What is FNC1 and how does it work?
FNC1 stands for Function 1. It is a control character that separates one Application Identifier (AI) from the next in GS1-based barcodes when a single barcode carries more than one AI.
FNC1 is integrated into the barcode as an invisible character and works there as a delimiter between different AIs. The FNC1 code consists of a hexadecimal value of ASCII 202 and is represented as "[". It usually sits at the start of an AI and marks the numeric value that follows as part of that AI.
One example of FNC1 in use is the GS1-128 barcode. It can combine several AIs to encode different information, and FNC1 tells them apart so the information is read correctly and unambiguously.
In this way the FNC1 code can help ensure the right information is read and processed accurately, which improves the effectiveness and accuracy of GS1-based barcodes.