Methods and systems for automatically programming an RFID tag using machine readable indicia. A dual mode device performs a bar code scan of a bar coded label. Information obtained from the bar code scan is stored. This information may be used to query a database indexed by the bar code information that contains detailed product information. The bar code information as well as the detailed information may be transmitted in an RF signal by the dual mode device to an RFID tag to be stored in a memory structure in the tag. The dual mode device may perform a read operation on the tag after the write operation to confirm that the data was successfully stored and provide an indication thereof. The indication may be a visual indication, a textual indication, an audible indication or combinations of these.