Fixed commercial and industrial scanning system

A package sorting and/or tracking system or workstation including a high performance data reader or barcode scanner, a real time system control computer, user interface devices, a superstructure to which all hardware is attached providing hands-free scanning operation at each work station, and a real-time communication link with the host computer system for transferring information scanned from the parcels or configuring the scanning system with up-to-the minute routing information. A scale system weighs each parcel to assure compliance to specifications. An optional feedback system to error-proof the sorting operation whereby the scanning system is configured with a sensing device on each of the bins to which a parcel may be sorted. Based on the tracking information read from the barcode label and the routing information provided by the host computer system, the scanning system instructs the operator to place the parcel in a particular bin. The sensing device on the bin determines if the parcel was placed into the correct bin. If a parcel is placed in the wrong bin, the operator is instructed to remove the parcel and re-sort it.