CAMBRIDGE, UK
For the past decade, software companies have worked to make business software easier to build. First, businesses no longer needed to write code. Now, Cambridge software company Orca Scan is taking the next step: letting users create barcode and asset tracking systems simply by describing what they want to track.
Using the Orca Scan MCP Server, instead of creating databases, adding fields and configuring workflows by hand, users can describe their requirements in plain English to AI assistants such as Claude or ChatGPT. Orca Scan then automatically creates the first version of the system, ready to be refined using the platform’s existing no-code tools. A facilities manager could ask: “Track all fire extinguishers across five buildings. Record their location, inspection date and the responsible site manager. Alert me when inspections are overdue and generate barcode labels for each asset.” Within seconds, Orca Scan creates the database, fields, barcode labels and workflows needed to start tracking.
The launch reflects a broader shift in enterprise software. Rather than learning menus, forms and configuration screens before getting started, businesses can increasingly describe the outcome they want and let AI assemble the software for them. Unlike general-purpose AI tools that generate blank databases or spreadsheets, Orca Scan creates systems built specifically for operational tracking, including barcode scanning, asset registers, inventory records, inspection workflows and mobile data capture. The company’s no-code builder remains at the heart of the platform, giving teams complete control to customise and extend every system after it’s created. The difference is that users no longer have to start with a blank canvas.
John Doherty, Founder and CEO of Orca Scan, said: “When we launched Orca Scan, our goal was to remove the need to write code. Today we’re removing the biggest hurdle that remains: knowing how to build the system in the first place.”
“People don’t wake up wanting to configure database fields or workflows. They want to know where their equipment is, which medical devices are due for inspection, or what stock needs replenishing. AI lets people start with the outcome they want, and Orca Scan takes care of the setup.”
The announcement coincides with Orca Scan’s move to new headquarters on King’s Parade in Cambridge, between King’s College, where Alan Turing studied mathematics, and The Eagle, the pub where Francis Crick and James Watson famously announced the discovery of DNA’s structure.
Founded in Cambridge, Orca Scan has grown into a global barcode platform used by more than 50,000 organisations across 165 countries, helping businesses replace paper, spreadsheets and bespoke software with configurable barcode systems that work across mobile, desktop and web.
As AI assistants become a standard part of the workplace, Orca Scan believes the next generation of business software won’t begin with setup screens and configuration menus, but with a conversation.