GS1 identification keys
for unique and global identification of products, locations and more
GS1 ID Keys give companies efficient ways to access information about items in their supply chains, and share this information with trading partners. ID Keys enable organisations to assign standard identifiers to products, documents, physical locations and more. Because GS1 ID keys are globally unique, they can be shared between organisations, increasing supply chain visibility for trading partners.
To build a GS1 ID key, your organisation must become a member of GS1 and obtain a GS1 Company Prefix. This will form the basis of your ID keys.
GS1 company prefix
Each GS1 Company Prefix is issued exclusively to a single company globally and can contain 7 to 11 digits. The number of digits varies depending on how many GTINs you need. The first digits of a GS1 Company Prefix constitute of the GS1 Prefix which is assigned by the Global Office, followed by additional digits assigned by a GS1 Organisation Member. GS1 Company Prefixes allocated by GS1 Association Greece begin with 520 or 521.
GS1 ID Keys
|
ID Key |
Used to identify | Description |
Example | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Products and services | A GTIN is the numerical part of the barcode which is used for the identification of products sold in retail and online. |
Jar of jam, trousers, chair, music album | |
 |
Parties and locations | Standard identifier for locations, used for the purpose of efficiency and transparency in the supply chain. |
Companies, warehouses, factories, stores | |
 |
Logistics units | Unique serial identification of logistic units, used for the process of traceability |
Unit loads on pallets, roll cages, parcels | |
 |
Returnable assets | International identifier for returnable assets, allowing traceability. | Pallet cases, crates, totes | |
 |
Assets | International identifier for tracking and managing single assets. |
Medical, manufacturing, transport and IT equipment
|
|
 |
Service provider and recipient relationships | Used by organizations that provide services to determine their relations with single service providers. |
Loyalty scheme members, doctors at a hospital, library members | |
 |
Documents | May be used by companies for the identification of documents, including the category or form of each document |
Tax demands, shipment forms, driving licences | |
 |
Consignments |
Determines logistics units grouped together to be transported with the same shipping document.
|
Logistics units transported together in an ocean container | |
 |
Shipments |
Determines a group of logistics units reffering to a shipping document and/or waybill. |
Logistics units delivered to a customer together | |
 |
Coupons | Unique global special identification for businesses to identify digital coupons. | Digital coupons | |
 |
CPID Component/Part Identifier |
Components and parts |
Enables the identification of parts and spare parts, usually when the prime equipment producer sets the standards for a part which is used for the final product, e.g a car. |
Automobile parts |
 |
Product model |
Enables users to identify in a unique way a product model throughout its life cycle. |
Medical devices |
I need a GS1 barcode
The uniqueness and validity of GTINs is ensured only if they are issued by national GS1 Organisations. GS1 Association Greece is one of 118 neutral, not-for-profit, and independent GS1 organisations. It is the sole authorized carrier in Greece to issue and manage GS1 codes with 520 and 521 prefixes.
