GS1-128 Barcode Generator
Write your data with Application Identifiers in brackets, for example (01)09506000134352(17)261231(10)LOT1, and get a valid GS1-128 barcode. The tool parses the brackets, inserts the FNC1 characters, verifies the check digit of GTIN and SSCC fields, and exports PNG, SVG or PDF without leaving your browser.
Generating…
Your data stays on your device.
How does it work?
- 1Enter the data as Application Identifiers in brackets, such as (01)09506000134352(17)261231(10)LOT1.
- 2Read the valid/invalid indicator; if a GTIN or SSCC check digit is wrong, the message points to the problem.
- 3Adjust bar width, bar height and whether the human-readable line is shown, then pick the colours.
- 4Download the barcode as PNG, SVG or a vector PDF.
What is GS1-128 Barcode Generator?
GS1-128 is not a separate set of bars but a way of using Code 128. It starts with the normal Code 128 start character followed by FNC1 in first position, which tells scanners that what follows is structured with GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs). Scanners report it with the symbology identifier ]C1. Older documents call it UCC/EAN-128.
Each AI is a two- to four-digit prefix that defines the data after it. Common ones are (01) GTIN-14, (02) GTIN of contained items, (10) batch or lot, (11) production date, (15) best-before date, (17) expiry date, (21) serial number, (37) count of units and (00) SSCC. Dates use YYMMDD, and a day of 00 means the last day of the month. Fixed-length AIs such as (01), (00) and (17) run straight into the next one, while variable-length AIs such as (10) or (21) must be followed by an FNC1 separator unless they come last. The brackets you type are only for readability and are not encoded.
A GS1-128 symbol may carry up to 48 data characters, not counting the start, FNC1, check and stop characters. It is mainly a logistics and healthcare symbol: pallet and carton labels, batch and expiry marking on supplier packs, and any place where more than a plain GTIN must be scanned in one pass.
When should you use it?
- You print logistics labels that combine a GTIN, a batch number and a date on one line.
- A customer's routing guide requires a GS1-128 pallet or carton label with an SSCC in AI (00).
- You need expiry and lot data on a supplier pack, following the AI order agreed with your partner.
- You want to test how a scanner or warehouse system parses a specific AI string.
GS1-128 versus plain Code 128
Both use exactly the same bars, but a plain Code 128 barcode carries free text that the receiving system must interpret by itself. GS1-128 adds FNC1 and the AI structure, so any GS1-aware scanner can split the value into GTIN, date, batch and so on. If your text is not made of AIs, use the Code 128 tool instead.
Privacy
This tool runs in your browser. What you type, paste or open is processed on your device by JavaScript and is not sent to our servers, stored or shared. Your data stays on your device.
The AI string is converted to bars locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and the barcode contains only the data you typed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I type the brackets?
Yes. Write each AI in parentheses, followed by its value, for example (10)ABC123(21)0001. The tool removes the brackets and encodes the AIs and their values. Keep the digits of fixed-length AIs complete, for example 14 digits after (01).
Which AI should come first?
Order is up to the agreement between trading partners, but put fixed-length AIs first and a variable-length AI such as (10) last. That saves an FNC1 separator and keeps the barcode shorter and easier to scan.
What check digits does the tool verify?
It verifies the GS1 modulo-10 check digit of GTIN fields such as (01) and of SSCC in (00). It cannot know whether a batch number or a serial is meaningful for your business, and it does not verify that the GTIN belongs to you.
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