GS1 is a global organisation that unites industry leaders, government and regulators to develop standards-based solutions for improving how data is exchanged in the supply chain. 116 member organisations (including GS1 India), spread across around 150 countries, are affiliated with GS1 Global, and together they relentlessly strive to create a common language of business globally. GS1 standards are centred on three pillars - Identity, Capture and Share. They create a foundation for businesses to uniquely identify, accurately capture and share authentic information throughout the supply chain with different stakeholders. This blog will be a guide to understanding the first pillar - IDENTIFY. You will uncover the GS1 standards for identification and how they are used across industries, the importance of each ID key and the process to get them.
The word ‘IDENTIFY’ refers to recognising something. People recognise you by your name, appearance or Aadhaar number; however, an object is recognised by its GS1 ID key. Just as your Aadhaar number is unique to you, a GS1 ID key is unique to each Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) or an individual unit. This concept of standardised unique identification, whether of people, places, or products, stems from disorganised identification methods used across borders. Being the world’s largest, globally accepted, and used supply chain standards system, the GS1 ID keys facilitate an interoperable market. These keys bring value in terms of secure, accurate, and real-time information flow, consistently throughout processes until their final consumption. The system of ID keys is introduced by GS1 Global and is followed by all member organisations, making them standardised for global trade.
There are 12 GS1 identification keys, each serving its purpose and uniquely composed. Please find below the list of all identification keys and their usage in the supply chain.
GTIN - Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is the identification key used on trade items. A company applies GTIN on every retail article for its unique identification in the market. GTIN is composed of a company’s GCP (Global Company Prefix) - a combination of country code, company code, Product Code and a Check Digit. It can either be of 13-digits, 12-digits or 8-digits and can be encoded in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode depending on the company’s requirements and preferences.
GLN - Global Location Number or GLN is a 13-digit unique identification number to identify locations. It is used to uniquely identify any or all of the following locations -
- Party/Legal Entity - The term ‘Party’ is derived from the entity or a beneficiary in a business-related transaction, and who is involved in a legal matter. It can be any business, government body, charity unit, NPO (Not-for-Profit Organisation), etc. that can enter into a legal contract or has legal rights.
- Physical Location - A tangible, geographical location that has a valid address and proof of existence. For example, grocery stores, shopping malls, factories, etc.
- Function - A particular department within an organisation, such as the sales department, human resource department, marketing department, etc., with a specific and designated physical location.
- Digital Location - Locations that are located electronically and have digital addresses for communications.
SSCC - Serial Shipping Container Code or SSCC is an 18-digit unique identification number applied to shipping containers to uniquely identify them in transit. They are applied to logistic units that can be a combination of items packaged together, either for transport or storage purposes, such as pallets or cases.
GRAI - Global Returnable Asset Identifier or GRAI is a unique identification number of 13 digits expandable to 29 digits. It starts with an indicator digit and has an alphanumeric serial number (optional) following the check digit. It is applied to returnable assets or reusable transport items, tools and equipment. Through serial numbers, returnable assets can be individually tracked and monitored throughout the supply chain.
GIAI - Unlike GRAI, Global Individual Asset Identifier or GIAI is applied to fixed assets such as computer systems, desks, vehicles, etc. It is composed of 30 or fewer digits and has an individual asset reference alphanumeric number.
GSRN - Global Service Relation Number or GSRN is an 18-digit unique identification number assigned by service companies to identify their relationships with service providers within the organisation.
GDTI - Global Document Type Identifier or GDTI is a 13-digit unique identification number for documents. It can also contain a serial component of documents encoded alphanumerically after the check digit for individual unique identification or to identify the class or type of each document.
GINC - Global Identification Number for Consignments, or GINC, is used to identify a consignment/shipment carrying one or more logistic units, intended to be delivered together to a consignee. The GINC is used by freight forwarders and transport providers to keep track of consignments throughout their journey.
GCN - Global Coupon Number or GCN is used to uniquely identify coupons, print or paper. It is a 13-digit identification number that encodes coupon reference numbers and can also encode serial component numbers. GCN is used by companies to identify coupons, such as a ticket or document for a financial discount or loyalty points.
CPID - Component/Part Identifier or CPID is used to identify components or parts of a final product. It encodes the GCP of the company along with the component or part reference number.
GMN - Global Model Number or GMN is used to uniquely identify a product model or a family of products. For example, products that are sold with different colours, variations, or supporting languages having the same technical specifications can encode GMN for their unique identification.
GSIN - Global Shipment Identification Number or GSIN is used to identify shipments carrying one or more logistic units. GSIN is a 17-digit unique identification number that meets UCR or unique consignment reference requirements set by the World Customs Organisation. All the logistic units in a shipment are identified with a separate SSCC.
GS1 identification keys are unique numbers that are assigned to products, locations, consignments, components, documents, etc. for their unique identification globally.
GS1 ID keys are imperative for efficient, transparent and streamlined supply chain operations. Their application ensures each item is unique.
You can generate an identification key by getting registered with GS1 India for barcodes in the case of GTINs. If you want to uniquely identify a location, you can get registered with us for GLN directly.
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