Confused: RFID for Auto-ID is different from barcode scanner?

[Former Member]

Hi !

I understand that RFID is identification via radio frequency and a barcode scanner is a device that uses a laser or other light source to read barcodes; but don't understand if both identification methods are just called "RFID" when talking about SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII)...so I don't understand if I can use SAP AII to enable communication between my non-radio frequency data collectors and my SAP ERP (thru SAP XI/PI) or if SAP AII is just for the radio frequency type of devices, and for non-radio frequency I need to use SAPConsole, SAPWebConsole or SAP MI. What about weighing instruments like industrial scales or other type of data collecting/generating devices?

Thanks !

Regards,

Matias.

[Former Member]

Hi Matias,

RFID and Barcodes are different technologies as such and also for SAP AII. But yes one thing is obvious. SAP AII needs to receive data in a certain format. Then it can act on data coming from anywhere.

It can be RF Devices, Barcodes or data sent in manually. If the data received is in the required format,

say PML or ALE standards, then AII will be able to work on it.