How to use GS1 Rekisteri - Create a new GTIN, provide product information and create a barcode

GTIN-13 is the most common code for product identification and is placed in the EAN-13 barcode. The company must have a GS1 Company prefix number in order to generate a GTIN. For example, with a 10 digit Company prefix number you can create 100 codes (13-10-1verification number = 2 numbers that are 00-99) this gives 6400001000018.

Note!

The identification numbers for variable measure items (starting with 23-25) and  GTIN8 codes are not stored in Rekisteri.

Creating a new GTIN is done in GS1 Rekisteri on the GTIN-tab, by first clicking the Create GTIN button.

Please note! You can create GTIN's automatically or manually.

1. Create GTIN automatically

If you have not created any GTIN codes from your GS1 Company prefix or all your GTIN's have already been stored in GS1 Rekisteri, you should create new codes automatically. After clicking Create GTIN on the GTIN-tab, select How to create key – From company prefix. In "Select company prefix" select the company prefix from which you want to create the GTIN. If your company has only one company prefix, it’s automatically selected. Here you will also see the number of free codes (Keys free). Then press the Create button.

Once you have the created the GTIN, click the Edit button. This allows you to enter your product information, which has to be provided when the GTIN is registred.

2. Create GTIN manually

If you have previously created GTIN's other way than in GS1 Rekisteri and you need to store these codes, choose Enter manually from Create GTIN window and enter the 12 first numbers of your code in the field. Observe that all GTIN's are stored in 14-digit format. This means that if your GTIN code has 12 digits (without the verification number or 13 numbers with the verification number), you need to add the digit “0” in front of your code. Press the Calculate check digit and Create buttons.

Below is an overview of the basic product information when you start entering product information. The fields that are mandatory are highlighted in red.

Once you have entered the basic product information and saved the product, your product will appear on the GTINs tab in Draft mode. Now you can view your product information, edit the information you provided, download your product barcode, and make your product active.

IMPORTANT - READ BEFORE EDITING THE PRODUCT INFORMATION!

Editing the product information is determined by the international GTIN management standard. For example, each new product needs a new GTIN, and previously used codes must not be assigned to a new or different product. Also, when the weight or packaging dimensions of a product change, a new GTIN code is usually required.

You can use GTIN Management Decision-Support Tool to understand when to change a GTIN.

https://www.gs1.org/1/gtinrules/en/decision-support

You can create a barcode when entering or editing product information. Alternatively, on the GTINs tab you can find a Barcode button in the Actions column. Depending on the type of your company prefix, you can make either an EAN barcode or a UPC barcode for the consumer product. For the higher levels of the packaging hierarchy (case, pallet), you can also make an ITF-14 barcode. You can save the barcode in PNG format via the Download button.

For the coding of case or pallet units either the GTIN-13 or the GTIN-14 code can be used. From the GTIN-14 code GS1 Rekisteri creates the barcode in ITF-14 format. ITF-14 is not recommended to be used in other than directly on corrugated cardboard printed barcodes. ITF-14 is not readable at the cash register. If the case or pallet can be sold as such to the consumer it needs to be marked with GTIN-13 and EAN barcode, so that it can be read at the cash register.