GS1 Application Identifier (AI)
GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs) are prefixes inside GS1 barcodes. They state what the digits after them mean. A GS1 barcode is a string of numbers that can hold several elements: a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), a serial number, an expiration date, and many more. Each of these elements is identified by its own GS1 Application Identifier.
The identifier itself is a two-digit number naming the type of information. It is followed by a variable number of digits that encode the specific value of that information.
Some examples of GS1 Application Identifiers:
- 01: GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
- 10: Batch/Catch Number
- 17: Expiration Date
- 21: Serial Number
When a barcode is built, every element of the product information gets the matching GS1 Application Identifier in front of it, so that a scanner can interpret the data correctly. A scanner reading a GS1 barcode can recognise and interpret the expiration date code (AI 17), for example, to make sure the product is still valid.
GS1 Application Identifiers allow companies to encode accurate and consistent product information in their barcodes. That improves efficiency in the supply chain and avoids confusion or misinterpretation.