Engage has an online tool for the generation of QR and barcode images which can then be sent out in customer emails.
Such an image could encode something personal like a member number (for easier identification), a personal reward voucher number or an order number. These images could then be used by an external system, like a POS, to easily pass information directly from a customer’s mobile phone screen.
Using the code image generator
To generate a barcode or QR image, you manually build an image URL like the one below, but with VALUE replaced by whatever you want to encode into the image.
https://barcode.voyado.com/bar?v=VALUE
As VALUE you must use a contact personalization field, like a contact’s member number. Using anything else as the “v“ parameter will only generate a code image with VALUE replaced by “SAMPLE”.
This is the correct format to use:
https://barcode.voyado.com/bar?v=[[contact.memberNumber | barcode]]
The “| barcode” part after the personalization field name is required. It is the “family name” for barcodes and QR codes in Engage.
Also note the “bar“ path in the URL, right before the question mark. Using "bar" generates a linear barcode. Using “qr“ in the path instead generates a QR code. In that case, your URL will look like this:
https://barcode.voyado.com/qr?v=[[contact.memberNumber | barcode]]
This is how you specify which kind of barcode you want, a linear or a QR code.
NOTE: This solution does NOT support static code images that are the same for every user. Only code images containing a personalised attribute for the contact who is receiving the message will work.
Using an URL with a personalized field
You can create a barcode that encodes a personalized field together with an URL in this way:
https://barcode.voyado.com/bar?v=[[contact.Id | barcode]]&prefix=https://digitalwallet.voyado.com/pass/download/123456/
This example will cause an URL like this to be encoded:
https://digitalwallet.voyado.com/pass/download/123456/cd11a4ec-0c42-46a1-b53a-99d02933329e
Where the value at the end is the contact's GUID.
Entering the URL
When building an email in Engage, paste the URL you’ve made into the editor as an external image URL.
Inserting your contact's data
Email:
https://barcode.voyado.com/bar?v=[[contact.email | barcode]]
Mobile phone number:
https://barcode.voyado.com/bar?v=[[contact.mobilePhone | barcode]]
Latest reward voucher number:
https://barcode.voyado.com/bar?v=[[contact.latestcheck.code | barcode]]
Contact external ID:
https://barcode.voyado.com/bar?v=[[contact.externalid | barcode]]
CAUTION! The “v” parameter must consist of a contact's personal fields.
Other parameters
The value “v” is a mandatory parameter and must always be used. There are also several other parameters you can add to adjust the form of the barcode (or QR code) returned. Example:
https://barcode.voyado.com/bar?enc=code93&w=300&c=ff0000&v=[[contact.memberNumber | barcode]]
Or, if making a QR code image with the same data:
https://barcode.voyado.com/qr?enc=M&w=300&c=ff0000&v=[[contact.memberNumber | barcode]]
https://barcode.voyado.com/qr?v=[[contact.mobilePhone | barcode]]&prefix=%2B
In this case the prefix is "+" which can then be displayed before the mobile number, for example. Note that the prefix you give must be URL-encoded.
| Parameter | Description | Values |
|
v* |
The value to be encrypted and stored in the image |
String of letters and/or numbers from a personalization field |
|
enc |
Used for both barcodes and QR codes but in different ways. |
See below |
|
... |
For barcodes it’s the encoding. |
code128 (default) code93 upca upce ean13 ean8 |
|
... |
For QR codes it’s the Error correction level** |
L, M, Q (default), H |
|
w |
Width in pixels |
300 (default) |
|
h |
Height in pixels (Not used for QR code) |
100 (default) |
|
c |
Color as a hexadecimal |
000000 (default black) |
|
bg |
Background color as a hexadecimal |
ffffff (default white) |
|
prefix |
Some prefix that can be placed before the personal field value |
For example, %2B, which is the character "+" URL-encoded. |
* This is a mandatory parameter
** QR codes can be damaged or dirty but still be read. An error correction adds more pixels to the QR code to enable it to be restored if needed. The scale goes from low to high: L, M, Q, H.
Values
QR codes can store any textual value, for example a member number, an email address or a URL. Barcodes, however, are a bit more limited. See the table below for type of value and data.
CAUTION! The URL defined in the image field in the email module is not in any way related to the value that the QR code or barcode will contain. The image will only contain the value of the “v” parameter.
The following coding standards, commonly used in retail, are supported:
| Coding | Value | Limits |
|
UPC-E |
Numeric |
6 digits* |
|
UPC-A |
Numeric |
11 digits* |
|
QR |
Alphanumeric |
1-4096 characters |
|
EAN-8 |
Numeric |
7 digits* |
|
EAN-13 |
Numeric |
12 digits* |
|
Code 128 |
Alphanumeric |
1-128 characters, (A-z) |
|
Code 93 |
Alphanumeric |
Unlimited number of characters, (capital letters A-Z) |
Width and height
The physical size of the barcode or QR code can be set to match the layout of the email. A quiet zone (space) will always be added around the code to let scanners read it. Be careful when scaling codes; they can’t be too small as the number of pixels on the phone’s screen may not be sufficient to represent the code.
Always verify that your code is working by using real scanners.
Colors
Scanners function best with high contrast so be sure to have a good contrast between the color and the background. Verify the code by the use of real scanners.
Preview the code
The URL will only show the actual code image when the email is previewed using a selected contact, or in a sent email. When emails are created in the email editor, the code will only display a general sample.
Scanning
There are different scanners available and not all of them can handle all codes, or successfully scan all phone screens. Again, to be sure you should verify the code by the use of real scanners.
The scanner will send the value stored in the code to the connected system. Many scanners emulate a keyboard when sending a value to a connected system. There is no logic stored in the code so the receiving system needs a way to know what this value represents and how to process it.
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