Areas of Applications

Different areas of applications are covered by the EAN·UCC system (now GS1 system). These include: trade items, logistic units, assets and locations.

Those applications rely on standard numbering structures by which all relevant items and their data can be identified. The numbers are the keys to access databases and to identify unambiguously items handled, in all messages of a transaction. Numbering are purely for identification without any meaning in the number.

All information that describes a product or a service and its characteristic are to be found in databases. They are communicated from a supplier to a user once, before the first transaction either by using standard messages or by consultation of electronic catalogues.

The numbers are represented in bar codes to allow automatic data capture at each point where an item leaves or enter premises.

Bar codes are usually included in the production process, at the producer site: they are either pre-printed with other information present in the packaging, or a label is affixed on the item at the production line. 

The same numbers are also used in EDI messages to allow all information on the transaction of the items thus identified, to be transferred to the relevant partners. The standard numbering structures that are provided guarantee world-wide uniqueness within the relevant area of application.