GS1 DataBar Barcode Explained

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• GS1 DataBar Omnidirectional (Regular)
• GS1 DataBar Truncated
• GS1 DataBar Stacked
• GS1 DataBar Stacked Omni Directional
• GS1 DataBar Limited
• GS1 DataBar Expanded
• GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked

GS1 DataBar Barcode formerly RSS Barcode) consists of few barcode symbology which can further categorized into 3 groups.

Group 1:

• GS1 DataBar Omnidirectional (Regular)
• GS1 DataBar Truncated
• GS1 DataBar Stacked
• GS1 DataBar Stacked Omni Directional

This group encodes 13 digits data and appends a mod 10 check digit at the end. It also contains a linkage flag in the beginning to indicate whether a 2D barcode is attached to it or not. If it is starts with ‘0’ it will not expect a 2D part, otherwise a 2D barcode is attached. Therefore, all together a 14 digit barcode can have 2 x 10^13 variations without counting 2D parts. All the barcodes in this group share same encoding technique and have the same pattern. GS1 DataBar Truncated barcode, as the name suggests shortens the height of regular barcode and used in a tight place. A GS1 DataBar Stacked, however, chops off pattern in two rows separated by 2 narrow rows of separator bar. While GS1 DataBar Stacked has a shorter bar height, GS1 DataBar Stacked Omni directional has a standard height and can be scanned omni directionally.

Structurally GS1 DataBar Barcode has three components:

• Guard Bar: A bar/space pattern which indicates the start and end of the barcode. For stacked barcode each row has contains guard bars in the beginning and at the end.
• Data Character: A complex algorithm converts encoded digits into Data Characters which is represented with few bars and spaces. For this group of barcode we have 4 data characters.
• Finder Pattern: Finder patterns are a bar/space patters to indicate the specific location of the data characters. It also calculate check digit. In this group of barcode we have two finder patterns.

Group 2:

• GS1 DataBar Limited

This group which has only one symbol is different from other structurally and functionally. It encodes 13 digits but it has an indicator flag in addition to linkage flage, leaving other 12 digits for data, Therefore, it can encode 2 x 2 x 10^12 different numbers. It has two Data Characters, and a check digit in the middle of them. It also contains guard bars in the beginning and at the end of the barcode. It is not suitable for omni directional scanning.

Group 3

• GS1 DataBar Expanded
• GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked

This group is completely different than other two groups. It is a variable length barcode symbology, and can encode up to 74 digits or 41 alpha numeric characters. Its structure can hold up to 22 segments. Like others, this group also consists of Data Characters, Finder Pattern, guard Bars, and check digit pattern. It has a full height and can be scanned omni directionally. These two barcodes can encode variable length data by applying application identifier or AI. AI tells decoder how long is the data for the corresponding AI. For example, AI (17) indicates an expiration date which is 6 digits long. Sometimes we will have variable length (AI). For example, AI (21) represent serial number, which can be 1 to 21 digits. To indicate the end of the number we append FNC1 character at the end.

GS1 Expanded Stacked also follows the similar pattern but it grows by adding rows at the bottom. You can control how wide each row will be by changing segment per row value.
Let us take a look at each GS1 Barcode symbol individually and understand its characteristic:

1. GS1 DataBar Omnidirectional Barcode (Regular):

• It can encodes 14 digits GTIN number
• Only accepts numeric data
• Application Identifier appended in the human readable (not encoded)
• GTIN 12 & GTIN 13 gets encoded by appending 0s in the beginning and making it 14 digits.
• It can be scanned omnidirectionally.
• It can be used in Retail Point of Sales.

Dimension:

• Module:  96
• Minimum Width:            96 x XDimension              
• Minimum Height:           33 x XDimension
• Eg: if XDimension is 0.013 inches total symbol width will be (96 x 0.01) = 0.96 inches
•                                                             Total height will be (33 x 0.013) =0.429 inches

2. GS1 DataBar Truncated Barcode:

• It is identical to Omnidirectional  barcode, but height is reduced from 33X to 13X. 
• It is not ideal for scanning omnidirectionally.
• It is NOT suitable for Retail Point of Sales.
• Ideal for small item where space is constraint.
• It can encodes 14 digits GTIN number
• Only accepts numeric data
• Application Identifier appended in the human readable (not encoded)
• GTIN 12 & GTIN 13 gets encoded by appending 0s in the beginning and making it 14 digits.

Dimension:

• Module:  96
• Minimum Width:            96 x XDimension              
• Minimum Height:           13 x XDimension
• Eg: if XDimension is 0.013 inches, total symbol width will be (96 x 0.013) =1.248 inches
•                                                             Total height will be (13 x 0.013) =0.169 inches

3. GS1 DataBar Stacked Omnidirectional Barcode:

• It is identical to Omnidirectional  barcode, but broken down to 2 rows by separator.
• Separator has 3 row tears each with 1x Xdimesion height 
• Each row contains full height, hence ideal for scanning omnidirectionally.
• It is therefore suitable for Retail Point of Sales.
• Ideal for small item where wider space is tight.
• It can encodes 14 digits GTIN number
• Only accepts numeric data
• Application Identifier appended in the human readable (not encoded)
• GTIN 12 & GTIN 13 gets encoded by appending 0s in the beginning and making it 14 digits.

Dimension:

• Module:  50 for each row
• Minimum Width:            50 x XDimension              
• Minimum Height:           33 x XDimension x 2 (row) + 3XDimension ( for 3 row separator)
• Eg: if XDimension is 0.013 inches, total symbol width will be (50 x 0.013) =0.65 inches
•                                             Total height will be (33 x 0.013 x 2 + 3 x 0.013) =0.897 inches

4. GS1 DataBar Stacked Barcode:

• It is identical to Stacked Omnidirectional barcode, but height is reduced from 33X to 13X.
• Separator has 1 row tears each with 1x Xdimesion height 
• Each row has reduced 6x height, and cannot be scanned omnidirectionally.
• It is NOT suitable for Retail Point of Sales.
• Heslth care industry is finding it very useful.
• Ideal for small item where space is very tight.
• It can encodes 14 digits GTIN number
• Only accepts numeric data.
• Application Identifier appended in the human readable (not encoded)
• GTIN 12 & GTIN 13 gets encoded by appending 0s in the beginning and making it 14 digits.

Dimension:

• Module:  50 for each row
• Minimum Width:            50 x XDimension              
• Minimum Height:           6 x XDimension x 2 (row) + 1 XDimension ( for row separator)
• Eg: if XDimension is 0.013 inches, total symbol width will be (50 x 0.013) =0.65 inches
•                                             Total height will be (6 x 0.013 x 2 + 1 x 0.013) =0.169 inches

5. GS1 DataBar Limited Barcode:

• It is the smallest barcode in the family with 74X high and 10X width 
• It is not ideal for scanning omnidirectionally.
• It is NOT suitable for Retail Point of Sales.
• Ideal for small item where space is constraint.
• It can encodes 14 digits GTIN number
• Only accepts numeric data.
• Fist digit is 0 or 1.
• Application Identifier appended in the human readable (not encoded)
• GTIN 12 & GTIN 13 gets encoded by appending 0s in the beginning and making it 14 digits.

Dimension:

• Module:  74
• Minimum Width:            74 x XDimension              
• Minimum Height:           10 x XDimension
• Eg: if XDimension is 0.013 inches, total symbol width will be (74 x 0.013) =0.962 inches
•                                                             Total height will be (13 x 0.013) =0.169 inches

6. GS1 DataBar Expanded Barcode:

• It is a variable length barcode and can encode up to 74 numbers or41 alphabetic characters
• It can contain 3 to 21 Data characters, 2 to 11 finder patters, and a check characters pattern.
• Due to it full height and paired finder pattern, it is detectable omnidirectionally by scanners.

• It is designed to hold more information like product origin, weight, expiration date, etc.
• It can encode Application Identifier (AI) with associate data
• Can encode alpha numeric data.
• No quiet zone needed.

Dimension:

• Module:  102 to 534
• Minimum Width:            Maximum 102 x XDimension    minimum 534 x XDimension          
• Minimum Height:           34 x XDimension
• Eg: if XDimension is 0.013 inches,
•                     Total symbol width will be (102 x 0.013) =1.326 inches to (534 x 0.013) =6.942 inches
•                                  Total height will be (34 x 0.013) =0.442 inches

7. GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked Barcode:

• It is identical to Expanded version, but broken into multi rows
• It is a variable length barcode and can encode up to 74 numbers or 41 alphabetic characters.
• It is suitable where wide Expanded barcode is hard to fit.
• It can have 1 to 10 rows.
• It can also scanned omnidirectionally.
• It is designed to hold more information like product origin, weight, expiration date, etc.
• It is widely used in coupon barcoding.
• It can encode Application Identifier (AI) with associate data
• Can encode alpha numeric data.
• No quiet zone needed.

Dimension:

• Module:  102 to 534
• Minimum Width:            102 x XDimension    Maximum  534 x XDimension             
• Minimum Height:      34 x XDimension (1 row) to 34 x 10 x XDimension + 9 x 3 x XDimension.
• Eg: if XDimension is 0.013 inches,
•                     Total symbol width will be (102 x 0.013) = 1.326 inches to (534 x 0.013) =6.942 inches
•                                    Total height will be (34 x 0.013) = 0.442 inches to 4.771 inches