Supported Barcodes Format

Droppath makes delivery route planning faster and more accurate by supporting a wide range of barcode formats. Scanning barcodes allows you to instantly add destinations, recipient details, and tracking numbers to your delivery routes—eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors. Below are the barcode formats supported by Droppath for seamless delivery management.

Related: Learn about other data import methods including CSV file imports and explore our complete feature overview for route optimization capabilities.

Supported Barcode Formats #

PDF417 Barcodes #

PDF417 is a high-density, two-dimensional barcode format widely used in the logistics and shipping industry. It can encode large amounts of data, including full addresses, recipient names, and tracking information—making it ideal for delivery route planning apps like Droppath.

Key Features:

• Encodes up to 2,725 characters (FedEx Ground typically limits to 350 characters)
• Supports the full ASCII character set
• Includes error correction for reliable scanning
• Used by major carriers for shipping labels

FedEx PDF417 #

Droppath fully supports FedEx Ground PDF417 barcodes, which contain:

• Mandatory transportation data (e.g., tracking number, service type)
• Optional transportation data (e.g., delivery instructions)
• Trading partner data (e.g., shipper/recipient info)

This enables automatic import of all essential delivery details into your Droppath route.

Purolator PDF417 #

For Canadian deliveries, Droppath supports Purolator’s PDF417 format, which transmits recipient name, address, and other delivery details—streamlining route creation for Purolator shipments.

DPD PDF417 #

Droppath recognizes DPD’s French delivery barcode format, allowing for quick addition of DPD shipments to your delivery routes.

Fastway PDF417 #

Fastway barcodes are also supported, enabling efficient route planning for Fastway deliveries.

Generic JSON in PDF417 #

Droppath can decode PDF417 barcodes containing generic JSON data with the following fields:

• trackingNumber: The unique identifier assigned to each package for tracking throughout the delivery process.
• name: The recipient’s full name.
• company: The name of the recipient’s company or organization (if applicable).
• street: The street address for the delivery destination, including house/building number and street name.
• city: The city or locality of the delivery address.
• state: The state, province, or region of the delivery address.
• zipcode: The postal or ZIP code for the delivery destination.

This flexibility allows integration with custom or third-party shipping systems. For more information about data management in Droppath, see our glossary of terms.

Data Matrix Barcodes #

Data Matrix is a compact, two-dimensional barcode format used by many shipping and logistics companies. It can encode text or numeric data, including addresses and tracking numbers, in a small space—making it ideal for small labels and high-speed scanning.

Key Features:

• Stores up to 1,556 bytes of data
• Fast, reliable scanning even on small or damaged labels
• Used for both domestic and international shipping

Droppath supports Data Matrix barcodes for adding destinations and delivery details to your routes.

Unsupported Barcode Formats #

1D Barcodes (Linear Barcodes) #

Traditional 1D barcodes (such as Code 128 or Code 39) typically contain only a tracking number, shipper ID, or service code. These do not include full address or recipient information, so they are not sufficient for automatic destination creation in Droppath. For best results, use 2D barcodes (PDF417 or Data Matrix) that encode complete delivery details.