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GS1 Identifier and Application Identifier Reference (GTIN, SSCC, GLN)

When an item master has a GTIN field that is 12 characters wide, or a lot field shorter than the 20 characters a GS1-128 label can carry, scans fail and interfaces truncate. This reference lists the main GS1 keys and the most-used application identifiers so you can size and validate ERP fields correctly.

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Identifier or AI	AI	Format	Typical use	ERP master data note
GTIN-8	01 (as 14 digits)	8 digits	Small items with limited packaging space	Store left-padded in a 14 character field
GTIN-12 (UPC-A)	01 (as 14 digits)	12 digits	Retail trade items, North America	Store left-padded in a 14 character field
GTIN-13 (EAN-13)	01 (as 14 digits)	13 digits	Retail trade items, global	Store left-padded in a 14 character field
GTIN-14	01	14 digits	Cases, cartons and other trade item groupings	Leading indicator digit shows packaging level
SSCC	00	18 digits	Logistic unit such as a pallet or shipment	Unique per logistic unit, never reused for a pallet build
GLN	414	13 digits	Physical location, legal entity or function	Maps to ship-to, ship-from and plant records
GLN of party	410 / 411	13 digits	Ship to or deliver to (410), invoice to (411)	Store on customer and vendor address records
GIAI	8004	Up to 30 alphanumeric	Individual returnable or fixed asset	Maps to equipment or asset number
GRAI	8003	14 digits plus up to 16 alphanumeric	Returnable asset such as a pallet or container	Used for pooled returnable packaging
GSRN	8017 / 8018	18 digits	Service relation, provider (8017) or recipient (8018)	Rare in manufacturing, common in healthcare
GDTI	253	13 digits plus optional serial	Document type identifier	Document tracking and certificates
Batch or lot number	10	Up to 20 alphanumeric	Lot traceability on labels	Match lot field length to 20 characters
Serial number	21	Up to 20 alphanumeric	Unit-level serialisation	Match serial field length to 20 characters
Production date	11	6 digits YYMMDD	Date of manufacture	Convert to ERP date type on scan
Best before date	15	6 digits YYMMDD	Quality date for food and consumables	Convert to ERP date type on scan
Expiration date	17	6 digits YYMMDD	Shelf life limit	Drives shelf-life and expiry controls
Count of items	30	Up to 8 digits	Variable count of units in a trade item	Use with variable-quantity items
Content count (units per container)	37	Up to 8 digits	Count of trade items contained in a logistic unit	Maps to quantity on the pallet label
Customer purchase order number	400	Up to 30 alphanumeric	Buyer PO reference on the label	Match PO number length in the ERP
Ship to postal code	420	Up to 20 alphanumeric	Single-country postal code of destination	Used in carrier sortation

Reference summary of GS1 General Specifications structure, not a copy of the standard. GS1 maintains the authoritative list and updates it, so confirm each AI and its length in the current GS1 General Specifications before building label or interface logic. A GTIN is only valid with a correct check digit, which is calculated with a modulo 10 algorithm.

Check your item master against GS1 rules

Optional: we can profile GTIN, lot and serial fields in your ERP and list the records that would fail a scan.

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How to use the reference

Search by identifier name, AI number or use. Read the Format column to size the ERP field, and the ERP note column to see how to store it. Export the table to Excel and compare it against the actual field lengths in your item, location and asset masters. A mismatch between the label content and the ERP field length is the most common cause of failed scans and rejected advance ship notices. Use the table in a design workshop with the warehouse and customer compliance teams to agree which AIs your labels must carry.

How GS1 keys and AIs work

GS1 identification keys are numbers that uniquely identify things: the GTIN identifies a trade item, the SSCC a logistic unit, the GLN a location or party, the GIAI and GRAI assets. An application identifier, or AI, is a short numeric prefix in a barcode that tells the scanner what the following data means, for example 01 for GTIN, 10 for lot, 17 for expiry. Barcodes such as GS1-128 and GS1 DataMatrix concatenate several AI and value pairs in one symbol.

GTIN-8, 12 and 13 are all stored as 14 digits with leading zeros
The last digit of every numeric key is a check digit
Variable length AIs end with a separator character in the barcode
Dates in AIs use YYMMDD, not an ERP date format

Master data implications

Store the GTIN in a 14 character field, left-padded with zeros, so the same field holds all four lengths. Validate the check digit on entry. Keep lot and serial fields at least 20 characters wide. Link each GLN to the corresponding ship-to or plant record so ASN and invoice messages carry the right party. Keep the SSCC counter in one place, not per warehouse, to avoid duplicates. Treat the GTIN as unique per packaging level: an each, an inner pack and a case have different GTINs and different item records or unit of measure conversions.

Common mistakes

Storing the GTIN as a number drops leading zeros and breaks matching, so always use text. Reusing a GTIN for a materially changed product creates traceability conflicts. Using one SSCC for several pallets defeats the purpose of the key. Assuming every customer needs the same AIs is another pitfall: retailers and defense primes publish their own label specs, so check the customer's supplier guide. Never invent your own two-digit prefixes in a GS1-128 label.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a GTIN and an SSCC?

A GTIN identifies a type of trade item, the same for every unit of that product. An SSCC identifies one specific logistic unit, such as a single pallet, and is unique per unit. The GTIN says what it is, the SSCC says which one.

Should I store a GTIN as a number?

No. Store it as text in a 14 character field with leading zeros. Numeric storage drops leading zeros and causes mismatches between GTIN-12, GTIN-13 and GTIN-14 versions of the same code.

How long can a lot number be on a GS1 label?

AI 10 allows up to 20 alphanumeric characters. If your ERP lot field is shorter, labels can carry values that the system cannot store. Size the ERP field to at least 20 characters.

Do I need GS1 numbers for internal items?

Not necessarily. GTINs are for trade items that cross company boundaries or retail scanning. Purely internal parts can keep internal part numbers, though many companies adopt GS1 keys for assets and logistic units to support customers.

If your item or location masters need GS1 fields validated and cleaned across a large catalogue, our team can profile your data and report the exceptions.

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