To split a scanned PDF by barcode, put a sheet with one Code 128 or QR barcode on each document, scan the stack, and open the PDF in a barcode splitter. ScanRoute Local does this offline on Windows, names each file from the barcode or an OCR zone, and previews every name before writing. Server-scale capture needs an enterprise tool.
The copier saves one big PDF. You need twenty named files in the right client folders. Separator sheets turn that into a mechanical job: the barcode tells the software where each document starts, so nobody has to type page ranges.
Split a combined scan at separator sheets and check every name before it is written.
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Where can I get free printable barcode separator sheets?
Download them here, free:
Each file has an instruction page and six sheets, one barcode per sheet, in both Code 128 and QR:
| Sheet value | Use it for | Barcode styles |
|---|---|---|
| SR-INV | Invoices | Code 128 and QR |
| SR-RCT | Receipts | Code 128 and QR |
| SR-CRD | Credits | Code 128 and QR |
Print at actual size, not fit to page, and keep the sheets flat and clean so you can reuse them. Scan a short test stack before a big batch.
How does barcode splitting work?
The idea is the same in every tool:
- One barcode per separator sheet. You put a sheet on top of each document before scanning.
- The splitter reads every page. When it finds a separator barcode, it starts a new document.
- The separator page is dropped. In ScanRoute Local, separator pages are left out of the output unless you turn on “Keep barcode separator pages in the output”.
- A prefix stops false splits. Invoices often carry their own barcodes. Setting a separator prefix such as SR- means only barcodes that start with SR- count as separators. The prefix match is case-sensitive.
Two separator pages in a row count as one break in ScanRoute Local, so a doubled sheet never creates an empty document.
Should I use Code 128 or QR separator sheets?
ScanRoute Local reads both, and each sheet in our PDF files decoded at 150 and 100 DPI in our test. Pick the style your printer reproduces cleanly, and test with your own printer, paper, and scanner settings, because those are what vary.
What barcode splitters are there?
Facts about other tools come from their own sites, checked on 17 October 2026.
| Tool | Price model | Runs locally | Platform | Barcode types | Names files from page content | Preview before writing | Log |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ScanRoute Local | One-time purchase in the Microsoft Store, free trial | Yes, no network connection | Windows 10 version 2004 or later, Windows 11, x64 | Code 128 and QR | Yes, one OCR zone plus a name template | Yes, Preview and an inbox | CSV manifest with SHA-256 |
| A-PDF Scan and Split | $49, standalone | Yes | Windows (its requirements list Windows 2000 to Windows 7) | Many, including Code 39, EAN, Codabar, and patch codes | Name macros, including the barcode value | Not stated | Not stated |
| BarcodeOCR | Buy once or rent monthly; 45-day trial | Yes, on-premises | Windows | Not compared here | Name and folder from the barcode | Not stated | Error folder |
| scanprep | Free, MIT license | Yes | Python command line | Its own separator barcode | No, files are numbered | No | No |
| Evermap AutoSplit | From $99, Acrobat plug-in | Yes | Windows, needs Acrobat Standard or Pro | Not compared here | Yes, by text and patterns | Not stated | Not stated |
Sources: A-PDF Scan and Split, BarcodeOCR, scanprep on PyPI, Evermap AutoSplit.
A-PDF Scan and Split
A-PDF Scan and Split is a $49 standalone Windows program that splits at blank pages or barcode pages. Its requirements list Windows 2000 through Windows 7, so test it on your Windows 11 PC. It reads many more barcode types than ScanRoute Local, including Code 39, EAN, Codabar, and patch codes, and it has name macros, a watch folder, a command line, and a free trial. If your office already uses patch-code sheets, or you need a command line, it is the better fit.
BarcodeOCR
BarcodeOCR is an on-premises Windows product you can buy once or rent monthly, with a 45-day trial. It runs as a watch-folder service, names files and picks folders from the barcode, and sends problems to an error folder. It also does full-text OCR, PDF/A, blank-page removal, network shares, and encryption and signing. For an office that wants an unattended service on a shared folder, it does far more than ScanRoute Local.
scanprep (Python)
scanprep is a free, MIT-licensed Python command line, last released as version 1.0.2 in 2021. It splits at its own separator barcode, can remove blank pages, and numbers the output files. If you are comfortable in a terminal and do not need named files, it costs nothing.
Enterprise capture
Evermap AutoSplit is an Acrobat plug-in, from $99, that splits by bookmarks, text, or patterns and renames by content. It needs Acrobat Standard or Pro. At the larger end, Aquaforest Kingfisher (now part of Nutrient) is an enterprise data extraction product. If you process thousands of pages a day on a server, look at those classes of tool.
ScanRoute Local
ScanRoute Local is a Windows app that turns one combined scan into separate, named PDFs on your PC. It splits at Code 128 or QR separator sheets, at blank pages, or every N pages, names each file from one zone you draw, and shows every proposed name before anything is written. Your original scans are only read, and each commit writes a CSV manifest with the SHA-256 of every file written. It has no account, collects no telemetry, and makes no network connection.
Print the sheets, scan a short stack, and look at the names in Preview.
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How do I split by barcode in ScanRoute Local?
- Print the sheets and put one on top of each document. Scan the stack to one PDF with your copier or scanner software.
- Set the split mode. In Settings, set Split mode to Barcode and Separator prefix to SR-.
- Add the barcode to the name. Add
{Barcode}to the file name template to put the sheet value in each name, for example SR-INV_2026-10-03_001.pdf. - Open the PDF. Drop it on the window, open several at once, or point the watched folder at the folder your copier saves into.
- Check Preview. Every proposed name and client folder is listed. Documents that need a decision wait in the inbox.
- Commit. Nothing is written until you commit. The named PDFs go into each folder, plus one CSV manifest.
Can I name each file from the page itself?
Yes. Draw one zone over the reference line on the document. A pattern pulls fields such as type, date, client, and number from the text in that zone, and a template such as {Client}\{Date}_{Type}_{Id}.pdf builds each file name and folder. Text is read with the Windows OCR language installed on your PC. Reads that fail their checks wait in the inbox with the zone crop beside them.
See how to rename scanned PDFs from an OCR zone and rename a PDF based on its content. If you would rather not print sheets at all, ScanRoute Local can also split at blank pages or every N pages.
What are the limits?
- PDF input only. Scan to PDF first. ScanRoute Local does not control the scanner.
- Code 128 and QR only. Other barcode types and patch codes are not read.
- One zone per document. A pattern can pull several fields from that zone.
- Local folders. Sources, the watched folder, and the destination are folders on this PC in this version.
- Per-user license. Microsoft Store purchases are per user. There is no volume license.
- Misreads happen. OCR and barcodes can misread, which is why every name shows in Preview first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I split a scanned PDF into separate files using barcode sheets?
Put a separator sheet with one barcode on top of each document, scan the stack into one PDF, and open it in a barcode splitter. ScanRoute Local starts a new PDF at each sheet, leaves the sheet out, and shows every name before writing.
Where can I download free barcode separator sheets?
From the links at the top of this page, in US Letter and A4, with SR-INV, SR-RCT, and SR-CRD sheets in Code 128 and QR.
Code 128 or QR: which works better for separator sheets?
ScanRoute Local reads both, and our sheets decoded at 150 and 100 DPI in our test. Test your own printer and scanner with a short stack.
What happens to the separator pages after splitting?
They are dropped by default. Turn on “Keep barcode separator pages in the output” if you want each document to start with its sheet.
Can it rename split files from an invoice number or date on the page?
Yes, from one OCR zone you draw, using a pattern and a name template.
Will a barcode printed on an invoice cause a wrong split?
Not if you set a separator prefix such as SR-. Only barcodes that start with the prefix count as separators.
Do my scans leave my PC?
No. ScanRoute Local makes no network connection. If you save into a folder that a sync app such as OneDrive manages, that app may copy the files under its own settings.
Try ScanRoute Local
ScanRoute Local is a one-time purchase in the Microsoft Store, and the Store offers a free trial. Print the sheets, scan last week’s stack, and look at the names in Preview before you commit anything. For specific jobs, see splitting scanned legal documents, splitting bill of lading and POD scans, and splitting invoices and receipts for bookkeeping, or go to the ScanRoute Local product page.
Try it on last week’s scans with the free trial.
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Microsoft, Windows, and OneDrive are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Inc. Other product names are trademarks of their owners. ScanRoute Local is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
Last updated 17 October 2026. Published by Automata Labs, a software company in Canada.