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A Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is a number used to uniquely identify any item upon which there is a need to retrieve pre-defined information that may be priced or ordered or invoiced at any point in any supply chain.
A separate unique GTIN is required whenever any of the pre-defined characteristics of an item are different in any way that is relevant to the trading process. The guiding principle is if the customer is expected to distinguish a new trade item from an old trade item and purchase accordingly, a new GTIN should be assigned.
GTINs can be either 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits in length. The structure of a GTIN-13 and a GTIN-14 is shown below:
GTIN 13
| T2 |
T3 |
T4 |
T5 |
T6 |
T7 |
T8 |
|
T9 |
T10 |
T11 |
T12 |
T13 |
|
T14 |
| 9 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
2 |
| GS1 Company Prefix |
Item reference |
Check Digit |
GTIN 14
| T1 |
|
T2 |
T3 |
T4 |
T5 |
T6 |
T7 |
T8 |
|
T9 |
T10 |
T11 |
T12 |
T13 |
|
T14 |
| 1 |
|
9 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
9 |
| Indicator Digit |
GS1 Company Prefix |
Item reference |
Check Digit |
The numbering structure is as follows:
- T1 - Indicator Digit - a number between 1 and 8 that has no meaning but is used to create extra numbering capacity allowing eight different GTIN-14s to be created from the one GTIN-13. Note that Indicator 9 is reserved for variable measure trade items.
- T2-T6 or T2-T7 or T2-T8 - GS1 Company Prefix - a number allocated by GS1 Member Organisations to a company
- T9-T13 - Item Reference. This part of the numbering structure is allocated by the brand owner. Each different type of trade item is allocated a different Item Reference and, for ease of administration, it is recommended that companies do this sequentially (001, 002, 003, etc.).
- T14 - Check Digit, which follows a standard GS1 algorithm.
GTINs in the NPC
When GTINs are listed in the NPC (or exchanged in eMessaging transactions) they are right justified, often with filler zeroes used to create a full 14 digit length. In addition, when GTINs are encoded in certain bar codes (e.g. a GS1-128 Bar Code) filler zeros must be added so that 14 digits are encoded.
For example:
-
Use one filler zero for GTIN-13 e.g. 09312345678914
-
Use two filler zeros for GTIN-12 e.g. 00018765439218
-
Use 6 filler zeros for GTIN-8 e.g. 00000093456838
Irrespective of the length of the GTIN in the bar code a GTIN in the National Product Catalogue (NPC) must always be right justified in a 14 digit numerical field.
For example, a Base Unit an Inner Pack and a Case may be represented as:
- Base Unit: GTIN 9312345678914 – e.g. 500ml vial would be represented in NPC as 09312345678914
- Inner Pack: GTIN 19312345678911 – e.g. 500ml vial x 6 would be represented in NPC as 19312345678911
- Case: GTIN 29312345678918 – e.g. 500ml vial x 6 x 4 would be represented in NPC as 29312345678918
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