SharePoint Document Issues

How to Route Scanned Documents to SharePoint Using Barcodes or QR Codes

Olivia Miller Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to set up a SharePoint scanning workflow that uses cover sheets with barcodes or QR codes to automatically route document batches to specific libraries, folders, or sites.

How to Route Scanned Documents to SharePoint Using Barcodes or QR Codes

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating document management and routing workflows for scanned batches.
Observed behavior: Built-in SharePoint features can generate barcodes but lack native capabilities to recognize them on scanned cover sheets and automatically route the files without additional configuration or custom solutions.

Before you start

Before implementing a barcode routing workflow, ensure you have administrative permissions for your SharePoint site and consider testing your automation with a small batch of dummy documents first.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate and a Compatible Scanning Application

Leverage third-party scanning software alongside Power Automate to recognize barcodes and route files to specific SharePoint folders.

Native SharePoint features do not provide complete barcode recognition for routing scanned documents. To achieve this, you need a workflow that bridges the scanning hardware with SharePoint's document libraries.

Choose a scanning application

Select a third-party scanning application that supports barcode and QR code recognition (such as Kofax, NSI AutoStore, or Adobe Acrobat with barcode plugins).

Configure the scanner

Set up your scanning software to read the cover sheet's barcode or QR code and extract that value as document metadata.

Create a Power Automate flow

Open Power Automate and create a new automated flow that triggers when a new file is uploaded or created by your scanning application in a staging folder.

Map metadata to SharePoint

Use the extracted barcode metadata in your Power Automate flow to define the target SharePoint library or folder path, and use the 'Create file' action to save the document to its final destination.

Use Power Automate and a Compatible Scanning Application

Developer Resources: If your workflow requires complex custom development, consider posting your questions on the Microsoft Q&A forums using the SharePoint development tags.

Solution 2

Generate Barcodes Using SharePoint Site Policies

If you only need to generate and assign barcodes to items within SharePoint, you can enable Information Management Policies.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Your Documents with WPS Office

While SharePoint and Power Automate handle complex backend routing, you still need a reliable suite to view, edit, and manage those scanned documents. WPS Office is a lightweight, fully compatible alternative to Microsoft Office that excels at handling PDFs and Office files efficiently.

1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer for your operating system.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the setup file and follow the straightforward on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
3. Open your scanned documents: Launch WPS Office and open your routed PDFs or Office documents directly to start editing or reviewing.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats seamlessly.Built-in robust PDF editor to view, annotate, and manage scanned documents.Lightweight software that installs quickly and runs smoothly on almost any device.Free to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate interface.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can SharePoint natively route documents based on barcodes?

No, native SharePoint can generate barcodes for items using Information Management Policies, but it does not have a built-in optical character recognition (OCR) engine to read physical cover sheets and automatically route files.

How do I read QR codes from scanned documents for routing?

You will need a third-party scanning application or an OCR service integrated with Power Automate. These tools scan the documents, extract the QR code data, and then process the routing logic to move the files into SharePoint.

Where can I find developer support for custom SharePoint routing?

For custom development and advanced scripting guidance, Microsoft recommends posting your specific workflow requirements on the Microsoft Q&A forums using the 'SharePoint' and 'SharePoint development' tags.

Document & File Issues