Code 128 GS1 Barcodes in Excel

Following are some guidelines and best practices when creating Code 128 GS1 bar codes in Excel using the Softmatic Barcode Add-In.

Note: Code 128 GS1 is also known as 128 EAN and 128 UCC.

Code 128 General Information

Please see Code 128 in Excel for a discussion of 128 subsets, check digit calculation and the encoding of non-printable characters with Code 128.

Application Identifiers for Code 128 GS1

By common practice, application identifiers (AIs) are indicated by enclosing parantheses, e.g. "(01)" for AI 01 or "(3103)" for AI 3103.

The screenshot shows a properly formatted number in A1, the created code in A2. The data consists of a 14-digit GTIN (with AI 01) and a six digit weight (AI 3103), properly formatted with the required parentheses:

Excel Code 128 GS1 AI
The add-in handles all necessary conversion, like FNC1 insertion, check digit calculation, etc., in the background. It also formats the text under the code according to the GS1 specs.

The Softmatic Barcode Add-In for Excel currently (V5) supports the following identifiers:

Code Description Data Length (without AI)
00 Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) 18
01 Global Trade Item Number(GTIN) 14
02 GTIN of Contained Trade Items 14
10 Batch/Lot Number floating, max. 20
11 Production Date 6
12 Due Date 6
13 Packaging Date 6
15 Best Before Date (YYMMDD) 6
17 Expiration Date 6
20 Product Variant 2
21 Serial Number floating, max. 20
22 Secondary Data Fields floating, max. 29
23n Lot number n floating, max. 19
240 Additional Product Identification floating, max. 30
241 Customer Part Number floating, max. 30
242 Made-to-Order Variation Number floating, max. 6
250 Secondary Serial Number floating, max. 30
251 Reference to Source Entitn floating, max. 30
253 Global Document Type Identifier floating, 13F17
254 GLN Extension Component floating, max. 20
255 Global Coupon Number (GCN) floating, 13–25
30 Count of items floating, max. 8
310n Product Net Weight in kg 6
311n Product Length/1st Dimension, in meters 6
312n Product Width/Diameter/2nd Dimension, in meters 6
313n Product Depth/Thickness/Height/3rd Dimension, in meters 6
314n Product Area, in square meters 6
315n Product Net Volume, in liters 6
316n Product Net Volume, in cubic meters 6
320n Product Net Weight, in pounds 6
321n Product Length/1st Dimension, in inches 6
322n Product Length/1st Dimension, in feet 6
323n Product Length/1st Dimension, in yards 6
324n Product Width/Diameter/2nd Dimension, in inches 6
325n Product Width/Diameter/2nd Dimension, in feet 6
326n Product Width/Diameter/2nd Dimension, in yards 6
327n Product Depth/Thickness/Height/3rd Dimension, in inches 6
328n Product Depth/Thickness/Height/3rd Dimension, in feet 6
329n Product Depth/Thickness/3rd Dimension, in yards 6
330n Container Gross Weight (kg) 6
331n Container Length/1st Dimension (Meters) 6
332n Container Width/Diameter/2nd Dimension (Meters) 6
333n Container Depth/Thickness/3rd Dimension (Meters) 6
334n Container Area (Square Meters) 6
335n Container Gross Volume (Liters) 6
336n Container Gross Volume (Cubic Meters) 6
340n Container Gross Weight (Pounds) 6
341n Container Length/1st Dimension, in inches 6
342n Container Length/1st Dimension, in feet 6
343n Container Length/1st Dimension in, in yards 6
344n Container Width/Diameter/2nd Dimension, in inches 6
345n Container Width/Diameter/2nd Dimension, in feet 6
346n Container Width/Diameter/2nd Dimension, in yards 6
347n Container Depth/Thickness/Height/3rd Dimension, in inches 6
348n Container Depth/Thickness/Height/3rd Dimension, in feet 6
349n Container Depth/Thickness/Height/3rd Dimension, in yards 6
350n Product Area (Square Inches) 6
351n Product Area (Square Feet) 6
352n Product Area (Square Yards) 6
353n Container Area (Square Inches) 6
354n Container Area (Square Feet) 6
355n Container Area (Square Yards) 6
356n Net Weight (Troy Ounces) 6
357n Net Weight/Volume (Ounces) 6
360n Product Volume (Quarts) 6
361n Product Volume (Gallons) 6
362n Container Gross Volume (Quarts) 6
363n Container Gross Volume (U.S. Gallons) 6
364n Product Volume (Cubic Inches) 6
365n Product Volume (Cubic Feet) 6
366n Product Volume (Cubic Yards) 6
367n Container Gross Volume (Cubic Inches) 6
368n Container Gross Volume (Cubic Feet) 6
369n Container Gross Volume (Cubic Yards) 6
37 Number of Units Contained floating, max. 8
390n Amount payable (local currency) floating, max. 15
391n Amount payable (with ISO currency code) floating, 3–18
392n Amount payable per single item (local currency) floating, max. 15
393n Amount payable per single item (with ISO currency code) floating, 3–18
400 Customer Purchase Order Number floating, max. 30
401 Consignment Number floating, max. 30
402 Bill of Lading number 17
403 Routing code floating, max. 30
410 Ship To/Deliver To Location Code (Global Location Number) 13
411 Bill To/Invoice Location Code (Global Location Number) 13
412 Purchase From Location Code (Global Location Number) 13
413 Ship for, Deliver for, or Forward to Location Code (Global Location Number) 13
414 Identification of a physical location (Global Location Number) 13
420 Ship To/Deliver To Postal Code (Single Postal Authority) floating, max. 20
421 Ship To/Deliver To Postal Code (with ISO country code) floating, 3–15
422 Country of Origin (ISO country code) 3
423 Country or countries of initial processing floating, 3–15
424 Country of processing 3
425 Country of disassembln 3
426 Country of full process chain 3
7001 NATO Stock Number (NSN) 13
7002 UN/ECE Meat Carcasses and cuts classification floating, max. 30
7003 expiration date and time 10
7004 Active Potency floating, max. 4
703n Processor approval (with ISO country code); n indicates sequence number of several processors floating, 3–30
8001 Roll Products: Width/Length/Core Diameter/Direction/Splices 14
8002 Mobile phone identifier floating, max. 20
8003 Global Returnable Asset Identifier floating, 14–30
8004 Global Individual Asset Identifier floating, max. 30
8005 Price per Unit of Measure 6
8006 identification of the components of an item 18
8007 International Bank Account Number floating, max. 30
8008 Date/time of production floating, 8–12
8018 Global Service Relation Number 18
8020 Payment slip reference number floating, max. 25
8100 Coupon Extended Code: Number System and Offer 6
8101 Coupon Extended Code: Number System, Offer, End of Offer 10
8102 Coupon Extended Code: Number System preceded by 0 2
8110 Coupon code ID (North America) floating, max. 30
8200 Extended Packaging URL floating, max. 70
90 Mutually Agreed Between Trading Partners floating, max. 30
91–99 Internal Company Codes floating, max. 30