Since the introduction of the Universal Product Code (UPC) in 1973, the concept of creating unique, global identifiers has been a critical component of communicating item data amongst trading partners. Understanding the different item identifiers used throughout the supply chain is an important element to getting item data right.

Global identifiers are unique globally. The UPC, EAN, ISBN, and GTIN are global identifiers that you may be asked to provide as a part of your item data.

The Universal Product Code (UPC) is a unique, standardized, global identifier used by vendors to identify their items. The UPC contains 8 or 12 digits.

The UPC-E is a condensed version of the UPC-A barcode, designed for products with limited packaging space. It encodes 12-digit UPC-A codes into a shorter 8-digit format by suppressing certain zeros.

The UPC-A is a 12-digit barcode symbology primarily used for retail product identification in the United States and Canada.

Visit https://www.gs1us.org/upcs-barcodes-prefixes/guide-to-upcs for more information about constructing an item's UPC.

The International Article Number (EAN) is a unique, global identifier used by vendors to identify their items; formally known as European Article Number. The EAN contains 13 digits.

The EAN is primarily used for product identification in retail, especially in Europe and other regions outside of the United States and Canada.

The standard suggests that EAN and UPC are interchangeable. See: https://www.gs1us.org/upcs-barcodes-prefixes/ean-vs-upc for more information.

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is an international standard system for the identification of books and book-like products. An ISBN contains 13 digits.

Visit http://www.isbn.org/about_isbn_standard for more information about the ISBN.

A GTIN, or Global Trade Item Number, is a globally unique identifier for trade items, products or services that can be priced, ordered, or invoiced within a supply chain.

GTINs are commonly encoded into barcodes, such as UPCs and EANs, making them easily scannable at point-of-sale and in inventory management systems. GTINs are captured in 14-digits.

Visit http://www.gs1.org/gtin for more information about the GTIN.

All of the global item identifiers described above utilize a mathematically calculated check digit. A check digit is the last digit of the barcode number. The check digit is calculated from all the other numbers in the barcode and helps to confirm the integrity of the barcode number.

Reusing barcodes is prohibited by GS1, the global standards organization that governs barcodes. Once a barcode is assigned to a unique product, it should remain linked to that product, even if it's no longer available for purchase.

Reusing barcodes can lead to significant issues with inventory management, product identification, and potential errors in data retrieval.

Not all identifiers used to identify an item are global. Suppliers and retailers both assign proprietary identifiers to items, including the Vendor Part Number.

A Vendor Part Number is a vendor-created number used by vendors to identify their items. This is the vendor’s internal code for a specific item. In Assortment, the VPN cannot exceed 48 characters.

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