Retail Bar Coding Basics
a Tutorial
Is bar coding necessary?
Reasons for UPC bar codes.
• Want to sell your products via retail stores.
• Products are sold at checkout counters.
• Product is a food item or consumer retail item.
Reasons UPC bar codes not necessary
• Bar codes are only for internal use such as inventory
• Products are not sold via retail stores.
• Products are not sold at checkout counters
History of Retail Bar Codes
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1932
1948
1949
1952
1966
1970
1972
1973
1974
1974
Wallace first to suggest automated checkout
Drexel University begins research into auto ID method
Woodland & Silver build prototype scanner.
Patent granted Woodland & Silver for Auto ID method
First commercial use of bar codes
First commercial Auto ID product
Kroger stores begin using ‘bulls-eye’ bar code
Uniform Product Code standard adopted
First UPC scanners commercially marketed
First product (Wrigley Gum) UPC bar coded.
What is a Bar Code?
• A bar code (barcode) is
similar to “Morse Code” in
that they both encode
character information.
• Morse Code was
developed in 1935 and
consists of s code based
on short and long
electrical impulses.
dit
1 unit of time
dah
3 units of time
pause between
letters
3 units of time
pause between
words
7 units of time
What is a Bar Code?
What is a Bar Code?
Character
Value
Odd
Parity
Even
Parity
0
0001101
0100111
1
0011001
0110011
2
0010011
0011011
3
0111101
0100001
4
0100011
0011101
5
0110001
0111001
6
0101111
0000101
7
0111011
0010001
8
0110111
0001001
9
0001011
0010111
EAN-13 Symbology Encoding
What is a Bar Code?
Check Character Calculation (UPC)
Step 1: Designate the least significant digit position as odd.
3 1 4 5 7 9
0 1 2
O E O E O E O
E O
5
8
E
O
Step 2: Sum all the digits in the odd (o) positions
3 + 4 + 7 + 0 + 2 + 8 = 24
Step 3: Multiply the result by 3
24 * 3 = 72
Step 4: Sum all the digits in the even (E) positions.
1 + 5 + 9 + 1 + 5 = 21
Step 5: Add the result of Step 2 with the result of Step 4.
72 + 21 = 93
Step 6: Subtract from the next higher multiple of 10.
100 - 93 = 7.
In this example, the check digit is 7.
How a Bar Code Works
• Light from the scanner (laser, LED, or other)
reflects off the label back to a sensor in the
scanner
Bar Code Symbologies
• The manner in which the bars and spaces are
encoded define the bar code symbology
•Codabar
•Code 128
•Code 3 of 0
•Code 93
•EAN 13
•EAN 8
•ISBN
•Interleaved 2 of 5
•MSI / Plessey
•Postal / Postnet
•UPC A
•UPC E
•PDF-417
Global Trade Identification Numbers
A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the EAN.UCC
System identifier used for the unique identification of
trade items worldwide within the EAN.UCC System.
Trade Items refers to any product or service upon which
there is a need to retrieve pre-defined information; this
product or service may be priced, ordered, or invoiced at
any point in the supply chain.
Uniform Code Council & EAN
• EAN.UCC is worldwide system
• EAN.UCC is comprised of member organizations (M.O.).
• U.C.C. is the U.S. member organization.
EAN.UCC
U.C.C.
M.O.
M.O.
Key Benefits
• Supports worldwide flow of trade goods and services
• Uniquely identifies trade items at all levels of packaging.
• Delivers trade item data in a consistent format and structure.
• Simplifies supply chain management.
• Employs the globally accepted and utilized EAN.UCC System
whose language is understood by the global marketplace.
Why GTINs?
• Allow system-to-system interaction
• Speed processes by enabling end-to-end automation
• Lower costs, while reducing errors
• Reduce the risk of system incompatibility
• Protect technology investments by removing the limitations of
closed, proprietary systems and solutions
• Enable the optimization of supply chain management practices
• Eliminate supply chain roadblocks and bottlenecks
Data Structures
A GTIN has a 14-digit data structure though its data carrier (bar code) may
contain only 12-digits (the U.P.C.), 13-digits (EAN-13) or 8-digits (EAN-8). The
GTIN is defined as a 14-digit number to accommodate all the different
structures.
1
2
3
UCC-12 (UPC)
0
0
D D D D D D D D D D D C
EAN/UCC-13
0
D D D D D D D D D D D D C
EAN/UCC-8
0
0
EAN/UCC-14
D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
0
4
0
5
0
6
0
7
8
9
10 11
12 13 14
D D D D D D D C
0 = leading zero; D = digit, C = check digit
Bar code labels
UPC-A
• local business
EAN-13
• International business
• Sell to national chains
Outsource?
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Outsource
Large quantities
Special materials
Color, coated, durable
Large budget
High quality,
hardware verifier
required
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Do it yourself
Small quantities
Std. paper labels
B/W, stock labels
Small/No budget
Reasonable quality,
standard scanner
verification
UPC Bar Codes
• Used in US markets
• 1st 6 digits are company
prefix
• Next 5 digits are trade
item number
• Last digit is calculated
check digit
EAN-13 Bar Codes
• EAN-13 bar codes used in
European markets
• Leading zero affixed to 6dit company prefix
• Next 5-digits are trade
item number
• Last digit is check digit
EAN/UCC-128 Bar Codes
• Used for cases and
bulk quantities
• Can include other info
such as weight and
quantity
Compliance Labeling
ITF-14
9
0614141 00010
c
1000 item container
7
0614141 00010
c
250 item box
5
0614141 00010
c
25 item pkg
0
0614141 00010
c
Single item
Indicator
Digit
Company
Prefix
Item
Number
ITF-14 Bar Codes
Used for shipping containers
10614141000415
U.C.C Membership?
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Membership
Manufacturer
Large business
Multiple products
uc-council.org
• $500/yr+
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Alternative
Reseller
Small Business
Single product
www.aureamedia.com
• $25/yr
Radio Frequency ID Tags
RFID tags are thumbnail sized devices that emit a radio
frequency and can be attached to a wide range of products.
pallets or cases of product
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Fast, Reliable
No contact required
Company assets
Apparel, luggage, laundry
People, livestock, or pets
High value electronics such as
computers, TVs, camcorders
• Books, DVD’s, Games
RFID Technology
RFID Applications
Summary
• Your POS solution’s success is dependant
on a good barcode label / Automatic Data
Capture solution.