01  Resources

Support Hotline: Reach us at 757.663.7514, available 9am to 8pm EST, Monday to Friday.

Emergency Support: Dial 757.663.7514 and press option 1 for immediate assistance.

Submit Support Tickets: portal.yellowdogsoftware.com

All users should create an account on the Customer Portal. It's full of resources! The Customer Portal offers access to our comprehensive Knowledge Base with informative articles, and instructional videos. Additionally, you can submit and manage Support Tickets through the “My Area” section.

If you have just purchased a handheld and need to set the handheld up before using Count XL, please see the Handheld New User Guide.

Yellow Dog Website: yellowdogsoftware.com

Help Site: help.yellowdogsoftware.com

Webstore: shop.yellowdogsoftware.com

Tech Requirements: help.yellowdogsoftware.com/tech-requirements

Sales: 757.818.9360, ext. 1 or sales@yellowdogsoftware.com

Accounts Payable: ap@yellowdogsoftware.com

Stay up to date on new enhancements to Count XL by visiting: the What's New page

02  Introduction

Why it's Important: Count XL allows users that have either printed labels or UPCs assigned to items to collect inventory counts for Physical Inventories.

03  Compatible Devices

Count XL is compatible with the following:

•     Handheld devices purchased directly from Yellow Dog (recommended)

•     Android devices with access to the Play Store

If you have purchased a handheld, refer to the Handheld New User Guide for step-by-step instructions on initial handheld setup.

04  Employee Access to Apps

Only Yellow Dog Inventory Admin users with API admin access can grant access to mobile apps. To check if you have API admin privileges, review your employee permissions and confirm that 'Grant Users Access' is selected. If you are an Admin in your Yellow Dog Inventory and no one from your team has API admin access, please reach out to Support to request the privilege.

The 'Grant Users Access' permission under Access Options.

To grant access to mobile apps:

1.   Go to Employees \ Employees, click to highlight the employee and select 'Edit'.

2.   Check the box 'User has access to API' then click 'Save and Close'.

The 'User has access to API' checkbox in the Employee Editor.

To install the Count XL app:

1.   On your device, navigate to the Google Play Store and search 'Count XL'.

2.   Select the Count XL app and press 'Install'.

The Count XL listing in the Google Play Store.

You will need the following information to log into Count XL:

•     Client ID

•     Employee Number (Yellow Dog Inventory Username)

•     Password

To locate your Client ID:

1.   Login to Yellow Dog Inventory on a computer.

2.   Find your Client ID on the bottom taskbar.

The Client ID shown on the Yellow Dog Inventory bottom taskbar.

1.   After opening the Count XL App, enter your Client ID then press the Enter button on your keyboard to advance to the next screen.

2.   Enter the same username and password you use to log into Yellow Dog Inventory then press 'Log In'.

To fix an incorrect Client ID, press and hold the field to edit it. If you're using a personal device, toggle 'Remember Me?' to save your credentials for faster access.

The welcome screen where you enter your Client ID.

The login screen showing the username, password, and Remember Me options.

05  Creating a Session

Once you are logged in, you will be prompted to create a new Session. To create a new Session, follow these steps:

1.   Enter a name for the Session in the 'Session name' field.

We strongly recommend using the following naming structure {DATE} {LOCATION} {USER INITIALS} so sessions are easily identifiable.

2.   Select a store from the listing of stores your login has access to.

3.   Press the '+' symbol to begin the session.

The New Session screen with the session name field and store list.

06  Counting in a Session

Once the session is created you will begin collecting inventory counts. This can be completed in 2 ways:

To scan a barcode, point the scanner laser towards the item and hold down the 2 blue buttons on the outside of the device. If you have a pistol grip you will alternatively push the trigger to scan. You can continue scanning the barcode to collect counts or use the calculator to manually enter a count.

Scan buttons on the side of the handheld and the pistol-grip trigger.

Scanning a barcode will add the item to the session and add a quantity of (1). If you continue scanning the barcode, the quantity will increase by (1) for each scan. This method is useful for scanning each unit in the location to collect counts.

When you have finished collecting counts for the item either press the green enter button on the calculator or scan the next product on the shelf to start counting a different item. This will add the new item to the session and add a quantity of (1) for each scan.

The Edit Session Item screen while scanning to add counts.

If you have pre-counted the item, you can enter the full count directly in the calculator. After typing in the quantity, press the green enter to submit the count.

Entering a full count directly in the calculator.

If the item does not pull up when scanning because the label is damaged or other factors, complete these steps to manually add the item to the session:

1.   Press the magnifying glass icon.

The magnifying glass icon on the session screen.

2.   Use the search to find the item.

Searching for an item by name.

3.   Press the item to add it to the session.

4.   Once the item is in the session press and hold the item then click 'Edit'.

If the incorrect item was selected, you can press 'Delete' to remove the item.

The available actions: Edit or Delete the selected item.

5.   Enter the count in the calculator then hit the green enter button to submit the count.

Entering the count for the searched item.

07  Finalizing a Session

After you have finished collecting counts, press the upload cloud icon to finalize the session. This will remove the session from the device and send it to your Yellow Dog Inventory.

The upload cloud icon used to finalize the session.

08  Session Screen Features

The Count XL session screen and its key elements.

09  Settings

App Settings can be accessed by clicking the Yellow Settings bar at the bottom of the application.

The yellow Settings bar at the bottom of the app.

The Settings menu and what each option does.

10  Collecting Counts using Stand-alone Mode

If you don't have Wi-Fi access or a Client ID, you can use Stand-alone Mode. In this mode, only the UPC is captured during the session since there is no connection to your Yellow Dog Inventory. Once you've collected your counts, connect your device to your computer to import them into Yellow Dog Inventory. The instructions below review how to create a Stand-alone Mode session and create counts. For full instructions that include how to export the session from your device and import these sessions in your physical inventory click here.

1.   Open Count XL.

2.   Press 'Use in Stand-alone Mode'.

The 'Use in Stand-alone Mode' option on the welcome screen.

3.   Name the Session using the 'Session Name' field.

We strongly recommend using the following naming structure {DATE} {LOCATION} {USER INITIALS} so sessions are easily identifiable.

Naming a Stand-alone Mode session.

4.   Press both blue buttons on the side of the handheld to scan barcodes.

If you have a pistol grip, you will use the trigger button to scan.

Scan buttons and pistol-grip trigger on the handheld.

5.   Either continue scanning the barcode to add counts or enter the quantity of the item using the calculator and press the green enter arrow to submit the count.

Entering a quantity for a scanned UPC in Stand-alone Mode.

6.   Continue scanning and entering quantities until counting is completed.

7.   Select the yellow file upload icon to finalize the session.

This will clear the session from Count XL and save a file on the device for you to upload to your Yellow Dog Inventory.

The yellow file upload icon used to finalize a Stand-alone Mode session.

11  Locating an Item with EPC Location

EPC Location helps you walk right up to a specific RFID-tagged item. After you pick the item you're looking for, the handheld reads the tag's signal strength and shows a live proximity indicator that gets stronger as you move closer — turning a “somewhere on the floor” search into a guided one.

The reader reports signal strength in dBm. The mapping is fixed: −75 dBm reads as far and −25 dBm reads as near.

Open Count XL and start a new session: enter a name in the Session Name field, select your store, and tap + to begin. See Creating a Session for full details. If you already have an active session open, skip to the next step.

Start on the active count. Tap the search control (magnifier) in the top-left of the Count screen to begin looking for the item you need to locate. 

The Count screen. Tap the search icon to start locating an item.

In Search Items, type any of the following to find your target: the item's SKU, its description, or a full EPC. Results filter as you type, so a partial description is usually enough to narrow the list.

The Search Items screen — search by SKU, description, or EPC.

The results show each matching item with its SKU and assigned EPC. When one description maps to several tags, use the trailing EPC digits to tell them apart. Tap the row you want, then choose Find from the actions menu.

Search results with the actions menu — choose Find.

The Find EPC screen opens in a waiting state showing “-- dBm — Waiting for RFID signal.” The reader is already scanning; it just hasn't picked up your target yet. The Target EPC and item description are pinned at the bottom so you always know what you're chasing. Pull the RFID trigger and start moving.

The Find EPC screen in its waiting state.

As you move, the ripple graphic, the dBm reading, the percentage, and the color all update together. Walk in whatever direction makes the number rise (closer to zero) and the color warm toward green. The four active states you'll pass through:

The four proximity states, from very far (red) to very close (green).

Signal mapping is fixed: −75 dBm = far, −25 dBm = near.

When an item has multiple assigned EPCs, open the Nearby EPCs view to see which of them are within range right now. It shows the item, how many EPCs are assigned, and prompts you to pull the RFID trigger to scan. Until a tag responds, the list reads “No nearby EPCs found yet.”

Nearby EPCs before any tag has responded.

As tags respond, they appear in the list with their EPC and a tag label (e.g. Tag #1), and the assigned count updates. This confirms exactly which tag is within scanning range. Tap a detected EPC to drill in, or head back to Find EPC to home in on a specific one.

A detected EPC appears in range with its tag label.