GS1 Global Data Model Attribute Implementation Guide

1 Introduction

2 Trade Item Hierarchy

• 2.1 Simple Hierarchy



 

GTIN	Packaging Level Code	Product Description	Count of Each Specific Product	GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) of the Contained Product	Number of Different Products	Total Count of All Products	Base Unit Indicator	Consumer Unit Indicator	Orderable Unit Indicator	Shipping Unit Indicator	Number of Layers per GTIN	Number of Units per Layer in a GTIN
GTIN A	Base Unit or Each	ACME Regulation Size Orange Basketball 29.5"					True	True	False	False
GTIN B	Pack or Inner Pack	ACME Regulation Size Orange Basketball 29.5”, 4 pack	4	GTIN A	1	4	False	True	False	False
GTIN C	Case	ACME Regulation Size Orange Basketball 29.5”, 4 pack / 2	2	GTIN B	1	2	False	False	True	True
GTIN D	Pallet	ACME Regulation Size Orange Basketball 29.5”, 4 pack / 2 / 4	4	GTIN C	1	4	False	False	False	True	2	2

 

 

 

• 2.2 Non-GTIN Pallet Hierarchy



GTIN	Packaging Level Code	Product Description	Count of Each Specific Product	GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) of the Contained Product	Number of Different Products	Total Count of All Products	Base Unit Indicator	Consumer Unit Indicator	Orderable Unit Indicator	Shipping Unit Indicator	Count of This Specific Item in a Non-GTIN Logistic Unit	Number of Layers per non-GTIN Pallet	Number of Units per Layer in a non-GTIN Pallet
GTIN A	Base Unit or Each	ACME Regulation Size Orange Basketball 29.5"					True	True	False	False
GTIN B	Pack or Inner Pack	ACME Regulation Size Orange Basketball 29.5”, 4 pack	4	GTIN A	1	4	False	True	False	False
GTIN C	Case	ACME Regulation Size Orange Basketball 29.5”, 4 pack / 2	2	GTIN B	1	2	False	False	True	True	4	2	2

 

 

 

 

• 2.3 Complex Hierarchy



GTIN	Packaging Level Code	Product Description	Count of Each Specific Product	GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) of the Contained Product	Number of Different Products	Total Count of All Products	Base Unit Indicator	Consumer Unit Indicator	Orderable Unit Indicator	Shipping Unit Indicator	Number of Layers per GTIN	Number of Units per Layer in a GTIN
GTIN A	Base Unit or Each	ACME Ocean Mist Disinfectant Spray 25 oz					True	True	False	False
GTIN B	Base Unit or Each	ACME Lavender Disinfectant Spray 25 oz					True	True	False	False
GTIN C	Pack or Inner Pack	ACME Ocean Mist Disinfectant Spray 25 oz / 4 ACME Lavender Disinfectant Spray 25 oz / 4, 8 pack	4 4	GTIN A GTIN B	2	8	False	True	False	False
GTIN D	Case	ACME Ocean Mist Disinfectant Spray 25 oz / 4 ACME Lavender Disinfectant Spray 25 oz / 4, 8 pack / 4	4	GTIN C	1	4	False	False	True	True
GTIN E	Pallet	ACME Ocean Mist Disinfectant Spray 25 oz / 4 ACME Lavender Disinfectant Spray 25 oz / 4, 8 pack / 4 / 4	4	GTIN D	1	4	False	False	False	True	2	2




• 2.4 Variety Pack Hierarchy

A variety Pack is a predefined pack of two or more trade items that are combined and sold together as a single trade item.



GTIN	Packaging Level Code	Product Description	Count of Each Specific Product	GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) of the Contained Product	Number of Different Products	Total Count of All Products	Base Unit Indicator	Consumer Unit Indicator	Orderable Unit Indicator	Shipping Unit Indicator	Number of Layers per GTIN	Number of Units per Layer in a GTIN
GTIN A	Base Unit or Each	ACME Cheese Flavored Snacks 2.0 oz					True	True	False	False
GTIN B	Base Unit or Each	ACME Ranch Flavored Snacks 2.0 oz					True	True	False	False
GTIN C	Base Unit or Each	ACME BBQ Flavored Snacks 1.75 oz.					True	True	False	False
GTIN D	Base Unit or Each	ACME Sun-Dried Tomato Flavored Snacks 1.75 oz					True	True	False	False
GTIN E	Pack or Inner Pack	ACME Snacks, Mix Variety Pack, 30 ct Single Bags	12 4 10 4	GTIN A GTIN B GTIN C GTIN D	4	30	False	True	False	False
GTIN F	Case	ACME Snacks, Mix Variety Pack, 30 ct / 4	4	GTIN E	1	4	False	False	True	True
GTIN G	Pallet	ACME Snacks, Mix Variety Pack, 30 Single Bags/ 4 / 32	32	GTIN F	1	32	False	False	False	True	4	8




• 2.5 Loose or Prepacked Product Hierarchy



GTIN	Packaging Level Code	Product Description	Count of Each Specific Product	GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) of the Contained Product	Number of Different Products	Total Count of All Products	Base Unit Indicator	Consumer Unit Indicator	Orderable Unit Indicator	Shipping Unit Indicator	Number of Layers per GTIN	Number of Units per Layer in a GTIN	Variable Measure Indicator	Loose or Pre-Packed Code
GTIN A	Base Unit or Each	ACME Honeycrisp Apples 1 ea.					True	True	False	False			True	Loose
GTIN B	Case	ACME Honeycrisp Apples 40 lbs.	1	GTIN A	1	1	False	False	True	True			True	Loose
GTIN C	Pallet	ACME Honeycrisp Apples 40 lbs. / 7 / 5	35	GTIN B	1	35	False	False	False	True	7	5	True	Loose

• 2.6 Hierarchy Attributes – Business Process Notes

These attributes must be evaluated in conjunction with each other to understand a specific GTIN.

BMS ID	ADB Name	ADB Business Definition	Business Process Notes
56	Base Unit Indicator	The indicator that specifies this product does not contain another intended sellable unit.	The lowest level of the hierarchy shall be designated as the base unit. The base unit has no smaller units identified by a GTIN contained within it. In the case of assortments, each hierarchy shall have at least one base unit.
57	Consumer Unit Indicator	The indicator that specifies the product can be purchased or, in some trade channels (e.g., food service, healthcare), used by, the consumer.	At least one level of the hierarchy shall be designated as a consumer unit. Consumer units are the levels of the hierarchy designated for sale to the customer.
58	Shipping Unit Indicator	The indicator identifying that the information provider considers the trade item as a shipping unit.	It is expected that at least one level of the hierarchy be designated as a shipping unit. Exceptions include services and empty returnable assets.
60	Orderable Unit Indicator	The indicator that specifies the product can be ordered.	At least one level of the hierarchy shall be designated as an orderable unit. The orderable unit and the shipping unit do not need to be the same, but often are.
66	Packaging Level Code	The code that describes the product's packaging level.	Packaging Level Code indicates whether the unit is an each, case, pack, etc. It does not imply that a unit is a consumer, shipping or orderable unit.
199	Number of Different Products	The number of different products, each with a unique GTIN, within this item.	This is the number of unique GTINs at the next lower level of the hierarchy. The attribute does not have to be populated if the product is a base unit.
200	Total Count of All Products	The total count of all products within this item.	This is the sum all pieces in the package, regardless of GTIN.
202	Count of Each Specific Product	The count of each specific product within this item.	This attribute shows the total quantity of each unique GTIN on the next lower level of the hierarchy, by unique GTIN. Count of Each Specific Product and GTIN of the Contained Product shall be populated together.
3619	Count of This Specific Item in a Non-GTIN Logistic Unit	The count of this specific item in the non-GTIN logistic unit.	When a product is associated with a pallet to which no GTIN is assigned, this attribute is populated on the highest hierarchy level to which a GTIN is assigned.
203	GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) of the Contained Product	The GTIN that uniquely identifies the next lower level product within the packaging/item hierarchy.	This attribute provides the GTIN referenced in the attribute Count of Each Specific Product. Count of Each Specific Product and GTIN of the Contained Product shall be populated together.
3614	Number of Layers per GTIN	The number of complete layers in the logistic unit identified by a GTIN, such as a pallet.	Number of layers may also be known regionally as “HI”.
3616	Number of Layers per non-GTIN Pallet	The number of complete layers in the pallet not identified by a GTIN.	When a product is associated with a pallet to which no GTIN is assigned, this attribute is populated on the highest hierarchy level to which a GTIN is assigned.
3618	Number of Units per Layer in a GTIN	The number of units in a complete layer in a logistic unit identified by a GTIN, such as a pallet.	Number of units per layer may also be known regionally as “TI”.
3620	Number of Units per Layer in a non-GTIN Pallet	The number of units in a complete layer in a pallet not identified by a GTIN.	When a product is associated with a pallet to which no GTIN is assigned, this attribute is populated on the highest hierarchy level to which a GTIN is assigned.
3908	Variable Measure Indicator	The indicator that specifies the product content is variable.	A value of “true” indicates that the product has variable content. A value of “false” indicates that the product has fixed content.
3909	Loose or Pre-Packed Code	The code which informs the buyer of how the product is packed for the selling of products that vary in weight or quantity.	A value of “Loose” designates that the product is not packaged but could be bagged at point of sale. A value of “Pre-packed” designates that the product is contained in a package.

3 Contact Information

• 3.1 Contact Information on a Product Label (Example)



Contact Type Code	Contact	Contact Address	Contact Method Code	Contact Details
Licensee Registrar	ACME Global	123 Acme Street, Montreal, QC H3Z 2Y7
Consumer Support	ACME Consumer Products		Telephone	1-555-123-4567
			Website	www.acmeconsumer.com/prodinfo

Notes:

1. This is one example of contact information on a label. The types of contacts may vary depending on market, product or other local requirements.

2. Contact Method Code and Contact Details may be repeated for the same group of Contact Type Code, Contact and Contact Address.

3. Contact Address, if available, is used in conjunction with Contact and Contact Type Code.

4. Contact Details, if available, is used in conjunction with Contact Method Code.

• 3.2 Contact Information on an Invoice (Example)



Contact Type Code	Contact	Contact Address*	Contact Method Code	Contact Details
Customer Support	ACME Support Services	127 East Acme Lane, Hamilton, New Jersey 08501	Telephone	1 609 555 6767
			Email	customer.support@acmefinest.com

*Note: additional punctuation may be required between the street address and town for clarity.

• 3.3 Contact Information Options

3.3.1 Contact Type Codes

This table includes the three most commonly used Contact Type Code values. Please refer to the GS1 Global Data Dictionary for additional Contact Type Codes.

Code Value	Code Name	Code Definition
BZL	Licensee Registrar	The party having legal responsibility for the product in the target market. This party is responsible for licensing and regulations within the target market and can be the manufacturer, importer, sales agent or broker.
CXC	Consumer Support	The party which provides product support to the end user of a trade item or a service
CYC	Customer Support	The party which provides product support to the trading partner party to which merchandise is sold. (GS1 Code)

3.3.2 Contact Method Codes

Code Value	Code Name	Code Definition
EMAIL	Email	Creating/sending/receiving of unstructured free text messages or documents using computer network, a mini-computer or an attached modem and regular telephone line or other electronic transmission media.
MOBILE_WEBSITE	Mobile Website	The URL of the mobile commerce site (or WAP site) to a type of website than can be accessible from a smart-phone or other mobile device. This is typically different from a normal website due to the differing technologies used for implementation.
SOCIAL_MEDIA	Social Media	A social media address.
TELEFAX	Telefax	Device used for transmitting and reproducing fixed graphic material (as printing) by means of signals over telephone lines or other electronic transmission media.
TELEPHONE	Telephone	Voice/data transmission by telephone.
TELEPHONE_FREE_NUMBER	Telephone free number	A telephone number that is billed for all arriving calls instead of incurring charges to the originating telephone subscriber. For the calling party, a call to a toll-free number is generally free of charge, depending on the geographical location of the caller and the method of calling (e.g. landline, mobile or internet).
WEBSITE	Website	The identification of a world wide web address.

• 3.4 Contact Information – Business Process Notes

Multiple instances of Contact Address (123), Contact (126) and Contact Type Code (127) may exist. The Contact Type Code describes the overall business usage and the content of the associated attributes can vary with each instance. In addition, multiple sets of Contact Method Code (134) and Contact Details (135) may be associated with each repeated group.

BMS ID	ADB Name	ADB Business Definition	Business Process Notes*
123	Contact Address	The contact’s postal or physical address.	This information may typically be found on the product packaging or business documentation. In some areas, this could be required subject to local regulation.
126	Contact	The contact, such as a person, company or department.	Could be a Company Name, Brand Name, Business Unit or Department. While an individual name is not likely provided, there are instances where an individual name could be provided for specific purposes, such as accounting, licensing, etc.
127	Contact Type Code	The code specifying the type of contact for a product.	This information may typically be found on the product packaging or business documentation.
134	Contact Method Code	The code specifying the method of communication to reach the contact.	This information may typically be found on the product packaging or business documentation.
135	Contact Details	The detailed information used to communicate with the contact, such as the telephone number, email address or web site address.	This information may typically be found on the product packaging or business documentation.

*Note: Business Process Notes address the primary use case for on-label contact information, however, there could be other use cases such as specific needs around accounting, licensing and regulation.

4 Identifiers

• 4.1 Identifiers – Business Process Notes

BMS ID	ADB Name​ ​	ADB Business Definition​	Business Process Notes
40	Authorised Receiver of Product Information GLN (Global Location Number)	The Global Location Number (GLN) that uniquely identifies the authorised receiver of the product information.	This is the recipient GLN (e.g., retailer, hospital) to which product information is sent. This is normally supplied by the recipient but might be communicated by their GS1 Member Organisation or data service provider. For more information on obtaining a GLN, please refer to the GS1 General Specifications [https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications] and the GLN Allocation Rules Guidelines [https://www.gs1.org/docs/barcodes/GS1_GLN_Allocation_Guidelines.pdf].
67	GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)	The global number that uniquely identifies a product and its various packaging levels (e.g. item, case, pallet) physical or non-physical.	This is the identification number, represented in up to 14 digits, allocated to an item or service that is utilised throughout the entire value chain (e.g. purchasing, invoicing, shipping). It shall always be stored in a manner to retain its uniqueness. For more information on GTIN allocation and management, please refer to the GS1 General Specifications [https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications] and the GS1 GTIN Management Standard [https://www.gs1.org/1/gtinrules].
68	Additional Product Identification	An identifier, other than the GTIN, which provides an additional identification for the product.	If these attributes are provided, they should always be used together as a pair with the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), never as a standalone. It provides the ability to create a relationship between different identification systems.
69	Additional Product Identification Type Code	The code indicating the type of Additional Product Identification used.
75	Brand Owner GLN (Global Location Number)	The Global Location Number (GLN) that uniquely identifies the Brand Owner of the product.	This is the GLN of the entity that owns the brand of the product. For more information on obtaining a GLN, please refer to the GS1 General Specifications [https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications] and the GLN Allocation Rules Guidelines [https://www.gs1.org/docs/barcodes/GS1_GLN_Allocation_Guidelines.pdf].
77	Brand Owner Name	The name of the Brand Owner.	This is the business entity name that is associated with the Brand Owner GLN.
83	Data Provider GLN (Global Location Number)	The Global Location Number (GLN) used to uniquely identify the party providing the product information.	This is the GLN of the entity that is responsible for providing the master data. For more information on obtaining a GLN, please refer to the GS1 General Specifications [https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications] and the GLN Allocation Rules Guidelines [https://www.gs1.org/docs/barcodes/GS1_GLN_Allocation_Guidelines.pdf].
85	Data Provider Name	The name of the party providing the product information.	This is the business entity name that is associated with the Data Provider GLN.
91	Manufacturing GLN (Global Location Number)	The Global Location Number (GLN) that uniquely identifies the party who owns the manufacturing process of the product.	This is the GLN of the entity that manufactures the product. For more information on obtaining a GLN, please refer to the GS1 General Specifications [https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications] and the GLN Allocation Rules Guidelines [https://www.gs1.org/docs/barcodes/GS1_GLN_Allocation_Guidelines.pdf].
93	Manufacturer Name	The name of the manufacturer.	This is the business entity name that is associated with the Manufacturing GLN.
115	Referenced GTIN Type Code	The code indicating the relationship to the referenced GTIN such as substituted or replaced.	If these attributes are provided, they should always be used together as a pair with the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), never as a standalone. The Referenced GTIN Type Code is a code value that identifies the intention for how the product identified by the Referenced GTIN is to be used. The Referenced GTIN may be used to identify a similar, alternative product. A Referenced GTIN may help identify replacement products that can be used, for example, in cases of temporary inventory outages or when transitioning to a new or enhanced product. The Referenced GTIN is subject to the same creation and formatting rules as the GTIN. For more information on GTIN allocation and management, please refer to the GS1 General Specifications [https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications] and the GS1 GTIN Management Standard [https://www.gs1.org/1/gtinrules//en/].
116	Referenced GTIN	The GTIN of a product where a permanent or temporary change to the product needs to be referenced.
161	Global Product Category Code	The code used to group products based on similar characteristics according to the GS1 Global Product Classification (GPC).	This is GS1’s primary classification, used globally, outside of business process or other considerations. For more information on GPC, refer to the GS1 GPC web page [https://www.gs1.org/standards/gpc].

• 4.2 Notes on GTIN and GLN use in Master Data Exchange

The management of identifiers such as GLNs and GTINs includes rules on allocation, re-use and retirement.

■ For more information on GTIN management please refer to the GS1 GTIN Management Standard: [https://www.gs1.org/1/gtinrules//en/].

■ For more information on GLN management please refer to the GS1 GLN Allocation Rules Guidelines: [https://www.gs1.org/docs/barcodes/GS1_GLN_Allocation_Guidelines.pdf].

GLNs serve different purposes depending on the way an organisation conducts its business. For example, a multi-national manufacturer could have multiple GLNs representing different business applications (e.g. brand, manufacturer, distributor, importer).

■ It is necessary to examine the definition of each GLN attribute to determine the appropriate GLN for use in the master data exchange for an item.

■ More information on the purposes for which GLNs are used may be found in the GS1 General Specifications [https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications].

Important! For more information about obtaining GS1 identification numbers (GTINs and GLNs) please refer to the following GS1 web page for Member Organsisation contact information: [https://www.gs1.org/contact].

5 Descriptions

• 5.1 Examples of How to Populate Description Attributes

The following examples provide specific instances of how the description group of attributes may be populated. Please see the GS1 Trade Item Implementation Guide [https://www.gs1.org/standards/gdsn/trade_implementation_guide], Section 29, for additional examples.

5.1.1 Food Example



Attribute	Example Value
Brand Name	Antonio’s
Sub Brand Name	Extreme
Product Description	Antonio’s Extreme Fried Chicken made with Jumping Joe’s 36 oz/1 kg
Short Product Name (example 1)	Antonios Extrm Frd Chk Jmp Jos 1k
Short Product Name (example 2)	Antonios Extrm Frd Chk Jmp Jos 36oz
Product Type Description	Fried Chicken

5.1.2 Cleanser Example



Attribute	Example Value
Brand Name	Foodservice
Sub Brand Name (example 1)	Capblock
Sub Brand Name (example 2)	Pot and Pan
Product Description	Capblock Foodservice Pot and Pan spray cleaning detergent 24 fl oz/0.7 L
Short Product Name (example 1)	CB FS Pt&Pn spr dtrgnt 24floz/0.7L
Short Product Name (example 2)	Capblock FS Pot and Pan spr dtrgnt
Product Type Description	Detergent

• 5.2 Descriptions – Business Process Notes

BMS ID	ADB Name​ ​	ADB Business Definition​	Business Process Notes
3506	Short Product Name	The shortened product name for the consumer product.	This is typically a very abbreviated form of the Product Description, with the intention that it would fit in a small space, such as a shelf tag or receipt. This is typically not used in e-commerce. The abbreviations used by the seller should be consistent across all the seller’s products and ideally be recognizable to the consumer. (Note that there is currently no standardised abbreviation list.) In some instances, this could include the full brand name. Product variations (e.g. flavour, scent, etc.) and bundled variations need to be uniquely identified. Net content may not be included in some markets.
3508	Product Type Description	The generic description provided by the seller to describe the type, form or function of the product or service.	This does not include information such as brand, net content, colour, flavour, scent, etc. For example for Product Description “GS1 Brand Hair Colour Liquid Light to Medium Blonde 32 fl oz.”, Product Type Description could be “hair colour”.
3517	Product Description	An understandable and useable description of a product using a combination of key elements such as Brand Name, Sub-Brand (if applicable), Functional Name, Variant, and Net Content. The description should be unique and meaningful for the Retailers to manage the product through their business and describe the product to their consumers e.g. Brand, flavour, scent etc. Examples: • GS1 Brand Base Invisible Solid Deodorant AP Stick Spring Breeze 3.4oz • GS1 Brand Laundry Detergent Liquid Compact Regular Instant Stain Unscented 100 mL • GS1 Brand Hair Colour Liquid Light to Medium Blonde 32 fl oz.	The Product Description at the consumer unit level may be used by some recipients and manufacturers across all hierarchy levels. The text may need to be modified to adhere to the character limit restricted by your technical implementation. Note that the “elements” described in the definition are business elements as determined by the manufacturer and do not necessarily reflect attribute values.
3541	Brand Name	The name provided by the brand owner that is intended to be recognised by the consumer as represented on the product.	In addition to being found on the product, these names may be found on web sites and for other e-commerce uses. Brand Name and Sub Brand Name are determined by the brand owner. For detailed guidance on assigning these attributes, refer to the GS1 Trade Item Implementation Guide [https://www.gs1.org/standards/gdsn/trade_implementation_guide].
3546	Sub Brand Name	The name provided by the brand owner that allows the consumer to further differentiate the product beyond brand name.
3504	additionalTradeItemDescription (GDD Name)	Additional variants necessary to communicate to the industry to help define the product. Multiple variants can be established for each GTIN. This is a repeatable field, e.g. Style, Colour, and Fragrance. (GDD Definition)	A common practice is to use this attribute to extend the Product Description with additional information when the seller feels it is needed. This attribute may be used differently in other sectors (e.g. Healthcare).

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