Bar Code Success

EAN/UCC Check Digit Calculation

2004-11-19T18:18:00.000-06:00

For this posting, I’m going to confine the discussion of check digit calculation to The EAN/UCC GTINs (Global Trade Item Number) that I discussed in the previous posting.

UCC-12 or UPC Number

The check digit for the UCC-12 or UPC Number is calculated using the standard modulo calculation. For this example, we will assume that your number is 78211300054.

Step 1 – Take the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh digits and add them together (7 + 2 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 14).

Step 2 – Take the result of step 1 and multiply by 3 (14 x 3 = 42).

Step 3 – Take the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth digits and add them together (8 + 1 + 3 + 0 + 5 = 17).

Step 4 – Add the results of step 2 and step 3 together (42 + 17 = 59).

Step 5 – The check digit is the number required to add to the result of step 4 to make it a multiple of 10 (59 + 1 = 60), the check digit is 1.

EAN/UCC-13

The check digit for the EAN/UCC-13 is calculated using the standard modulo calculation. For this example, we will assume that your number is 078211300054.

Step 1 – Take the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, tenth and twelfth digits and add them together (7 + 2 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 14).

Step 2 – Take the result of step 1 and multiply by 3 (14 x 3 = 42).

Step 3 – Take the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh digits and add them together (0 + 8 + 1 + 3 + 0 + 5 = 17).

Step 4 – Add the results of step 2 and step 3 together (42 + 17 = 59).

Step 5 – The check digit is the number required to add to the result of step 4 to make it a multiple of 10 (59 + 1 = 60), the check digit is 1.

EAN/UCC-14

The check digit for the EAN/UCC-14 is calculated using the standard modulo calculation. For this example, we will assume that your number is 2078211300054.

Step 1 – Take the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, eleventh and thirteenth digits and add them together (2 + 7 + 2 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 16).

Step 2 – Take the result of step 1 and multiply by 3 (16 x 3 = 48).

Step 3 – Take the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, tenth and twelfth digits and add them together (0 + 8 + 1 + 3 + 0 + 5 = 17).

Step 4 – Add the results of step 2 and step 3 together (48 + 17 = 65).

Step 5 – The check digit is the number required to add to the result of step 4 to make it a multiple of 10 (65 + 5 = 70), the check digit is 5.

EAN/UCC-8 (For International Use Only)

The check digit for the EAN/UCC-8 is calculated using the standard modulo calculation. For this example, we will assume that your number is 7830054.

Step 1 – Take the first, third, fifth and seventh digits and add them together (7 + 3 + 0 + 4 = 14).

Step 2 – Take the result of step 1 and multiply by 3 (14 x 3 = 42).

Step 3 – Take the second, fourth and sixth digits and add them together (8 + 0 + 5 = 13).

Step 4 – Add the results of step 2 and step 3 together (42 + 13 = 55).

Step 5 – The check digit is the number required to add to the result of step 4 to make it a multiple of 10 (55 + 5 = 60), the check digit is 5.

Introduction To The GTIN

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The GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the globally unique numbering system that is administered by the EAN.UCC. It accurately and efficiently identifies your items (products and services) warehoused, sold, delivered and billed throughout retail and commercial distribution chains. The GTIN is used throughout the world to uniquely identify products and services.

The GTIN makes possible the flow of trade item information throughout the world. It identifies all levels of packaging (item, case and pallet). Is the basis for machine readable identification when used with bar codes and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). Simplifies supply chain management by delivering trade item information in a consistent format and structure. And, is understood by the global marketplace.

There are four variations of the GTIN. Each variation provides a unique number when right justified in a 14-digit numeric database field:

UCC-12 or UPC Number

A UCC-12 (sometimes referred to as a UPC number) is a 12-digit number that uniquely identifies your item anywhere in the world. It is built by combining three components.

The first component is the UCC company prefix. When you apply for membership in the UCC, they will assign you a 6, 7, 8 or 9 digit company prefix.

The second component is the Item Reference Number. Depending on the length of the company prefix, the item reference number will be 5, 4, 3 or 2 digits in length and is assigned by your company.

The third component is a one digit, modulo check digit.

EAN/UCC-13

An EAN/UCC-13 is a 13-digit number that uniquely identifies your item anywhere in the world. It is built by combining two components.

The first component is the 12-digit EAN.UCC company prefix and item reference number.

The second component is a one digit, modulo check digit.

NOTE: 12-digit EAN.UCC company prefix and item reference numbers are only assigned by the UCC within North America. To expand your 11-digit UCC company prefix and item reference number to 12 digits, simply right justify the 11 digits and add a “0” in the left most position.

EAN/UCC-14

An EAN/UCC-14 is a 14-digit number that uniquely identifies your item anywhere in the world. It is built by combining three components.

The first component is a 1-digit packaging level indicator.

The second component is the 12-digit EAN.UCC company prefix and item reference number.

The third component is a one digit, modulo check digit.

NOTE: 12-digit EAN.UCC company prefix and item reference numbers are only assigned by the UCC within North America. To expand your 11-digit UCC company prefix and item reference number to 12 digits, simply right justify the 11 digits and add a “0” in the left most position.

EAN/UCC-8 (For International Use Only)

An EAN/UCC-8 is an 8-digit number that uniquely identifies your item anywhere in the world. It is built by combining two components.

The first component is a 7-digit EAN.UCC company prefix and item reference number.

The second component is a one digit, modulo check digit.

Introduction To The UCC

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If your business sells products manufactured by your own facilities or manufactured by contractors under your brand name, and your product is intended for sale in a retail environment, you should (in today’s terms MUST) have a UCC Company Prefix.

For small to medium sized businesses, this is a process that is usually overlooked until they’re notified by a customer that point of sale bar codes are required on their future shipments.

The UCC (Uniform Code Council, Inc. – http://www.uc-council.org/) is the Global Trade Item Number assignment organization for all vendors within North America and is a member organization of EAN International (European Article Numbering International - http://www.ean-int.org/). Through EAN International a globally managed vendor numbering system has been established so that businesses can have their products uniquely identified throughout the world.

Therefore, by becoming a member of the UCC you will receive your company prefix and using it to establish your primary product identification numbers, you are taking a positive step forward to becoming a part of the Global Marketplace.

NOTE: In this and future postings, I’m assuming that your business is located within North America. Therefore, I will be referring to the UCC as your Global Trade Item Number assignment organization, if your business is located in another part of the world, the UCC will not be applicable to you and you should interpret my use of the term UCC to mean the assignment organization specific to your location. Further to if you do not know the organization specific to your location, please contact EAN International (http://www.ean-int.org/) for the contact information.

Getting Off To A Good Start

2004-11-14T17:15:00.000-06:00

For many small to medium sized businesses, their first implementation of bar coding comes in response to a customers’ request. Typically an important high-volume customer notifies you that point of sale bar codes must be on all future product shipments. There really isn’t any choice but to comply with the customers’ request.

At this point, you rush out and purchase an expensive bar code printer, cheap ribbons and labels. Then quickly try to make changes to existing application software so it will print labels on the new printer.

From this point, implementation by fire begins. Data file changes must be made to store the bar code item number within the item file or a separate reference file. You must either encode the item number that the vendor provides for you or establish your own item numbering program. And, when all of this is complete, you begin printing your point of sale bar code labels, applying them to your products and shipping the newly labeled products to your customer.

This entire process can take days, weeks or months to complete and comes with a price tag much higher than expected.

The outcome to this valiant effort is almost certainly a call from the customer. Usually not to congratulate you on your great effort but to tell you that the point of sale bar codes have an unacceptable level of failure at point of sale and you must correct this problem immediately.
As you might guess, the next step is usually calling your bar code printer vendor and paying them to offer you suggestions and sell you more products to improve your system. Now this is not necessarily a bad option if you are working with the right vendor. Otherwise all the new products, additional application changes and system changes will just turn into another costly experiment.

My strongest recommendation to you is get yourself an experienced independent consultant. A consultant can work with your business, customers, vendors, and bring in other vendors when needed without stepping on existing relationships. This is a win for you because the consultant has the knowledge you need and the freedom to develop a solution that best suits your needs.
Doing it right the first time will reduce your overall costs of implementation, impress your customer by meeting their demands on time and can show you ways to improve your operations through the use of bar codes.

Welcome

2004-11-12T19:34:00.000-06:00

My name is Jess Joseph Schambers. I’m originally from the Detroit Area but currently call the Chicago Area home. I have over 20 years experience in business systems design and application software design, programming and support. During the last 16 years, I’ve been extensively involved with bar code integration and implementation. As a bar code consultant I’ve designed and implemented new bar code systems and have had great success in turning around failing bar code systems.

I’ve been a speaker at the Uniform Code Council’s Global Supply Chain Conference and worked on two of their standards committees, the Shipping Container Marking and Labeling Committee and the Industrial and Commercial Action Committee. And, have been a speaker at several conferences designed to improve bar code quality at retail point of sale.

In addition to these qualifications, I am also the author of “Bar Code Developer” a developer tool that allows users to print bar code graphics on almost any standard graphic printer. Written in several languages, this library has been successfully installed on systems ranging from AS/400’s to RISC based systems to Intel based systems. There are currently thousands of users running OS/400, AIX, UNIX, LINUX, Windows and DOS.

It is my hope that this blog will allow me to share my experience with the readers and help the readers install cost effective, successful bar code systems.