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Standards

GS1-128 Barcode

GS1-128 is a barcode standard used on shipping labels to carry structured data like the SSCC, GTIN, quantity, and lot number. Application Identifiers tell the scanner what each field means. It is the barcode that pairs with the EDI 856 advance ship notice for scan-based receiving at retail.

How GS1-128 encodes data

GS1-128 uses Application Identifiers, or AIs, to label each field. AI (00) is the SSCC, (01) is the GTIN, (37) is the count of units, and (10) is the batch or lot number. One label can carry several AIs, so the receiver scans once and captures the whole packing record.

GS1-128 on the shipping label

The retail compliance label combines human-readable text with the GS1-128 barcode. The data it encodes must match the advance ship notice exactly, or scan-based receiving fails. GS1-128 was formerly called UCC-128 or EAN-128, names you still see in older trading-partner specs.

Related Terms

SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code)
An SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit GS1 number that uniquely identifies a logistics unit such as a pallet or carton. It is encoded in the GS1-128 shipping label and referenced in the EDI 856 advance ship notice, so a receiver can scan one label and know every item inside.
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the globally unique number that identifies a product so any trading partner can scan and reference it the same way. It is the number encoded in a UPC or EAN barcode. Common formats are GTIN-12 (UPC), GTIN-13 (EAN), and GTIN-14 for case quantities.
Advance Ship Notice (ASN)
An Advance Ship Notice (ASN) is an electronic notification a supplier sends before a shipment arrives, detailing its contents, packing structure, and carrier. In EDI it is the 856 transaction. It tells the buyer exactly what is coming, how it is packed, and when, so receiving can be scanned and verified at the dock.

Learn More

EDI 856 Ship Notice GuideTarget EDI ComplianceEDI Document Types Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

GS1-128 is Code 128 with the GS1 Application Identifier structure and a special function character. The AIs make the data self-describing, which plain Code 128 does not provide.

GS1-128 is used on shipping and compliance labels to encode logistics data such as the SSCC, GTIN, quantity, and lot, so a receiver can scan a pallet or carton and capture its full packing record.

Sources: GS1 US standards

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