1.What is a barcode? How does a barcode work?
2. What are the popular barcode?
3. How do I know which symbology to use?
4. How do I get a bar code number for my product?
5. When Do I Need To Put A Bar Code On My Products?
6. What is GS1 Databar, GS1-US ?
7. When GS1 Databar will be used?
8. Do I have to wait until January 1, 2010 to use GS1 Databar?
9. Is GS1 DataBar harder to print or scan?
10. Is GS1 DataBar smaller than EAN/UPC ?
11. Is it true GS1 DataBar can carry all GTIN-14 but EAN/UPC can’t ?
12. Are there any different kinds of GS1 DataBar symbols?
13. Where can I find some basic information regarding GS1 DataBar?
14. Which type of reader or scanner should I purchase?
15. How do i create new interim coupon code?
16. What is GTIN number?
1. What is a barcode? How does a barcode work?
Bar code is used to eliminate typing and to achieve high data input speeds. The most Common barcodes began appearing on grocery store shelves in the early 1970s as the UPC code to automate the process of identifying grocery items. Today, barcodes are just about everywhere and are used for identification in almost all areas of business. When barcodes are implemented in business processes, procedures can be automated to reduce human error and increase productivity. Barcoding should be considered whenever there is a need to accurately identify or track something
2. What are the popular barcode?
The most popular linear barcode are UPC or EAN linear barcode which usually printed during the printing of the product's packaging and barcode Code 39 (also called Code 3 of 9). Also, there are 2D Barcodes which can store a large amount of information in a smaller space than linear barcodes..
3. How do I know which symbology to use?
Each industry application has set standards for bar coding. The bar code type they elect to use was adopted because some aspect of the bar code type is more beneficial to that industry then any other. For example, the postal service uses Postnet bar code. It's leading attribute is it quick scanability. With the need to scan ten pieces per second or more, Postnet gives the USPS fast scan rates. UPC codes are very compact. With many situations where size is important, UPC bar codes allow users to create small, accurate bar codes.
What is the most efficient barcode type?
There are many situations when the space a barcode occupies is a concern; here are several alpha-numeric barcode types for comparison. These barcodes are all encoding the same data of "BARCODE12345678" with the same narrow bar width or X dimension of .03CM or 10 mils. The barcodes will not appear in actual size until they are printed.
4. How do I get a bar code number for my product?
Specifically, they are asking how to obtain a UPC or EAN company identification number which they can encode into a UPC-A or EAN-12 bar code symbol on their products. In the United States of America a company can obtain a unique six digit company identification number by becoming a member of GS1-US (formerly the Uniform Code Council (UCC)). In the rest of the world, contact GS1 (formerly EAN International (EAN)).
You must apply for membership and you will be assigned a unique company identification number for use on all your products. Also, take a look at our UPC/EAN page which explains how to apply for a UPC/EAN number and gives technical formation about UPC/EAN. The fee for membership is not cheap and you will have to pay every year.
5. When Do I Need To Put A Bar Code On My Products?
When your distributor or store that will sell your product requires it. There is no law that says you must bar code a product. However, many national retail chains and most grocery stores require all products they sell to have a bar code that is unique for the specific product. The stores require this "source marking" because it is easier for the company that makes the product to mark it rather than the store. If you don't have a bar code on the product, these stores will not sell the product.
6. What is GS1 Databar, GS1-US ?
GS1 is the new name for RSS (Reduce Space Symbology). It adapted its official new name GS1 Databar on February 12, 2007. Also, GS1-US is the new name for the UCC or Uniform Code Council.
7. When GS1 Databar will be used?
GS1 Databar is already used by the healthcare industry but the adoption date is to use on any item beginning January 1, 2010 and this includes retail POS (Point-Of-Sale).
8. Do I have to wait until January 1, 2010 to use GS1 Databar?
No.
9. Is GS1 DataBar harder to print or scan?
Not really , it’s basically very much same to print and scan as EAN/UPC .
10. Is GS1 DataBar smaller than EAN/UPC ?
Yes. GS1 DataBar is 50% smaller than EAN/UPC that is why GS1 DataBar can be used for smaller or hard to mark products.
11. Is it true GS1 DataBar can carry all GTIN-14 but EAN/UPC can’t ?
Yes.
12. Are there any different kinds of GS1 DataBar symbols?
Yes . There are 7 different bar code “symbols” in the GS1 Databar family. Four of them especially design to work at retail POS. Those four are: DataBar-14, DataBar-14 Stacked Omni, DataBar Expanded and DataBar Expanded Stacked. The remaining three design for very small products. Those three are DataBar-14 Truncated, DataBar-14 Stacked and DataBar Limited.
13. Where can I find some basic information regarding GS1 DataBar?
In GS1 DataBar web site http://www.gs1.org/productssolutions/barcodes
14. Which type of reader or scanner should I purchase?
Consider the environment and type of bar codes you will be reading. If you need to make many readings, quickly as would be the case in a retail establishment or school library, the faster gun-type devices would be called for. For an occasional reading, where there is no time pressure, the reader would be just fine.
The CCD Scanner is limited to about 2 1/2 inch wide bar codes. For wider bar code reading use the reader or laser scanner. For reading bar codes on delicate objects where you want to avoid scratching the surfaces, use a non-contact device like the CCD Scanner or better still the laser scanner. This is also true for reading bar codes which are in hard to reach places, such as between chips on a PC board. For curved surfaces and small objects, the gun-type readers also work best. Obviously, cost is a consideration. The reader is the least expensive device followed by the CCD Scanner and the laser scanner in that order.
15. How do i create new interim coupon code?
New GS1 coupon code will carry more information than the previous coupon code. It will use GS1 expanded stacked instead of ucc/ean code, hence will store more information. The new code is fairly complicated, but if you use our software it will break down all the required information for you. For example you will need to know your GS1 company prefix, offer code, discount amount and type, any 2nd or 3rd purchase requirement, retail or manufacturer coupon, etc. Once you know these info you can create the coupon within minutes using our software.
GS1 is in transition period from old code to new coupon code, for that it is recommending to use interim coupon code where you will have both UPC code along with GS1 expanded Stacked barcode. Later it will be only GS1 Expanded Stacked barcode.
16.What is GTIN number?
GTIN or Global Trade Identification Number, is a globally unique 14-digit number used to identify trade items, products, or services. GTIN is also an umbrella term that refers to the entire family of UCC.EAN data structures. The entire family of data structures within the GTIN is:
-GTIN-12 (UPC)
-GTIN-13 (EAN-13)
-GTIN-14 (EAN/UCC-128 or ITF-14)
-GTIN-8 (EAN-8)
The full 14-digit GTIN is achieved on a data carrier of shorter length by ‘padding’ the number with left-justified zeros out to 14 digits.
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