How to use it
- Write each AI in brackets followed by its data, e.g. (01)09506000134352(17)271231(10)LOT42.
- Check the dates: (17) and (15) use YYMMDD.
- Download a PDF or print on 4×6 thermal labels.
Common Application Identifiers
| AI | Meaning | Format |
|---|---|---|
| (00) | SSCC: serial shipping container code (pallet ID) | 18 digits |
| (01) | GTIN of the trade item | 14 digits |
| (02) | GTIN of items contained in a logistic unit | 14 digits |
| (10) | Batch or lot number | up to 20 characters |
| (11) | Production date | YYMMDD |
| (15) | Best before date | YYMMDD |
| (17) | Expiration date | YYMMDD |
| (21) | Serial number | up to 20 characters |
| (37) | Count of items | up to 8 digits |
| (3103) | Net weight in kg, 3 decimals | 6 digits |
Why the brackets matter
The brackets are printed in the human-readable line but not encoded. Behind the scenes GS1-128 starts with a special FNC1 character and inserts separators after variable-length fields like lot numbers. Writing the AIs in brackets tells the generator exactly where each field begins and ends, and it checks lengths and digits so you catch mistakes before the label hits the dock.
Tips
- Put fixed-length AIs like (01) and (17) first and variable ones like (10) and (21) last. The barcode comes out shorter.
- Big retailers usually ask for the full GS1 logistic label on pallets. GS1-128 is the barcode part of it.
- For small items or healthcare, the same data fits in a tiny GS1 DataMatrix.