The GS1 System is a set of international standards that facilitate the efficient management of global supply chains across multiple industries through the unique identification of products, transport shipments, assets, locations, and services.
The system is managed globally by GS1, with headquarters in Brussels (Belgium) and Princeton (USA).
It is estimated that over 5 billion transactions are conducted daily based on the GS1 system. Currently, it is used by over 900,000 enterprises—system participants from 128 countries around the world.
The GS1 system is based on the following pillars:
- Global standards for automatic identification
- Global standards for business message exchange
- Global data synchronization environment
- Global identification standards based on RFID
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Barcodes
Global standards for automatic identification
Data standards
There are two main types of data standards in the GS1 system:
- Global identifiers, which uniquely identify trade items, logistics units, assets, locations, and service relations.
- Attributes, which are pieces of information used to describe the unit identified by a global identifier, e.g., production batch number, expiration date, weight, etc.
Global identifiers act as a key to databases where all information describing a product or service and its characteristics is stored. The standard numbering structures covered by the system guarantee uniqueness worldwide within a given field of application.
Global identifiers and attributes are presented in the form of barcodes, enabling automatic data collection at every point, e.g., when a unit leaves or enters a company’s premises. The same numbers are also used in EDI messages, allowing information about the units involved in a given transaction to be transmitted to the appropriate partners.
Global Identifiers
- Trade items – Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)
- Logistics units – Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC)
- Locations – Global Location Number (GLN)
- Assets
- Service relations
Attributes
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EDI Electronic Data Interchange
Global standards for electronic business message exchange
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the electronic exchange of standard-formatted data in the form of agreed-upon messages between the IT systems of trading partners with minimal human intervention.
EDI data transfer standards – EDI & UN/EDIFACT
EANCOM
GS1 electronic message XML schemas
XML – an alternative for the electronic economy
ebXML PROJECT
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EPC – Electronic Product Code
Global standards for RFID-based identification
GDSN – Global Data Synchronization
Environment for global data synchronization – electronic catalogs
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