Answer
The distinction that matters most is whether transactions post in real time or wait for a batch job to run. Real-time integration updates on-hand inventory and order status the moment a scan happens, which is what actually prevents a picker from being sent to an empty bin or a receiving clerk from creating a duplicate putaway. Batch integration, common in older barcode add-ons, can leave the ERP showing yesterday's numbers for hours at a time, which quietly erodes trust in the system even when the scanning hardware works fine.
Buyers should ask exactly how often batch jobs run if the integration is not real time, what triggers them, and what happens if a job fails silently overnight. It also helps to ask for a reference customer running a similar transaction volume, since a batch cadence that works fine for a 20-employee warehouse can fall apart at higher throughput. Confirming this detail before purchase avoids the common trap of buying scanning hardware and mobile software that looks modern in a demo but still runs on a decades-old update cycle underneath.