Skip to main content

GS1 System

GS1 Global Standards ensure compatibility and interoperability of supply chain solutions, not only within your organization, but also in your country and across borders. Within them, how unique is the identification of a product or location? How can purchase orders, dispatch advices and invoices be seamlessly exchanged? How can accurate product information be more effectively shared? Where do traceability systems get reliable physical event data?

Over 100 GS1 Member Organizations worldwide are ready to support you in the implementation of GS1 Global Standards, today.


GS1 Standards

No matter what you do, it is important, especially in production and trade, to have accurate and reliable information on items and assets you deal with.  To avoid confusion by accidentally mixing articles, their description had to be precise ad often too long.

To overcome this problem, each item as usually assigned a numerical mark in line with certain principles by GS1 system.

What do we need to know about the GS1 System

SCAN continues a series on the basics of the GS1 System and its use in your business.

The system is based on the allocation and widespread use of globally unique identification numbers.  These numbers can be attached physically to products, traded units and son, and incorporated in the business documentation (paper-based or electronic) that precedes or accompanies the distribution and sales of products.  Bar codes are a means of representing the numbers for machine readability.  Radio Frequency identification tags are another means.

Consequence without using GS1 System (barcode)

  1. The company is different to control stock and deliver products.
  2. High Error and risks.
  3. Late in the management of the supply chains.
  4. Difficult to export to other countries.
  5. No standard for the product and confidence from the customers.
  6. Make the code of the products the same as the other licensed company because the company has not registered as the members of GS1 Cambodia.
  7. Argument confrontation between company and company it the licensed one.

Barcode Quick Start Guide

GS1 Cambodia strongly recommends that you study the whole handbook.  Not doing so creates the risk of Embarrassments in the market place because of barcode that fail or trading partners who reject products on which the barcode do not meet GS1 specifications or industry requirements.

Step one: identify your inners and cartons

  1. Assume that barcodes are required on all levels of packaging.
  2. Will the units be retailed?  If so create new numbers for each as in Step one.
  3. Will the units be scanned only in warehouses or distribution centers?  If so create a 14 digit.

Step three:  identify your pallets.  If required, you have to create serial shipping container codes (SSCC) for each pallet.

Step Four:  Select your bar codes

  1. Retail items (including inners or cartons if you intend them for retail sales as intact units) will be bar coded with EAN-13.
  2. Cartons identified with GTIN-14 and requiring no additional information such as used by date should be bar coded with ITF-14
  3. Cartons identified with GTIN 14 and require additional information such as use by date must be bar coded with GS1-128
  4. Inners may be bar coded with any of the bar codes mentioned above, or with none, as decided between you and your customers.
  5. Pallets (and any unit used as a logistics unit) should be bar coded with GS1-128.

Step five:  Having the bar code printed

GS1 Cambodia does not provide bar codes printing.  Companies have been encouraged to print bar codes for oneself.

Step six:  getting the right bar code.  Physical requirements such as size, height, color and location are very important.  Products on which the bar codes do not comply may be rejected by customers or may and ensure that anyone printing bar codes for you is familiar with the information they contain.