Data Import & Export

How to Scan UPC Barcodes and Export Product Data to Excel

Khadija Khan Oct 12, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to find an efficient method to scan UPC barcodes using an Android device and export the resulting product information into an Excel spreadsheet for inventory tracking.

How to Scan UPC Barcodes and Export Product Data to Excel

Product: Excel
Device & OS: Android
Scenario: Entering a large volume of inventory quickly without typing each item manually.
Observed behavior: The user needs to automate inventory data entry by scanning physical product barcodes and converting that data into a structured Excel or CSV format.

Before you start

Ensure your Android device has a working camera and a stable internet connection, as most scanner apps require web access to fetch product descriptions from their barcode databases.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a Third-Party Barcode Scanner App with Export Capabilities

The most efficient way to capture and export barcode data is by utilizing an inventory-focused Android application that supports barcode lookup and CSV or Excel exporting.

While standard spreadsheet apps do not have built-in inventory lookup databases, many third-party apps are designed specifically for this purpose. These apps use your phone's camera to scan the UPC, retrieve the product name from an online database, and compile a list that can be exported.

Download an inventory scanner app

Open the Google Play Store on your Android device and search for 'Inventory Scanner' or 'Barcode to Excel'. Install an application that explicitly advertises CSV or XLSX export functionality.

Scan your product barcodes

Launch the application, grant the necessary camera permissions, and begin scanning the UPC barcodes on your physical products. Verify that the app is successfully pulling in the product brands and descriptions.

Export the inventory list

Once your scanning session is complete, look for the 'Export' or 'Share' button within the app's menu. Select 'CSV' or 'Excel' as the output format.

Open the file in Excel

Send the exported file to your email, save it to a cloud drive (like Google Drive), or transfer it to your computer. You can then open the file directly in Excel to manage your inventory.

Use a Third-Party Barcode Scanner App with Export Capabilities

Product Data Availability: The accuracy and completeness of the product data, such as brand names and descriptions, depend entirely on the specific database the scanning application uses.

Manage Scanned Inventory Data Seamlessly with WPS Office

After exporting your scanned UPC barcode data to a CSV or Excel file, you can easily open, format, and organize your inventory using WPS Spreadsheet on both your PC and mobile device.

1. Locate the exported file: Save the exported CSV or Excel file from your barcode scanner app to your Android device's local storage.
2. Open with WPS Spreadsheet: Launch the WPS Office mobile app, tap 'Open', and select your newly exported inventory file to view the raw data.
3. Format and organize: If the data is in a CSV format, adjust the column widths, apply an AutoFilter to your headers, and verify the product quantities.
4. Save as an Excel file: Tap 'Save As' and choose the '.xlsx' format. Turn on WPS Cloud sync to automatically access your updated inventory spreadsheet on your desktop.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel formats (.xlsx, .xls, .csv)Cross-platform syncing lets you view mobile scans instantly on your PCBuilt-in data filtering and sorting tools to organize large inventory lists easilyLightweight, fast, and free to use

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I scan barcodes directly into an Excel sheet on my phone?

Standard Excel does not have a native barcode scanner that fetches product details automatically. However, you can use specialized third-party scanner keyboards for Android that translate scanned barcodes into text directly inside an active spreadsheet cell.

Why are the product descriptions missing after scanning the UPC?

Scanner apps rely on online databases to match a numeric UPC code to a specific product description. If the item is not registered in their database, or if your device lacks internet access during the scan, only the numeric barcode string will be captured.

How do I convert my scanned CSV file into a standard Excel spreadsheet?

Open your exported CSV file in a spreadsheet program like Excel or WPS Spreadsheet. Verify that the data is separated into the correct columns, go to 'File' > 'Save As', and select 'Excel Workbook (*.xlsx)' from the format dropdown menu.

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