ScanSheet
Excel-ready export

Use your phone as a barcode scanner for Excel

ScanSheet pairs your phone camera with a desktop browser, lets you edit quantities and notes as you go, and exports a clean XLSX file that opens in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and Apple Numbers without reformatting.

Open ScanSheet Free All guides
XLSX export with proper barcode, quantity, note, and timestamp columns Built into every ScanSheet session, no install or signup required.
Editable quantity and note cells before you export Built into every ScanSheet session, no install or signup required.
Free local storage up to 1,000 rows, no account needed Built into every ScanSheet session, no install or signup required.
On this page (4 sections)
  1. Why an XLSX export matters
  2. What you need
  3. Step-by-step: scan to Excel in 5 minutes
  4. How ScanSheet compares to a dedicated scanner

Why an XLSX export matters

CSV is universal but it does not preserve formatting and Excel sometimes guesses column types wrong. XLSX keeps numbers as numbers, dates as dates, and opens with the same column widths in every Excel version. ScanSheet writes XLSX with a UTF-8 BOM for the CSV and a real .xlsx file you can open directly.

What you need

  • A desktop or laptop browser
  • A phone with a camera (iPhone 7+ or Android 8+)
  • Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or Apple Numbers to open the file

Step-by-step: scan to Excel in 5 minutes

  1. Open ScanSheet on your desktop and click Create session.
  2. Scan the QR code with your phone camera.
  3. Scan barcodes one by one. Edit any row by double-clicking the quantity or note cell.
  4. Click XLSX in the top toolbar. A .xlsx file downloads.
  5. Open the file in Excel or Google Sheets. All columns are ready for pivot tables, VLOOKUP, or further editing.

How ScanSheet compares to a dedicated scanner

FeatureScanSheet (phone)Dedicated scanner
Hardware cost$0 (uses your phone)$50 – $300 per unit
Software costFree / ProOften $200+ one-time
Setup time10 seconds10 minutes
Quantity on re-scanAuto-incrementedUsually no
Editable before exportYes (browser)No (exported only)
Multi-userOne phone per sessionRequires hub device

Use your phone as a barcode scanner for Excel

Common use cases

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to what teams ask before they switch to ScanSheet.

Will the XLSX open correctly in older Excel versions?

Yes. The file is written using the standard XLSX (Office Open XML) format, which works in Excel 2007 and newer. Numbers and Google Sheets open it directly.

Can I keep editing after the scan session ends?

Yes. Scan rows stay in your browser. Close the tab and come back tomorrow — your data is still there as long as you do not clear browser storage.

Is there a row limit?

Free plan supports up to 1,000 unique barcode rows. Pro plan supports up to 10,000. The row counter in the top bar shows how close you are to the limit.

Related reading

Continue with these ScanSheet guides.

Ready to scan your first barcode?

No app to install, no credit card to start. Pair your phone with ScanSheet in 60 seconds.

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