GS1 barcode nomenclature¶

GS1 nomenclature consolidates various product and supply chain data into a single barcode. Odoo takes in unique Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN), purchased by businesses, to enable global shipping, sales, and eCommerce product listing.

Configure GS1 nomenclature to scan barcodes of sealed boxes and identify essential product information, such as GTIN, lot number, quantity information, and more.

Important

GTINs are unique product identification that must be purchased from GS1 to use GS1 barcodes.

Set up barcode nomenclature¶

The list of GS1 rules and barcode patterns Odoo supports by default ships as the Default GS1 Nomenclature record and is always available; it does not need to be installed or enabled separately. To inspect or edit its rules, enable developer mode, then navigate to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Barcode Nomenclatures and select Default GS1 Nomenclature.

screenshot: barcode-gs1-nomenclature-setup

menu: Inventory ‣ Configuration ‣ Barcode Nomenclatures ‣ Default GS1 Nomenclature
shows: The "Default GS1 Nomenclature" record's rule table, listing GS1 rule names, types, encodings, and barcode patterns.
highlight: n/a
data: n/a
module: barcodes_gs1_nomenclature
notes: English UI, light theme, 1440px width, requires developer mode enabled.

In the rule table, view and edit the GS1 Rule Names available in Odoo. The table contains all the information that can be condensed with a GS1 barcode, along with the corresponding Barcode Pattern.

Important

Having the Default GS1 Nomenclature record available does not, by itself, make it the active nomenclature for the company (the one new scans are matched against). If the Point of Sale app is installed, the active nomenclature can be switched to it from Point of Sale app ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings ‣ Barcode Nomenclature. See Default barcode nomenclature for background on nomenclatures in general.

Use GS1 barcodes in Odoo¶

For product identification using GS1 barcodes in Odoo, businesses obtain a unique GTIN as an internationally distinct product identifier purchased from GS1. This GTIN is combined with specific product details following GS1’s designated barcode pattern. The barcode pattern’s arrangement of numbers and letters must adhere to GS1 conventions for accurate interpretation by global systems along the supply chain.

Every barcode starts with a 2-4 digit application identifier (A.I.). This required prefix universally indicates what kind of information the barcode contains. Odoo follows GS1 rules for identifying information, as detailed in the default GS1 rules list. Including the relevant A.I. from the list enables Odoo to correctly interpret GS1 barcodes. While most barcode patterns have a fixed length requirement, certain ones, such as lots and serial numbers, have flexible length.

Tip

For flexible-length barcode patterns not placed at the end of the GS1 barcode, use the FNC1 separator (\x1D) to end the barcode.

Example: The barcode pattern for lot numbers is 20 characters long. Instead of creating a 20-character lot number barcode, like LOT00000000000000001, use the FNC1 separator to make it shorter: LOT001x1D.

Refer to the GS1 nomenclature list to see a comprehensive list of all barcode patterns and rules to follow. Otherwise, refer to this GS1 usage doc for specific examples of combining GTIN to product information and configuring the workflow.

Create rules¶

GS1 rules are a specific format of information contained in the barcode, beginning with an A.I. and containing a defined length of characters. Scanning GS1 barcodes from the default GS1 list auto-fills corresponding data in the Odoo database.

Adding GS1 barcode rules in Odoo ensures accurate interpretation of unique, non-standard GS1 formats.

To do so, begin by turning on developer mode and navigating to the Barcode Nomenclatures list in Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Barcode Nomenclatures. Then, select the Default GS1 Nomenclature list item.

On the Default GS1 Nomenclature page, select Add a line at the bottom of the table, which opens a window to create a new rule. The Rule Name field is used internally to identify what the barcode represents. The barcode Types are different classifications of information that can be understood by the system (e.g. product, quantity, best before date, package, coupon). The Sequence represents the priority of the rule; this means the smaller the value, the higher the rule appears on the table. Odoo follows the sequential order of this table and will use the first rule it matches based on the sequence. The Barcode Pattern is how the sequence of letters or numbers is recognized by the system to contain information about the product.

After filling in the information, click the Save & New button to make another rule or click Save & Close to save and return to the table of rules.

Barcode troubleshooting¶

Since GS1 barcodes are challenging to work with, here are some checks to try when the barcodes are not working as expected:

Ensure that the Barcode Nomenclature setting is set as Default GS1 Nomenclature. Jump to the nomenclature setup section for more details.
Ensure that the fields scanned in the barcode are enabled in Odoo. For example, to scan a barcode containing lots and serial numbers, make sure the Lots & Serial Numbers feature is enabled in Odoo’s settings and on the product.
Omit punctuation such as parentheses () or brackets [] between the A.I. and the barcode sequence. These are typically used in examples for ease of reading and should not be included in the final barcode. For more details on building GS1 barcodes, go to this section.
When a single barcode contains multiple encoded fields, Odoo requires all rules to be listed in the barcode nomenclature for Odoo to read the barcode. This section details how to add new rules in the barcode nomenclature.
Test barcodes containing multiple encoded fields, piece by piece, to figure out which field is causing the issue.

Example
When testing a barcode containing the GTIN, lot number, and quantity, start by scanning the GTIN alone. Then, test the GTIN with the lot number, and finally, try scanning the whole barcode.
After diagnosing the encoded field is unknown, add new rules to Odoo’s default list to recognize GS1 barcodes with unique specifications.

Important
While the new field will be read, the information won’t link to an existing field in Odoo without developer customizations. However, adding new rules is necessary to ensure the rest of the fields in the barcode are interpreted correctly.

GS1 nomenclature list¶

The table below contains Odoo’s default list of GS1 rules. Barcode patterns are written in regular expressions. Only the first three rules require a check digit as the final character.

Rule Name	Type	Barcode Pattern	GS1 Content Type	Odoo field
Serial Shipping Container Code	Package	(00)(\d{18})	Numeric identifier	Package name
Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)	Unit Product	(01)(\d{14})	Numeric identifier	Barcode field on product form
GTIN of contained trade items	Unit Product	(02)(\d{14})	Numeric identifier	Packaging
Ship to / Deliver to global location	Destination location	(410)(\d{13})	Numeric identifier	Destination location
Ship / Deliver for forward	Destination location	(413)(\d{13})	Numeric identifier	Source location
I.D. of a physical location	Location	(414)(\d{13})	Numeric identifier	Location
Batch or lot number	Lot	(10) ([!”%-/0-9:-?A-Z_a-z]{0,20})	Alpha-numeric name	Lot
Serial number	Lot	(21) ([!”%-/0-9:-?A-Z_a-z]{0,20})	Alpha-numeric name	Serial number
Packaging date (YYMMDD)	Packaging Date	(13)(\d{6})	Date	Pack date
Best before date (YYMMDD)	Best before Date	(15)(\d{6})	Date	Best before date
Expiration date (YYMMDD)	Expiration Date	(17)(\d{6})	Date	Expiry date
Variable count of items	Quantity	(30)(\d{0,8})	Measure	UoM: Units
Count of trade items	Quantity	(37)(\d{0,8})	Measure	Qty in units for containers (AI 02)
Net weight: kilograms (kg)	Quantity	(310[0-5])(\d{6})	Measure	Qty in kg
Length in meters (m)	Quantity	(311[0-5])(\d{6})	Measure	Qty in m
Net volume: liters (L)	Quantity	(315[0-5])(\d{6})	Measure	Qty in L
Net volume: cubic meters (m³)	Quantity	(316[0-5])(\d{6})	Measure	Qty in m³
Length in inches (in)	Quantity	(321[0-5])(\d{6})	Measure	Qty in inches
Net weight/volume: ounces (oz)	Quantity	(357[0-5])(\d{6})	Measure	Qty in oz
Net volume: cubic feet (ft³)	Quantity	(365[0-5])(\d{6})	Measure	Qty in ft³
Packaging type	Packaging Type	(91) ([!”%-/0-9:-?A-Z_a-z]{0,90})	Alpha-numeric name	Package type

Print GS1 barcodes for lots and serial numbers¶

Labels for lots and serial numbers can be printed as plain barcodes, or as GS1-encoded barcodes that also carry the GTIN of the product. To enable the GS1 format, go to Inventory app ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings, and in the Traceability section under Lots & Serial Numbers, tick the box for Print GS1 Barcodes for Lots & Serial Numbers.

screenshot: barcode-gs1-nomenclature-print-lots-setting

menu: Inventory ‣ Configuration ‣ Settings ‣ Traceability ‣ Lots & Serial Numbers
shows: The "Print GS1 Barcodes for Lots & Serial Numbers" checkbox, ticked.
highlight: The checkbox (red frame).
data: Demo company "YourCompany" with Lots & Serial Numbers enabled.
module: stock
notes: English UI, light theme, 1440px width, crop to the Lots & Serial Numbers block.

Warning

GS1 lot and serial number barcodes require a 2D-capable scanner to be scanned. See Barcode scanner setup to ensure the equipment in use supports 2D barcodes.