How To: Locate an Item with EPC Location
End user · Yellow Dog Inventory 2026
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
EPC Location turns a blind floor search into a guided one: pick the item you need, then follow a live signal straight to its RFID tag. Use it whenever you know what you’re looking for but not where it is.
PREREQUISITES
• An RFID-capable handheld reader — the same device you count with.
• Each item you want to locate must have at least one EPC (RFID tag) assigned.
STEP BY STEP
1. Create a session. Open Count XL and start a new session: enter a name in the Session Name field, select your store, and tap + to begin. If you already have an active session open, skip to the next step.
2. Open EPC Location from the Count screen. Start on the active count. Tap the search control (magnifier) in the bottom-left corner of the Count screen.
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Note: You can also reach Find EPC directly from the main session screen, without opening search, by pressing & holding the item in the count list — the same actions menu opens either way. Use search instead when the session is large and the item is hard to spot on the main screen. |
3. Search for the item or EPC. In Search Items, type the item’s SKU, its description, or a full EPC. Results filter as you type, so a partial description usually narrows the list.
4. Choose the EPC and select Find. Each result shows 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.
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Note: The action sheet is titled with the exact target EPC, e.g. 303400000061b8974876e802. Delete and Cancel are also available here. |
Actions menu — Find
5. Begin scanning. The Find EPC screen opens showing “-- dBm — Waiting for RFID signal.” The reader is already scanning; it just hasn’t found your target yet. The Target EPC and description stay pinned at the bottom. Pull the RFID trigger and start moving.
6. Follow the proximity indicator to the item. As you move, the ripple, dBm reading, percentage, and color update together. Walk in whatever direction makes the number rise (closer to zero) and the color warm toward green.
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Very far away −77 dBm · 0% |
Far away −70 dBm · 1% |
Close −41 dBm · 88% |
Very close −33 dBm · 98% |
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Note: Signal mapping is fixed: −75 dBm = far, −25 dBm = near. Treat it as a directional guide, not an exact distance — shelving, metal, and tag orientation all affect the reading. |
7. Check Nearby EPCs when an item has several tags. If an item has multiple assigned EPCs, open Nearby EPCs to see which are within range 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.”
8. Confirm a detected EPC. As tags respond, they appear with their EPC and a tag label (e.g. Tag #1), and the assigned count updates — confirming which tag is in range. Tap a detected EPC to drill in, or return to Find EPC to home in on a specific one
BEST PRACTICES
• Sweep the reader slowly side to side — tag orientation changes the reading.
• Trust the trend, not any single number; watch whether dBm and % are climbing.
• Metal shelving and dense stock reflect signal — approach from an open aisle when you can.
RELATED ARTICLES
• Feature Overview: EPC Location
Last reviewed: June 2026 · Applies to: Yellow Dog Inventory 2026
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