Abstract: A drug tracking system and method for use in hospitals, pharmacies, etc. uses a portable barcode scanning and printing system to reduce errors in the tracking information and to facilitate the ease and efficiency of the drug tracking operation. The portable scanning and printing system automatically prompts the user to enter data necessary for tracking one or more drugs. The portable scanning and printing system also prompts the user to select a particular drug and/or quantity. Automatic verification of the user entered data is performed by the portable system so as to warn the user via a displayed message that the wrong drug and/or quantity was selected or to prompt the user to recount and/or re-enter data so that any discrepancies can be immediately corrected. The portable scanning and printing system also prints alpha-numeric and barcode information on labels that are used to continue the drug tracking operation at other locations.

Abstract: A host communication message manager of a local bar code data processing and printing system allows one or more host processing systems to communicate with the local system to control the maintenance of data including bar code data stored in the local processing system. The host communication message manager also allows one or more host processing systems to communicate with the local system to control the printing of data including bar code data stored in the local system on a bar code printer coupled thereto. The host communication message manager allows both a host processing system in the form of a main frame computer as well as a host processing system in the form of a hand held labeler with data collection capabilities to communicate with the local bar code data processing and printing system to provide an integrated system for data collection, bar code printing and labeling.

Abstract: A program generator allows a user to create a software program capable of being executed by a remote labeler to control the printing of one or more labels and to control data collection operations thereof. The program generator stores a user entered sequence of commands selected from a set of commands that control label printing and data collection operations. The stored sequence of commands is validated in accordance with the program generator such that each command entered by the user is compared to a set of allowable commands to determine whether the command is valid or not. During the validation of each of the commands, the program generator determines whether the parameters of the command define allowable data manipulation operations to be performed by the labeler. If not, the program generator provides an error message that identifies the particular command and the error associated with the command.

Abstract: A purchase order processing system allows purchase orders issued from a number of consignees each requiring different processing operations to be processed simply and in an error free manner. The system prompts a user for only that information required by a selected consignee to process a purchase order issued thereby. In processing a purchase order, the system verifies packing information against stored purchase order data. The system automatically generates shipping labels and advance shipping notices in compliance with the diverse requirements of the various consignees. In order to process purchase orders from different consignees, the system of the present invention utilizes nonconsignee specific software that operates in accordance with consignee specific data files that define the purchase order processing requirements of a consignee.