DATABASE ENTRY????

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Hi everyone, ok so i have a meal prep company, and can not seem to figure out how to print a barcode and link it from one of my meals to a meal database entry on MFP?? Can anyone help!???
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Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    I'm not sure I understand your question. But the MFP database is user entered, so if you are searching for that specific company's meals here and not finding them, it's possible no one added then yet. So you would need to manually add them to the database yourself.

    If you are having trouble with the scanner on the app, it might help to know that scanning the bar code through the MFP app does not read the nutrition info. It just reads the name of the item and then searches the MFP database for a similar item, just like if you had typed the name into the search bar yourself.

    Hope that helps
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    I am a bit confused too. I am reading this as the OP owns a meal prep company and wants to enter his food into the database, for others to use, with an accompanying barcode. As far as I know, there is no way for users to do this anymore.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    kami3006 wrote: »
    I am a bit confused too. I am reading this as the OP owns a meal prep company and wants to enter his food into the database, for others to use, with an accompanying barcode. As far as I know, there is no way for users to do this anymore.

    Oh, now I can see it that way too. In that case, I guess you'd just have to manually add the meals into the database and people would need to search them manually?
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    I am a bit confused too. I am reading this as the OP owns a meal prep company and wants to enter his food into the database, for others to use, with an accompanying barcode. As far as I know, there is no way for users to do this anymore.

    Oh, now I can see it that way too. In that case, I guess you'd just have to manually add the meals into the database and people would need to search them manually?

    Yeah, but it sounds like he wants to add a barcode too. And, I don't think users can do that.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,951 Member
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    @adamkirk3958 if you are the owner of the meal prep company and want to input the meals your company creates and a barcode, contact the site https://www.myfitnesspal.com/contact-us
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,986 Member
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    kami3006 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    I am a bit confused too. I am reading this as the OP owns a meal prep company and wants to enter his food into the database, for others to use, with an accompanying barcode. As far as I know, there is no way for users to do this anymore.

    Oh, now I can see it that way too. In that case, I guess you'd just have to manually add the meals into the database and people would need to search them manually?

    Yeah, but it sounds like he wants to add a barcode too. And, I don't think users can do that.

    How do the barcodes become associated with foods in the database then, since the database is mostly user-created?
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
    edited June 2019
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    kami3006 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    I am a bit confused too. I am reading this as the OP owns a meal prep company and wants to enter his food into the database, for others to use, with an accompanying barcode. As far as I know, there is no way for users to do this anymore.

    Oh, now I can see it that way too. In that case, I guess you'd just have to manually add the meals into the database and people would need to search them manually?

    Yeah, but it sounds like he wants to add a barcode too. And, I don't think users can do that.

    How do the barcodes become associated with foods in the database then, since the database is mostly user-created?

    I sincerely don't know. I believe early on users could add them, but now I would assume it has to go through a link like Kshama added above. It's not something I've looked into, but I know it's not a obvious option on the app or website.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,986 Member
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    kami3006 wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    I am a bit confused too. I am reading this as the OP owns a meal prep company and wants to enter his food into the database, for others to use, with an accompanying barcode. As far as I know, there is no way for users to do this anymore.

    Oh, now I can see it that way too. In that case, I guess you'd just have to manually add the meals into the database and people would need to search them manually?

    Yeah, but it sounds like he wants to add a barcode too. And, I don't think users can do that.

    How do the barcodes become associated with foods in the database then, since the database is mostly user-created?

    I sincerely don't know. I believe early on users could add them, but now I would assume it has to go through a link like Kshama added above. It's not something I've looked into, but I know it's not a obvious option on the app or website.

    Ah, that would explain it. I've only started using the app in the last year or so (after years of using the website), and I still don't scan barcodes to locate database entries, so I'm not familiar with how people use them, other than that I knew they're no guarantee of good database entries.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    kami3006 wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    I am a bit confused too. I am reading this as the OP owns a meal prep company and wants to enter his food into the database, for others to use, with an accompanying barcode. As far as I know, there is no way for users to do this anymore.

    Oh, now I can see it that way too. In that case, I guess you'd just have to manually add the meals into the database and people would need to search them manually?

    Yeah, but it sounds like he wants to add a barcode too. And, I don't think users can do that.

    How do the barcodes become associated with foods in the database then, since the database is mostly user-created?

    I sincerely don't know. I believe early on users could add them, but now I would assume it has to go through a link like Kshama added above. It's not something I've looked into, but I know it's not a obvious option on the app or website.

    Ah, that would explain it. I've only started using the app in the last year or so (after years of using the website), and I still don't scan barcodes to locate database entries, so I'm not familiar with how people use them, other than that I knew they're no guarantee of good database entries.

    My husband likes to scan stuff, while still double checking the entries, because his big fingers have a hard time typing on his phone.
  • adamkirk3958
    adamkirk3958 Posts: 4 Member
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    Hey everyone. So just to clarify........ i have started my own meal prep business selling meals. What i want to do is have a barcode on each of them that when scanned by the MFP camera comes up with all the nutrients etc just as with a meal from tesco etc...... theres no reason to me why big shops can have this but small companies cant?? There must be a way to do it!!!!
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
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    Hey everyone. So just to clarify........ i have started my own meal prep business selling meals. What i want to do is have a barcode on each of them that when scanned by the MFP camera comes up with all the nutrients etc just as with a meal from tesco etc...... theres no reason to me why big shops can have this but small companies cant?? There must be a way to do it!!!!

    So what happens when you do as kami3006 suggested above?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    As I said in my first post, scanning the barcode on a can of Campbell's soup doesn't read the nutrition info off the can, and MFP didn't put the Campbell's soup entries in the database. Scanning the barcode just reads the name of the product and searches the database for it, and only finds it if some MFP user has already added it.

    I don't think MFP has any control over the barcodes you use. That's something you do on your end. I'd suggest you google something like "How do I put UPC barcodes on my products" or something like that. I'm pretty sure there's some international database of UPC codes you need to be a part of, and then any app with a scanner can read it.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    edited June 2019
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    Hey everyone. So just to clarify........ i have started my own meal prep business selling meals. What i want to do is have a barcode on each of them that when scanned by the MFP camera comes up with all the nutrients etc just as with a meal from tesco etc...... theres no reason to me why big shops can have this but small companies cant?? There must be a way to do it!!!!

    The trick is that the app only recognizes UPC codes or their international equivalents. Those barcodes have a manufacturer ID component that is issued by the standards organization, which you have to pay for. This is how they keep different manufacturers issuing identical barcodes.

    So to get a UPC code, you'll need to get the prefix, then the rest of the code ties to your individual products.

    From there you'd have to create database entries for each item. I think if MFPs app scans a new code it lets you link it there to a database entry that exists, or MFP support might do it in a bulk process.

    ETA: There's a possibility that the app barcode scanner will recognize alternative codes to UPC, but only MFP can tell you if it would work. You'll probably still need to work with MFP support to assign the codes or 'train' the app. You'd also still have to something that keeps your codes unique from any others.

  • adamkirk3958
    adamkirk3958 Posts: 4 Member
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    Hi guys, so the issue is i have added my meals to the recipies and meals section in foods! As anyone can do that, BUT there seems to be NO way of linking it to a barcode! So how has asda tesco mns ..... all got all of their products to come up when scanned!!????? 7 emails in 4 weeks and NOT ONE reply from MFP!!!!!!

    The closest i got was when suggested to scan a barcode that it wont have (like ur own generated one) and then their would be an option to link it, but this doesnt happen!!!!!

    But i know for a fact there is one company that does do this!!!! And i have asked them how and they wont tell me 😂😂😂😂😂[35364jvp26gd.png
    img]https://us.v-cdn.net/5021879/uploads/editor/py/zc1c8kcbam8x.png[/img]


    cjq3sqjge126.png

  • adamkirk3958
    adamkirk3958 Posts: 4 Member
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  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
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    Uh - 'meals' and 'recipes' are personal to you. They're meant to be for home-cooked meals you make yourself a lot. Nobody else can see them or use them.

    Commercial foods should just have their summary nutritional information added to the database. Remember to tick the box to make them available to everyone. (On the bright side, having added the full recipe to your personal food list will have given you the nutritional breakdown)
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
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    ...also, ASDA, Tesco etc don't 'get their products to come up when scanned'. The products come up automatically because an MFP user has entered a product with a name that matches what's in the UPC barcode. From what @bpetrosky says above, if you're not using UPC barcodes then that might not be supported.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    Are you using registered UPC barcodes? Not from MFP, from the international organization that registers the barcodes that are on pretty much every product everywhere? If not, then it's not an MFP problem.

    This article might help explain it
    https://guides.wsj.com/small-business/starting-a-business/how-to-get-upc-codes-for-your-products-2/

    Are you using official UPC barcodes? Did you add your meals as a public food item to the MFP database?

    And please understand, you are talking to random MFP users here in the forum. MFP staff and UA corporate don't come around here.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    It's my understanding that there is a main database of barcodes that either MFP purchases or has use of. I don't think the barcodes are specific to MFP. Because there are other, similar apps where you can scan barcodes as well