1 Introduction
The Global Location Number (GLN) provides a global supply chain solution by uniquely identifying parties and locations that are involved in business transactions.
The GLN Allocation Rules Standard and contained GLN Management Rules is designed to help industry make consistent decisions about the unique identification of parties and locations in open supply chains. This standard has been developed in accordance with the GS1 Global Standards Management Process (GSMP) and is considered part of the GS1 system of standards. Overall, costs are minimised when all partners in the supply chain adhere to the GLN Allocation Rules Standard.
Unique identification is critical to maintaining operational efficiencies that business partners rely on to exchange information in consistent ways, as well as, ensuring the smooth operations of global supply and value chains. More specifically, the unique identification of parties and locations is critical for efficient logistic operations, traceability programs, recall readiness, and more. It is essential that accurate and up-to-date information on parties and locations is able to be readily shared between business partners to allow the “who” and “where” of business to be reliably answered no matter the use case.
For further standards and guidance relating to GLN, please refer to the following:
■ GS1 General Specifications provides details on which party allocates GLNs, GLN non-reuse, GS1 Application Identifiers, how GLN may be encoded in GS1 barcodes, and application standards
■ GS1 Digital Link Standards provides technical standards for enabling consistent representation of GLN within web addresses to link to online information and services
■ EPC Tag Data Standard defines how GLN is used with Electronic Product Code™ and RFID tags
■ Core Business Vocabulary Standard specifies the structure of vocabularies and specific values for GLN to be utilised in conjunction with the GS1 EPCIS standard
■ GS1 Web Vocabulary is designed to extend the work done by schema.org and makes use of similar concepts (i.e., Location, Organization), extending them with many more detailed properties
■ Healthcare GLN Implementation Guideline provides implementation guidance for those considering the use of GLN in healthcare
1.1 Guiding principles
1.2 Defining a new party/location compared to a change
1.3 GS1 standards and legal/regulatory compliance
1.4 GLN Management Rules and allocation discretion
1.5 Dal Giardino
The GLN Management Rules provide an industry standard to create practical business value, specifically, when there is a need to identify a party or location for the first time or when pre-defined information changes that is associated to an existing party or location. The following guiding principles should be considered when developing a GLN allocation strategy or when introducing changes to an existing party or location:
■ Does a stakeholder (e.g., care providers, consumers, patients, regulatory authorities and/or trading partners) need to distinguish the changed or new party/location from previous/current party/location?
■ Is there a regulatory/liability disclosure requirement by the stakeholder?
■ Is there a substantial impact to the supply chain (e.g., where (or to/from whom) the product is shipped, stored, and/or received)?
At least one of the guiding principles must apply to require a new GLN to be allocated.
When making decisions about party and location identification, it is important to understand the differences between what is new and what is a change to a party or location being identified by an existing GLN.
■ New: A new party or location is considered an addition to what already exists and has been allocated a GLN. The GLN Management Rules state that if a new party or location is required, it SHALL be allocated a new GLN to accurately distinguish it from any existing party or location. (e.g., a new legal entity is formed)
■ Change: A change is considered an update to information associated to a pre-existing party or location that is already identified by a GLN. The GLN Management Rules define when a change to certain attributes of an existing party or location are such that a new GLN is required. (e.g., an existing store relocates to a new town)
Note: Not all changes will require a new GLN per the GLN Management Rules.
■ Discontinue use: When a party or location no longer needs to be actively used, the associated GLN will be discontinued. The GLN Management Rules define when a change to a party or location will result in the discontinued use of a GLN. (e.g., a distribution centre permanently closes)
□ Updates to GS1 Company Prefix or individual GS1 identification key licensing status are separate from the GLN Management Rules and SHALL be assessed based on GS1 General Specifications section 1.6 Allocation.
2 General
2.1 Use of GLN
2.2 Using GLN to identify a single or combination of party/location
2.3 Impact of a GLN change on other GLNs
There are a wide variety of parties and locations that can be identified by GLNs. A single GLN can be used to identify a single party or location or a combination of the two. A separate, unique GLN is required to be allocated whenever there is a need to distinguish one party and/or location from another.
Example:
■ GLN A identifies Dal Giardino as a legal entity and Dal Giardino’s corporate headquarters as a physical location; or
■ GLN A identifies Dal Giardino as a legal entity and GLN B identifies Dal Giardino’s corporate headquarters as a physical location
For details, see section 2.2.
2.1.1 Party identification
A party is defined as an entity that needs to be represented in a business-related transaction. A GLN identifying a party answers the question of “who” is involved within the use case leveraging GS1 standards. This may be a legal entity or function that defines who is transacting in a scenario.
A legal entity is any business, government body, department, charity, individual, or institution that has standing in the eyes of the law and has the capacity to enter into agreements or contracts.
A function is an organisational subdivision or department that is most commonly segmented based on the specific tasks being performed, as defined by the organisation.
Figure 2‑1 Examples of a party
2.1.2 Location identification
GLN identifying locations are used to answer the question of “where” something has been, is, or will be. A location can be either physical or digital in nature.
A physical location is a tangible place that may be represented by an address, coordinates, or other means. A physical location within another physical location can be allocated its own GLN.
A digital location is an electronic (non-physical) address that is used for communication between computer systems.
Figure 2‑2 Examples of a location
2.1.2.1 Sub-location identification
When internal to an organisation, sub-locations may be identified by GLN or by GLN with a GLN extension component.
GLN is the mandatory identifier of locations and sub-locations when used across open value chains. GLN with GLN extension component may be exchanged, by mutual agreement, between two or more parties when the standard being used supports GLN extension component. This means that companies must confirm that their internal systems and the external systems expected to interact with the GLN extension components are able to receive and process information related to the physical location identified by a GLN and the sub-location identified by a GLN extension component through interoperable means.
Migration to GLN for sub-location identification is mandatory for open value chain use or if a partial acquisition of sub-locations occurs in the future.
Important: A GLN extension component SHALL only be used in conjunction with a GLN identifying a physical location. While a single GLN may be used to identify a party and separately to identify a location, a GLN extension component SHALL only be associated with the physical location.
Figure 2‑3 Sub-location identification example
*EC is used to represent GLN extension component in Figure 2‑3
A single GLN can be used to identify a party, a location, or combination of these. What the GLN identifies will determine what information is associated to the GLN, how the GLN may be shared, and how the GLN Management Rules apply.
Important: When a single GLN is used to identify a combination of parties and/or locations, the GLN Management Rules applicable to all parties and locations identified SHALL apply.
Example: If a single GLN is used to identify and share information about a legal entity and physical location, rules specific to either the party or location could result in a change to the GLN.
2.2.1 Use of GLN to identify single party or single location
Party and location use cases can be complex and have overlapping elements. When a single GLN identifies a single party or location, multiple GLNs can be used in any combination required by specific use cases without overlap or duplication. As an organisation expands, additional parties and locations can be allocated new GLNs. If a party or location is discontinued, it can be removed from use with minimal impact to other GLNs as the information associated to the GLNs are designed to function independently.
Some companies may need to create more GLNs to meet use cases such as the following:
■ Identify individual departments (functions) for budgetary and administrative purposes
■ Identify multiple delivery locations within a facility
■ Identify production facilities to meet regulatory and consumer requirements
■ Identify and barcode storage, delivery, and processing locations
■ Identify individual rooms to track where and when patients are treated, products are moved, or other transactions occur
Use of a GLN to identify a single party or a single location can support more complex use cases than allocating a GLN to identify a combination of parties and locations.
When unique GLNs are used to identify each department and room separately, no GLN changes would be required if parties were to change locations or if a new GLN was added.
Example:
If an IT department (GLN A) is working in Room 1 (GLN C) but needs to operate in another location (GLN E), there is no need to change GLN A as it can be linked to a GLN identifying a physical location based on the use case. This would apply to any function that is identified by a GLN not identifying any other party or location. The GLNs identifying parties can be freely associated to the GLNs identifying locations as needed as they exist independently. This example could occur as the result of a relocation of the function or the function occupying multiple physical locations.
Figure 2‑4 GLN relationship example
2.2.2 Use of same GLN to identify a combination of party/location
Where separate identification of any legal entity, function, or location, is required, a separate GLN SHALL be allocated. A single GLN MAY be used to identify a combination of a legal entity, function, physical location, and/or digital location. This means that the GLN MAY be allocated to:
■ one legal entity, and/or
■ one function, and/or
■ one physical location, and/or
■ one digital location
When a single GLN is used to identify a combination of a legal entity, function, physical location, and/or digital location simultaneously, all standards and rules associated to the individual party or location identified by the GLN SHALL be applied. This includes but is not limited to allocation and management rules.
Companies with limited identification requirements can successfully utilise a single GLN to identify one legal entity, function, physical location, and/or digital location simultaneously. Companies using this method of GLN allocation may experience issues when scaling due to business needs or trying to meet more complex use case requirements.
Example 1:
Dal Giardino allocated GLN A to identify their organisation as a legal entity. GLN A also has the Risotto Drive address designated as a physical location. Dal Giardino only exists at this location. There are no further party or location identification needs. This allocation method will allow GLN A to be used to meet party and/or location use case needs involving Dal Giardino and/or the Risotto Drive location.
Figure 2‑5 GLN identifying party and location example
Example 2:
As a company expands and begins to identify additional parties and locations throughout their organisation, additional GLNs SHALL be required to avoid duplication and overlapping details. In Figure 2‑6, Dal Giardino has allocated GLN B to uniquely identify their IT department separate from their legal entity.
Figure 2‑6 GLN identification expansion example
Important: If a change occurs that may affect multiple GLNs, all impacted GLNs SHALL be assessed independently based on the GLN Management Rules. (e.g., merger or split) Other changes to GS1 Company Prefix or individual GS1 identification key licensing status SHALL be assessed based on GS1 General Specifications section 1.6 Allocation. GS1 Company Prefix or GS1 identification key licensees SHOULD refer to GS1 Member Organisations for details specific to their licences.
Example 1:
GS1 Garden Company dissolved their legal entity and then formed a new legal entity under a different framework. As a result, their legal entity GLN must change. A new GLN is allocated to the newly formed legal entity. All pre-existing GLNs that GS1 Garden Company had in use are reassociated to the new GLN identifying Dal Giardino as a legal entity. The pre-existing GLNs do not need to be discontinued or changed.
Figure 2‑7 Update to GLN example 1
Example 2:
A company has three GLNs allocated: GLN A identifies a legal entity, GLN B identifies a warehouse, and GLN C identifies an accounting department.
The company makes a change which requires them to change GLN B. No changes occurred to the GS1 Company Prefix licensing. GLNs A and C remain the same because the modifications only impact GLN B.
Figure 2‑8 Update to GLN example 2
2.3.1 Impact to GLN extension component
GLN extension components only have meaning when associated to a GLN identifying a physical location. A GLN extension component SHALL only be used internally by an organisation or through mutual agreement between partners to identify a sub-location on or within the location of the GLN identifying the physical location. See section 2.1.2.1 for details. Discontinuation of a GLN automatically discontinues the associated GLN extension component(s). When a sub-location associated to a discontinued GLN extension component needs to be identified within a new physical location, it would need to be allocated a new GLN or reassociated to a new GLN.
Example:
GLN H was discontinued as the result of a building remodel that modified the physical location. As a result, the GLN extension components that were associated to GLN H were also made inactive. The shelf slots remained relevant to the new space, so the GLN extension components were reassociated with GLN K.
Figure 2‑9 Update to GLN and GLN extension components
*EC is used to represent GLN extension component in Figure 2‑9
3 GLN Management Rules
This section details when a GLN must be allocated as the result of a new party/location being defined or a change to an existing party/location occurring.
All of the guiding principles and GLN Management Rules need to be taken into account when making the final decision of whether or not to change a GLN.
Note: The GLN Management Rules apply for changes occurring as a result of business continuity practices.
3.1 New party/location introduction
3.2 Party/location split
3.3 Party/location merger
3.4 Change of party/location use or purpose
3.5 Change to party/location address
3.6 Party/location name change
3.7 Financial change
3.8 Contact change
A new party or location is considered an addition to what already exists and has been allocated a GLN.
When a new party and/or location is added that will engage in business transactions, it must be allocated a new GLN.
■ Identification of a new legal entity
□ New GLN: When a new legal entity is added that will engage in business transactions, it must be allocated a new GLN.
■ Identification of a new function
□ New GLN: When a new function is added that will engage in business transactions, it must be allocated a new GLN if it needs to be distinguished from other functions in business transactions.
■ Identification of a new physical location
□ New GLN: When a new physical location is added that will engage in business transactions, it must be allocated a new GLN.
■ Identification of a new digital location
□ New GLN: When a new digital location is added that will be used in business transactions it should be allocated a new GLN.
Relevant guiding principles
This table represents the guiding principles most likely to be impacted by identifying a new legal entity, function, physical location or digital location with a GLN. Unique situations could occur that impact additional guiding principles and would require a new GLN. Refer to section 1.1.for more details.
Figure 3‑1 Relevant guiding principles for new party/location introduction
*Discontinuing or replacing GLNs identifying physical locations will impact any existing GLN extension components. See section 2.3.1 for more detail.
A split occurs when the party/location being identified by a single GLN is divided into two or more parties/locations. This can include a single party or location dividing into multiple parties or locations or a GLN identifying a combination of party/location being divided to only represent a single part/location.
When a party or location is divided into multiple parties/locations, one may keep the existing GLN, provided that the company is authorised to use the GS1 Company Prefix or individually licensed GLN.
Any party/location resulting from the split that does not keep the original GLN will be classified as being new and must be allocated a new GLN section 3.1.
■ Legal entity split
□ Same GLN: When a legal entity is split into multiple entities, one of the legal entities may keep the existing GLN.
□ New GLN: The other legal entities need to be allocated new GLNs.
- Example: When Company A (Same GLN) creates a wholly owned division which operates as Company B (New GLN)
■ Function split
□ Same GLN: When a function is split into multiple functions, one of these functions may keep the original GLN
□ New GLN: The other functions require new GLNs.
- Example: Shipping/Receiving is split to Shipping (Same GLN) and Receiving (New GLN)
■ Physical location split
□ Same GLN: When a physical location is split into multiple locations, one of the physical locations may retain the original GLN.
□ New GLN: The other physical locations require new GLNs.
- Example: Rural farmland can be divided into smaller units by the owner (no entity ownership changes or address change, e.g., rural route #1 or geopositioned location).
- Example: A retail location is split into two smaller locations by the building owner.
■ Digital location split
□ Same GLN: When a digital location is split into multiple digital locations, one digital location may retain the original GLN if the digital location remains with the original legal entity and keeps the same core attributes.
□ New GLN: The other digital locations will require new GLNs.
- Example: Where a test/development location is created to run in parallel to a live environment within the same framework.
Relevant guiding principles
This table represents the guiding principles most likely to be impacted by a party or location split for a GLN identifying a legal entity, function, physical location, and digital location. Unique situations could occur that impact additional guiding principles. Refer to section 1.1 for more details.
Figure 3‑2 Relevant guiding principles for party/location split
*Discontinuing or replacing GLNs identifying physical locations will impact any existing GLN extension components. See section 2.3.1 for more detail.
A merger occurs when two or more parties/locations are combined into a single party/location.
When a party or location is merged with another so that they will no longer function independently, one of the existing GLNs may remain in use. All other GLNs merged SHALL be removed from active use once their transition is completed. Where the merger does not impact a GLN, one may keep the existing GLN, provided that the company is authorised to use the GS1 Company Prefix or individually licensed GLN.
■ Legal entities being merged or acquired
□ Same GLN: When two or more legal entities merge, one of the existing GLNs identifying a legal entity may remain in use to identify the merged entities.
□ Discontinue Use: The remaining GLNs that were merged.
■ Functions being merged
□ Same GLN: When two or more functions are merged one of the existing GLNs identifying a function may remain in use to identify the merged functions.
□ Discontinue Use: The remaining GLNs that were merged.
■ Physical locations being merged
□ Same GLN: When two or more physical locations are merged one of the existing GLNs identifying a location may remain in use to identify the merged locations.
□ Discontinue Use: The remaining GLNs that were merged.
■ Digital locations being merged
□ Same GLN: When two or more digital locations are merged, one of the existing GLNs may be retained to identify the whole digital location.
□ Discontinue Use: The remaining GLNs that were merged.
Note: Discontinuation of GLNs SHOULD be communicated to business partners
Relevant guiding principles
A party/location merger does not require a new GLN to be allocated.
A change of use or purpose occurs when the activities, purpose, or functionality of a party/location is modified resulting in persistent differences in how that party/location can be interacted with.
Changes to the activities, purpose, or functionality of a party or location which impact the guiding principles require a new GLN.
■ Change to legal framework
□ New GLN: In cases of changes to a legal entity which impact the guiding principles, a new GLN may be required. Please contact your local GS1 Member Organisation for additional information on local requirements.
□ Example: A company registered under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act elects to become a for profit corporation and re-registers under the Canada Business Corporations Act.
■ Change of the function purpose
□ New GLN: In cases of changes to a function’s purpose which impact the guiding principles:
- Example: If cold storage reception no longer has a cold storage capability, a new GLN must be allocated.
■ Change of use of the physical location
□ New GLN: When activities carried out at a physical location or its purpose change in a way which impact the guiding principles, a new GLN is required.
- Example: A distribution centre is converted into office space
■ Change to system purpose / scope of a digital location
□ New GLN: In cases of changes to the purpose or scope of a digital location which impact the guiding principles, a new GLN is required.
- Example: The GLN will be changed when a major software update is made, e.g., different vendor or major upgrade.
- Example: Company A is using GLNs to identify systems for their EDI gateway. To distinguish between production, test and development environments, separate GLNs are used.
□ Same GLN: If changes to the purpose or scope of a digital location do not impact the guiding principles, the GLN can remain the same.
- Example: Software and/or hardware updates occur that do not impact the guiding principles.
Relevant guiding principles
This table represents the guiding principles most likely to be impacted by a change in party or location use or purpose for a GLN identifying a legal entity, function, physical location, and digital location. Unique situations could occur that impact additional guiding principles. Refer to section 1.1 for more details.
Figure 3‑3 Relevant guiding principles for change of party/location use or purpose
*Discontinuing or replacing GLNs identifying physical locations will impact any existing GLN extension components. See section 2.3.1 for more detail.
A change to party/location address occurs when the location reference point for interacting with the party/location is modified. This may be a change to an address, coordinates, geofence, or other location reference.
Figure 3‑4 provides an overview of the address changes included in section 3.5.
Figure 3‑4 Change to party/location address overview
3.5.1 Physical and digital location address change
Changes to the access point, coordinates, or other representation of location which impact the guiding principles require the allocation of a new GLN.
■ Change of the physical location
□ New GLN: When the access address of a physical location changes.
- Example: Moved to a different building
- Example: A physical location is required to register with a government body to comply with regulations.
■ Municipal address change without physical change
□ Same GLN: When the address of a physical location is changed by the authorities, but the actual physical coordinates of the location remain unchanged.
- Example: Municipality assigns new street names and numbers. A building stays physically at the same spot but its access address or entry gate changes.
■ Change to network address (retrieved via the GLN)
□ New GLN: Where the GLN is used as a key to retrieve the network address from a metadata repository.
- Example: URL access point changes from https://api.example.com/mycojmpany/invoce to https://api.example.com/mycojmpany/xml-invoce
Relevant guiding principles
This table represents the guiding principles most likely to be impacted by a party or location address change for a GLN identifying a legal entity, function, physical location, and digital location. Unique situations could occur that impact additional guiding principles. Refer to section 1.1 for more details.
Figure 3‑5 Relevant guiding principles for physical and digital location address change
*Discontinuing or replacing GLNs identifying physical locations will impact any existing GLN extension components. See section 2.3.1 for more detail.
3.5.1.1 Mobile location exception
When a GLN is designated as identifying a mobile location, changes to address, coordinates, or other representation of location do not require the allocation of a new GLN.
■ Movement of mobile locations
□ Same GLN: Where a GLN is pre-designated as being a mobile, physical location that is capable of moving to different locations
- Example: An ambulance functions as a location where patients received treatment, assets are stored, and trade items must be stocked.
- Example: A food truck changes its location frequently throughout the day. The operator may have a need to track and share location for a variety of reasons that could including providing proof that it operated within permitted areas, where deliveries should be made to, and/or where those looking to interact with the food truck can find it.
- Example: Transport means such as ships and airplanes may also be shipment destinations. In such cases, these types of locations are best treated as facilities, with the GLN as main identifier. Although transport means do not have a fixed address the GLN allows for easy adoption of existing standards, such as eCommerce order-to-cash.
3.5.2 Legal entity and function relocation
Changes to the location(s) associated to a legal entity or function do not require the allocation of a new GLN.
■ Relocation of a legal entity
□ Same GLN: When a GLN identifying a legal entity that is not also being used to identify a physical location relocates to a different address, the GLN may remain the same.
- Example: Company moves from New York to Los Angeles
■ Changing operating location(s) of a function
□ Same GLN: When a GLN identifying a function that is not also being used to identify a physical location relocates to a different address, the GLN may remain the same.
□ Same GLN: For functions that continually operate at various locations, the GLN may remain the same.
- Example: The maternity ward is based on the second floor, wing B, but sometimes also utilises rooms in wing C.
Relevant guiding principles: While many situations involving party relocations will not impact the guiding principles, certain scenarios may. Refer to section 1.1 for more details.
A name change occurs when updates to how a party/location is officially referred to take place.
Changes to the name of a party or location do not require the allocation of a new GLN.
■ Change to legal name
□ Same GLN: Change to enterprise legal name does not require the GLN to be changed.
- Example: A company changes their legal, authoritative name
- Example: A warehouse that was previously called Warehouse West was updated to Warehouse Alpha
Note: Changes to names commonly result from changes outlined in other rules, such as, mergers, acquisitions, legal framework changes, or splits.
Relevant guiding principles: While many situations involving name changes will not impact the guiding principles, certain scenarios may. Refer to section 1.1 for more details.
Financial changes refer to updates to information needed to process payments between business entities.
Changes to the financial information associated to a party or location do not require the allocation of a new GLN.
■ Change to tax registration number of legal entity
□ Same GLN: when the tax registration number of the legal entity changes
- Example: VAT (value added tax) registration number of the legal entity changes.
■ Change to financial account information
□ Same GLN: When the financial account information associated with the function changes.
- Example: Bank routing number was changed
- Example: Financial information associated to a GLN was removed and not replaced with new information
Relevant guiding principles: While many situations involving financial changes will not impact the guiding principles, certain scenarios may. Refer to section 1.1 for more details.
A change to contact information refers to updates to details on how to communicate with a party/location.
Changes to the contact information associated to a party or location do not require the allocation of a new GLN.
■ Change to contact details of legal entity
□ Same GLN: When the legal entity contact details (visiting address, postal address, phone number, e-mail address, etc.) change
- Example: Change of the email address of the company headquarters
■ Change of the function contact details
□ Same GLN: When the function's contact details change
- Example: The individual within the accounting department that acted at primary point-of-contact for billing left the company, so all associated contact details were updated
- Example: Change to phone number for emergency contact for facilities/maintenance
- Example: An e-mail that supports the system identified by the GLN is added
Relevant guiding principles: While many situations involving contact changes will not impact the guiding principles, certain scenarios may. Refer to section 1.1 for more details.
Contributors and Change Log
Contributors
Log of Changes
Useful links:
* PDF version of the GS1 GLN Allocation Rules Standard
* More information on the GS1 Global Location Numbers (GLN)