product Item Types section in App Settings to create or edit types. Each type is saved as a Markdown file with YAML frontmatter listing the relevant fields.

Product Item Types are entirely optional. If you skip this step, the default set of API fields will be available for mapping. But if you work with multiple collections covering different categories of products, custom types help keep the mapping clean and focused.

Scanning Barcodes

With everything configured, adding items by barcode is straightforward.

Scan or Enter Manually

Open your collection and tap the barcode scanner button. Point your camera at a UPC, ISBN, or EAN barcode and it will be read automatically.

If you don’t have the physical barcode handy — say you’re entering items from a spreadsheet or a receipt — tap Enter Manually to type in the code directly.

Review and Save

Once the barcode is recognized, MDCollections queries the product API. If there are multiple matches, you’ll see a list to choose from. If there’s only one match, it’s selected automatically.

The mapped fields are filled in on the new item screen. Review the details, make any adjustments, and press Save. Your item is added to the collection with all the product data in place.

Rapid Scanning

If you’re cataloging a batch of items — a shelf of books, a box of records, a drawer of games — you can scan one barcode after another without leaving the capture flow. Each scan creates a new item with pre-filled data, letting you move through a large batch quickly.

API Limits

The free trial API from UPCitemdb.com allows 100 lookups per day. For most people building a personal collection, this is more than enough.

If you’re doing a large cataloging session and need more lookups, you can get your own API key from upcitemdb.com and enter it in App Settings. Your personal key will have its own limits based on the plan you choose.

Tips

  • Map only what you need. You don’t have to map every API field — just the ones that matter for your collection. Fewer mappings mean less to review on each scan.
  • Use Product Item Types for mixed collections. If a single collection might hold books and DVDs, Product Item Types let you define different field sets for each category.
  • Check the auto-filled data. Product databases are extensive but not perfect. A quick review before saving catches occasional mismatches in category, description, or brand.
  • Combine with manual entry. Barcode scanning is great for items that have standard codes, but you can always add items manually for things without barcodes. Both workflows produce the same Markdown files.