What is GS1?

A common language for trade

GS1 is a standards organisation whose system helps businesses identify, capture and share information. A company can have its own SKU conventions while also using standard identifiers to exchange information with its trading partners.

Different identifiers serve different objects

GTIN is associated with trade items. Other parts of the GS1 system address locations, logistics units and other objects. A barcode is a way to carry information; it is not the same thing as the identifier being carried.

• GTIN: trade items.
• GLN: parties and locations.
• SSCC: logistics units.

Allocation and calculation are different

A calculator can test a check digit. It cannot establish the right to allocate a number or confirm its registered owner. Use your allocation records and the relevant GS1 organisation when establishing production identifiers.

A GS1 Prefix does not identify manufacturing origin

The GS1 Prefix associated with an allocation must not be read as the product’s country of manufacture. A company may manufacture in different countries. Country-of-origin information needs its own evidence. Also distinguish the GS1 Prefix from the longer GS1 Company Prefix used by an organisation to allocate identifiers.

Reference: GS1 · Does the GS1 Prefix show the country of origin?

Keep the internal SKU and the standard key connected

In your product master, store the SKU, GTIN, packaging level and allocation record in separate fields. A single text field labelled “barcode” is ambiguous when a system must also handle a serial, a batch or an RFID value. Define which system owns the mapping and how a changed product specification is reviewed before reusing an existing identifier.