GS1 Standards Unlock Industry Collaboration
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GS1 Standards At-a-Glance: Identify, Capture, Share
These are the numbers behind the barcodes. Used in both the physical and digital worlds, GS1® identification numbers uniquely distinguish products, logistics units, locations, assets, documents, and relationships across the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the consumer, through tracing.
| Identify | With |
|---|---|
| Companies |  GS1 Company Prefix |
| Products | GTIN® (Global Trade Item Number®) |
| Locations | GLN (Global Location Number) |
| Logistics Units | SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) |
| Documents | GDTI (Global Document Type Identifier) |
| Service Relationships | GSRN (Global Service Relation Number) |
| Assets | GIAI (Global Individual Asset Identifier) GRAI (Global Returnable Asset Identifier) |
| Shipments | GSIN (Global Shipment Identification Number) GINC (Global Identification Number for Consignment) |
Capture
GS1 barcodes can hold data about a product or item. Different barcodes serve different purposes depending on where they will be scanned and the type of data they need to hold.
| Capture | With |
|---|---|
| Product Data for Point of Sale | UPC (Universal Product Code) EAN® (European Article Number) |
| Product Data for Point of Care/Use | GS1 DataBar® |
| Coupons | GS1 DataBar |
| Cartons, Cases, Pallets | ITF-14 GS1-128 |
| Detailed Product Data and Consumer Engagement | QR Code GS1 DataMatrix |
| Product Data Using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) | RAIN RFID Powered By GS1 Standards |
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Share
GS1 has standards for sharing product and location information electronically, eliminating the need for manual re-keying and improving accuracy and efficiency in business communications.
| Share | With |
|---|---|
| Master Product Data | GDSN® (Global Data Synchronization Network™) |
| Business Documents, Messages | EDI (Electronic Data Exchange) XML |
| Product Event Data | EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Services) |
Source: All references to ASN or EDI 856 refer to X12’s Supply Chain Transaction Standards. For more information refer to x12.org/products/transaction-sets
Get Help Getting Started
Learn more about how you can implement GS1 Standards within your business. With GS1 Standards as the foundation, businesses:
Gain efficiencies
Expand capabilities and services
Create better ways of doing business
Adapt to new business challenges
Stay competitive
We’re happy to offer a forum for topics, industry challenges, and business opportunities that can be addressed through the adoption and use of GS1 Standards. Get in touch with our team to learn more about membership resources, including community partnerships, workgroups, and others.