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Month: November 2021

All You Need to Know About Barcoding

Posted on by Nitesh Agrawal

Getting Started with Barcoding

This blog will give you an overview about product barcodes, types of barcodes, benefits of barcodes, and how GS1 India can ensure that you get unique identification for your products.


Contents:

  • What are Barcodes?
  • Types of Barcodes
  • Unique Barcode Numbers – GTIN
  • Benefits of unique barcode numbers
  • Role of GS1 India in ensuring uniqueness in product codes barcode


Barcodes play a very crucial role in a country’s economy, especially in the context of supply chain management and retail. Most of the businesses require Barcodes as a tool to manage supply chains for better tracking of their products. You must have noticed that every time we buy something in the supermarket, the seller scans the barcode on the product to retrieve its information.


What are Barcodes?

Today most of the products you see in the market have barcodes. Barcodes are machine-readable symbols which are printed on product packaging. The barcodes are embedded with barcode numbers – numeric codes that give unique identification to the product.


Types of Barcodes

There are various types of barcodes used in the industry. Some popular barcode forms are EAN barcode (linear/1-dimensional barcode), QR code, and Datamatrix (2-dimensional barcodes).

EAN barcodes are mostly used on products for point-of-sale scanning, where the unique code embedded in barcodes is linked with product information like manufacturing and expiry date, manufacturing locations, product attributes, and ingredients, etc. QR codes are majorly used in applications related to entertainment, retail, advertisement, and transactions.

One-dimensional (1D) barcodes / linear barcodes

One-dimensional barcodes also known as Linear barcodes convert data with varying-width vertical lines and spaces, it reads horizontally, and accommodates up to 85 characters, but requires more characters for additional data.

Some of the common examples of 1D Barcodes are explained briefly below –

  • Code 39 – CODE 39 barcodes can encode up to 43 characters, including letters, numbers, and some symbols, making it essential for industrial applications like automotive and electronics.
  • Code 93 – CODE 93 is an updated and fully secured version of Code 39 barcodes which is able to read both letters and numbers. To encode special delivery information, these barcodes are used in fields like Military, and automotive sectors.
  • GS1–128 – GS1-128 Barcodes are the barcodes mainly used for the shipping process among retailers. These barcodes are the standard barcodes that provide a lot of data and also the meaning of data throughout the supply chain.
  • EAN (European Article Number) – EAN (European Article Number) is the barcode numbers generated by a standardized body known as GS1. The barcodes are used to identify the products in the supply chain and help you to sell on various e-commerce platforms. It is usually 8 or 13 digits long, and globally accepted.
  • UPC – UPC (Universal Product Code) are the barcode numbers that help identify a product, uniquely. They are most commonly used in Inventory Management, and they also help in minimizing errors in order fulfillment.

There are many more linear barcodes available such as Codabar, ITF, Industrial 2 of 5, Standard 2 of 5 (IATA), MSI Plessey, and Intelligent Mail Barcode, etc.

Two-dimensional (2D) barcodes/matrix codes

A two-dimensional (2D) barcode converts data using dots, squares, and shapes, storing information both vertically and horizontally. It’s ideal for web addresses, text, images, and coupons, and is also very capable of holding up to 7,089 characters.

  • PDF417: PDF417 is a 2D Barcode, used in a variety of applications such as transport, inventory management, and identification cards.
  • Data Matrix: A Data Matrix is a 2D code having black and white dots arranged in a square/rectangular pattern, known as a matrix. The information encoded in this matrix can be text or numeric data.
  • QR Code: QR code (Quick Response Code) is a two-dimensional Barcode that can be easily read with the help of a digital device. They are used to track the information of the products in a supply chain and also used in marketing & advertising campaigns.

There are many more 2D barcodes available such as PPN, Royal Mail Mailmark, Aztec Code, GiroCode, Swiss QR Code, etc.


Unique Barcode Numbers – GTIN

The barcodes on products are embedded with unique numbers called Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN). These identification numbers are issued by GS1 – a global standards organization that creates standards for barcoding.

Globally, 4 types of barcode numbers based on the number of digits are used (GTIN-8, GTIN-12, GTIN-13, GTIN-14). In India, the most commonly used barcode number is GTIN-13 (also known as European Article Number EAN-13).

By providing GTIN unique identification to the trade items, GTINs help avoid duplicity of the barcode, enabling product authentication.


number-structure


Benefits of unique barcode numbers

There are many benefits of having GTINs

  • Uniquely identify each product SKU
  • Key to Master Data Management
  • Globally accepted by e-commerce portals and leading retailers
  • Facilitate efficient and error-free ordering
  • Enables 40% better visibility of product pages through Google search
  • Comply with regulatory requirements set by regulatory bodies like FSSAI, FDA, EMA, AGMARK, etc.
  • Facilitates product authentication and counterfeit detection


Role of GS1 India in ensuring uniqueness in product codes

GS1 is a global standards organization. They provide barcoding solutions to companies. GS1 Global oversees the operations of 115 GS1 organisations across the globe.

GS1 global along with its various member organizations, including GS1 India, maintains the integrity of GS1 barcode numbers. Since the GTINs are the global identity of your products, GS1 organizations across the globe ensure that this remains unique. With over 2 million companies using GS1 barcodes, it has become a de facto standard for the retail industry worldwide.

In India, GS1 India is the only authorized body to issue GTIN and GS1 barcodes. It is an ISO 27001-certified company. It was set up under the Ministry of Trade and commerce, the government of India, as a non-profit organization.

The barcode numbers issued by GS1 India start with the number ‘890’, which is the country code for barcode numbers allocated by GS1 India.

You can avail of authenticated barcode numbers from GS1 India at different prices depending upon the number of barcodes required and the years of subscription associated with the barcode numbers. You can register with GS1 India, follow some predefined steps and GS1 India will help you design and create barcodes that suit your business needs.

Over the past two and a half decades, GS1 India has improved customer experience through the use of barcodes and related services like Traceability, Master Data Management (MDM), etc. Apart from issuing barcodes, GS1 India also provides standards-based services to optimize your supply chain operations. These include

To know more, contact GS1 India


Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the most common barcode types?

Common barcode types like UPC, QR codes, and Code 39, etc simplify inventory management, tracking, and product identification in retail and other industries.

2. What barcode types are 12-digit?

UPC-A Barcodes have 12 Digits, which include 11 digits encoding product data, country, and company code and one check digit for accuracy verification in the end. UPC barcodes can only be represented numerically, the code can only be the digits from 0-9.

3. What is the difference between EAN-8 and EAN-13?

The EAN 13 barcode is for consumer products at checkout, identified by a GTIN-13 or variable weight code. EAN-8, with GTIN-8, is for small items with limited space, like lipstick.

4. What does the barcode stand for?

A barcode is a machine-readable code consisting of numbers and parallel lines of varying widths, used to control products and especially used in stock management.

5. How is a barcode generated?

In India, barcodes are generated in partnership with GS1 India, an official standard body that plays a pivotal role in standardizing and managing barcodes, ensuring uniformity and efficiency in the business landscape.

6. Is QR code a barcode?

A QR code is an efficient and user-friendly barcode that stores information in a square-shaped grid of pixels, easily readable by digital devices.

7. What is the code 128 A?

Code 128 A, defined in ISO/IEC 15417:2007, is a high-density linear barcode used for alphanumeric or numeric-only data.

Risk in the Pharmaceutical Industry and How You Can Safeguard Your Firm With GS1 India

Posted on by Nitesh Agrawal

Traceability is an indispensable need of supply chain in the pharmaceutical industry. The challenges faced by pharmaceutical organizations during the recent COVID pandemic have exposed the importance of traceability even further. According to a report by LogiPharma and BSI, Supply chain visibility stands out as the major challenge faced by the pharmaceutical industry. This is followed by issues with Goods distribution practices, Data integrity, Supplier quality, and supplier compliance management. The same report suggests that in the next three years, cost pressure, supplier compliance management, and regulatory policy changes will be the major challenge for the pharmaceutical industry. All these challenges impose greater risk of product recall which can be solved by ensuring an effective traceability system in the supply chain. Pharmaceutical products are quality sensitive and hence need continuous monitoring as they move in the supply chain. Traceability also helps to ensures that all the quality and regulatory guidelines set by governing authorities like WHO, DQSA, and FDA are complaint. Traceability helps to prevent the entry of fraudulent enterprises that can counterfeit products of any legitimate drug manufacturer. Having an end-to-end traceability helps drug manufacturers to have better control on their supply chain. This article highlights the challenges faced by pharmaceutical industry due to lack of product traceability and how GS1 India is changing the face of pharma supply chains with its traceability solutions.

DataKartTrace is the track-and-trace solution of GS1 India, a non-profit organization set up by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, to authorize barcodes in India. According to GS1, Traceability is defined as a process that “enables you to see the movement of prescription drugs or medical devices across the supply chain. You can trace backwards to identify the history of the transfers and locations of a product, from the point of manufacture onwards. And you can track forwards to see the intended route of the product towards the point of care.”

Today, people are not just looking for transparency in terms of product quality, but they are also seeking answers to the questions like what is the place of manufacturing, when was it produced, how was the product tested, and what all ingredients does it contain. With transparency, it is easier to answer all these questions to the consumers and keep a record of how efficiently operations are happening in the supply chain.

Let us look at how GS1 India’s traceability service is helping the pharmaceutical industry safeguard its supply chain network.

Adherence to Compliance requirements:

GS1 India complies with GS1’s Global Traceability Standard for Healthcare (GTSH), a process standard that provides a foundational framework that describes the traceability process and defines the minimum requirements for all stakeholders, independent from technologies, organization size, or operational sophistication. GS1 India also adheres to EPICS, a GS1 standard, which enables trading partners to share information about the movements and whereabouts of products and assets through the supply chain. Besides, GS1 India ensures compliance with the quality and legal requirements of the local government, FDA, FSSAI, etc. GS1 India helps comply with the track and trace guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) that help avoid the entry of spurious drugs at any point in the supply chain while exporting the drugs in foreign markets. DGFT mandates pharma manufacturers to mark their export consignment with GS1 authorized barcodes. The barcodes help the authorities cross-check the drugs’ manufacturing details at any point in the supply chain. GS1’s DataKartTrace is driven by various EU regulations and international safety laws.

International acceptability:

GS1 India’s DataKartTrace helps organizations get international acceptability for their products. GS1 India follows global standards for identifying, capturing, and sharing supply chain information; hence it meets the compliance requirements of various countries. DataKartTrace helps increase security, visibility, and control in the supply chain. Thus, by adopting GS1 traceability services, enterprises don’t need to stress their resources for managing numerous international regulations and licenses. GS1 India eases their work. With product GTINs, GS1 India helps trace the product back to its manufacturing plants, production lines, and production batch. It empowers the business owner to keep an eye on their contract manufacturers and suppliers.

Product recall:

Product recall is the process of calling your products off the market in case of safety, legal or regulatory breach. Recall happens when an organization fails to comply with the guidelines and requirements set by the regulatory bodies such as FDA, FSSAI, or local government that can cause the consumer to suffer. Visibility, smooth and accurate flow of information across the supply chain, infrastructure availability, responsive information sharing, and logistics network are some of the necessities of an efficient product recall system. GS1 India’s traceability service helps the organization be recall-ready by ensuring a smooth flow of information, visibility, and responsiveness in the system. The pharmaceutical industry is more susceptible to product recall because stringent compliances are issued on them, owning to the question of public safety. GS1 India helps organizations prevent product recall by monitoring their product quality and legal licenses and safeguards them with traceability if product is recalled.  

Product visibility:

DataKartTrace helps enhance visibility in the supply chain. Visibility is essential for fight product counterfeiting and ensuring consumer safety. It also helps to make strategic decisions for improving the efficiency of logistics and supply chain operations. Product visibility helps pharmaceutical organizations plan their cold supply chain where the drugs, consumables, and other medical supplies are highly sensitive to temperature and other environmental conditions. GS1 India ensures that the information is available to all the stakeholders well in time and inconsistent manner. GS1 India promises an affordable solution for maintaining precision and accuracy in the product information.

DataKartTrace is easy to implement and ensures interoperability by sharing the information in standard format overcoming geographical, jurisdictional, and language limits. The solution is customizable and are flexible as per the needs of customers and the complexity of the supply chain. To know more about DataKartTrace, contact us.

10 Reasons to Choose DataKart for Your MDM Needs?

Posted on by Nitesh Agrawal

Master data management is basically the set of tools and solutions that helps businesses manage their data effectively and profitably. With a boon in digitization, data has become a backbone for business analytics that drives profitability. Effective MDM helps business owners get significant insights into the market and understand the trends. Managing data empowers business owners to identify, analyse and report the key drivers of their business and adopt new business strategies accordingly. It is a tool that helps access business risk and improves business resiliency for unseen events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. MDM is an intelligent business investment that gives an overall business perspective by helping with data analysis, management, information sharing, and governance.

Most of the supply chains today are omnichannel, consisting of multiple retailers and distributors. The big data generated through various nodes can be challenging to handle because of the complexities involved. The product data shared in those omnichannel supply chains is available and shared in different formats across the network. Business owners must ensure that the time-sensitive information such as price, availability, product shelf life, etc., available to other nodes of the supply chain is always up to date. They need to ensure that their system is compatible to handle the volume, variety, and velocity of the data. Organizations lacking in any of these factors may face data management challenges such as inaccurate product information, duplicity, data threats, and lack of trust in the supply chain. Hence, MDM has become a need for a sustainable business.

Let us look at what attributes one should look at while choosing MDM services for managing product data and how GS1 India comply with those attributes.

Cloud-based storage:

GS1 India’s DataKart is a national product information repository that helps in collecting and storing data in a central cloud-based repository systematically and consistently. DataKart also ensures transparency in the system while sharing the data with stakeholders. DataKart helps brings all the nodes of supply chain together by providing a single cloud-based data storage platform. The information thus stored and shared via DataKart is always up-to-date, accurate and reliable.

Effortless data sharing:

With DataKart, you can share product data effortlessly and avoid the need of repetitive manual sharing. GS1 India’s MDM solution ensures the data is shared one-to-one with retailers and at the right time. This eliminates the need of manual sharing of data through emails with multiple nodes of the supply chain, which can be error-prone. Hence, the data shared is always updated and accurate with no human error. DataKart allows information sharing in the desired formats such as pdf, jpg, excel, etc. for the ease of business. Thus, Brand owners do not have to worry about the quality of images/ videos and copyright issues.

Quality of Information:

Any missing information can cause the business owner a considerable loss, but DataKart ensures that product information shared is complete with all the attributes. Product GTINs are verified for accuracy through the GS1 service called GTIN Validation, which strengthen trust in product information for brand owners, data recipients, and ultimately consumers. GS1 India’s MDM also helps in errorless PO generation.

Security:

With GS1 India, you don’t have to worry about the safety of your data. GS1 ensures product data safety through its SSL-secure server. The product information is available only on need basis hence, only authorized person can access the information as per his/her needs. With its secured system, GS1 India ensures fail-safe operation, robust protection against disaster, long-term reliability, expandability, and scalability. GS1 India is an ISO 27001 certified organization.

Instant Notifications:

DatakKart not only help in maintaining product list and their attributes up to time but also send a timely update of the changes. It gives instant notifications on whether the product is active or not, any price change, and informs about promotional product listing.

Enhanced Transparency:

By providing a single data storage and sharing platform, GS1 India’s MDM helps improving transparency in the system. Its smart consumer mobile app helps to connect with consumers directly and get their feedback and reviews in real-time. With GS1’s MDM solution, brand owners can get closer to their customers to improve their products.

Cost-saving:

GS1 India’s DataKart helps save costs by improving the efficiency of supply chain and logistics operations. DataKart provides a single view of the product that enables business owners to build an efficient supply chain. It helps to recollect product information in standardized manner. This gives access to volumetric data and helps brand owners strategize plans and make decisions accurately. GS1’s MDM also helps to improve productivity by reducing order mismatch issues that may lead to significant loss to the business owners.

Increased Revenue:

GS1 India’s DataKart fosters automation which reduces the need for manhandling of the data. Automation enables faster PO generation, improved fill rate, lesser stock out scenarios, and greater on-shelf availability. Thus, it enhances the quality of service. GS1’s single storage source meets both online and offline channel requirements and reduces time-to-market.

Barcode management:

GS1 India is the only organization set up by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, to authorize barcodes. GS1 India not only helps in getting barcode for your products but also manages the information linked to its GTINs as the barcode gets scanned at various nodes in the supply chain. DataKart allows to store this information and use it whenever and wherever required.

GS1 is a non-profit organization set up by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India. With over 13000 companies and 5.5 million products across 40 categories, GS1 India has gained trust from various organizations for its Master Data Management services. GS1 India’s Master data management service helps in seamless handling and sharing of data among all the stakeholders of the value chain. GS1 India is highly trusted for Master data management. With GS1 India’s MDM services, Brand owners have realized up to 15% time saving, overcame reconciliation issues, improved fill rates, and accelerated automation in their process. To know more, visit GS1 India.

Benefits of GS1 India’s DataKart Trace: A Case Study of Indian Army Supply Chain

Posted on by Nitesh Agrawal

Indian Army faces many challenges in managing its operations that ranges from ammunition management to food supply chain management, it continuously strives to beat those challenges by bringing in innovative solutions. In the recent times, one of the challenges Indian Army faced was the lack of traceability in the movements of arms and ammunition during peace and wars. It faced a similar challenge in tracking its frozen and dry ration items from its manufacturing units to Army unit canteens situated at diverse locations in the country. To counter these traceability issues, Indian Army consulted GS1 India, a non-profit organization established under Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Government of India.

k availability, ensuring safe operations, and seamless ammunition movements in times of peace and war. GS1 India, through its traceability services, Datak

The volume of ammunition inventory the Indian Army handles is enormous. These inventory items are stored in lots in hundreds of storehouses of explosives. Keeping lakhs of ammunition in stacks not only makes them susceptible to accidents but also makes their tracing difficult. Real-time location visibility to this ammunition inventory is critical for effectively monitoring stocartTrace, helps the Indian Army keep track of its ammunition inventory which otherwise is very difficult to identify and locate at the (Central Ammunition Depot) CAD.

GS1 India undertook a comprehensive study of CAD’s logistics and warehouse management processes and systems. To ensure end-to-end traceability of ammunition movement, GS1 India suggested using automated data capture technologies like RFID with GS1 global standards for facilitating real-time asset tracking and stock management. Traceability enables identifying, tracking, and tracing the ammunition items throughout the supply chain as they move from different locations to the central Ammunition depot.  Indian Army accepted the suggestions given by GS1 India and adopted the use of RFID tags on all ammunition prior to their dispatch to CAD. DataKartTrace, in alignment with GS1 traceability standards, also helps to reconcile physical stocks with the system inventory.

DataKartTrace also helps the Indian Army manage its food supply chain in compliance with FSSAI’s guidelines on product recall and traceability. DataKartTrace helps maintain the quality of the food supplies, which was one of the challenges faced by the Indian Army. By enabling tracking and tracing at the unit and batch levels, DataKartTrace enables product freshness by allowing easy FIFO implementation. DataKartTrace also helps the Indian Army reduce manual intervention and human errors with handling product data. GS1 India follows Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPICS) standards for creating and sharing visibility event data. This gives better visibility on shelf life by providing real-time and accurate product data making Indian Army recall ready in the event of contamination in food at any point in the supply chain.

GS1 India is an ISO 27001 certified organization. With DataKartTrace, GS1 India has gained high value and trust among many private and government organizations. Indian Army is using DataKartTrace extensively to ensure food and ammunition traceability. The successful results of the consulting of the Indian Army by GS1 India indicate how efficient DataKartTrace is in bringing traceability in the supply chain.  To know more, Visit GS1 India.   

What Makes GS1 India A New Age Consultant

Posted on by Nitesh Agrawal

In Consulting industry, many firms have found their niche in providing vertical-specific solutions. Client organizations wish to have the solutions to their distinct problems curated by industry experts. As a result, there is a rapid growth of vertical-specific consultants, be it in product management, supply chain management, product recall, traceability, etc. Talking specifically of supply chain and traceability solutions, the COVID-19 pandemic has boomed the consulting market with clients from FMCG, pharmaceutical, retail, and defence sectors seeking expertise to deal with real-time problems. Consulting firms dealing with supply chain related verticals need to show expertise in data management, data analytics, data warehousing, and automation to show operability with different organizations and meet the demand of the current technology-inspired business environment. GS1 India is a non-profit organization that defines new boundaries in supply chain and traceability consulting by positioning itself as a tech-savvy consultant with bespoke solutions.

GS1 India is a global supply chain standards organization affiliated with GS1 Global and set up the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India It brings in the knowledge and experience of 115 GS1 organizations around the globe to understand business processes related to data capture and provide recommendations based on standards-based technology to ensure interoperability and achieve efficiency.  As part of its Consulting/Advisory portfolio, GS1 India undertakes a comprehensive study of supply chain processes across Industry sectors covering omnichannel retail, healthcare, transport & logistics, Defence, etc., identifies related areas of inefficiency, and suggest solutions on how these could be addressed through the adoption of global standards. GS1 offers services in warehouse management , EDI implementation, track and trace (through its traceability service – DatakartTrace), product recall, authentication through serialization of products and documents, RFID implementation using global standards, product catalogue, etc. GS1 India excels in data management, offers a pool of expertise, and ensures standard-compliant processes for analyzing problems and providing customized solutions. They help to unlock the opportunities in sales growth, reducing cost, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

GS1 India has already helped several organizations getting solutions to their supply chain problems. Indian Army uses global standards-based DataKart Trace to ensure the quality of food supplies and effectively track frozen and dry ration items from manufacturing up to Army Unit Canteens, based on FSSAI recall and traceability guidelines.  With GS1 traceability standards, the Indian Army is also gaining real-time location visibility of their ammunition inventory which is critical to ensure stock availability and ammunition movements in times of peace and war. GS1 India has carried out a study of processes for the Indian Navy and submitted a technical feasibility report for keeping track of ammunition in Naval Armament Depots (NAD) and while they are being issued to the ships.

In the consumer sector, GS1 India has helped TATA Consumer products increase traceability in their supply chain based on GS1 standards to ensure freshness of tea products, efficiency, and targeted recalls in line with FSSAI standards. On the other hand, Tata Steel is using DataKart Trace for end-to-end order tracking of its furniture products under the brand name Tata Pravesh.

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