The certificate of compliance with GS1 standards is independent confirmation that our warehouse management system correctly reads, processes and generates GS1 global identifiers – from GTINs on products, through SSCC logistic labels, to GLN location numbers.
GS1 – the common language of trade and logistics
GS1 is a global not-for-profit organisation that develops and maintains the most widely used identification standards in trade. It operates in more than 100 countries, and in Poland it is represented by GS1 Poland – the only official source of genuine GTIN (EAN) barcodes in the country.
The best known of these standards is the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), the familiar EAN barcode found on every product on the shelf. Just as important in logistics is the SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) – a serial number assigned to pallets and outer cases, giving every logistic unit its own unique “ID”. Companies, warehouses and delivery locations, in turn, are identified by the GLN (Global Location Number).
Numbers alone, however, are not the whole story. GS1-128, GS1 DataMatrix and GS1 QR barcodes make it possible to encode additional data alongside the identifier, such as best-before or expiry date, batch/lot number and weight. The picture is completed by GS1 EDI, which allows purchase orders and despatch advices (ASNs) to flow between companies in a single, consistent format.
The certificate of compliance confirms that the system doesn’t merely “support barcodes” – it handles them exactly as the standard requires. You can see the difference at the loading dock: the label is accepted by the retail chain first time round, with no claims and no manual corrections.
The benefits of barcode standardisation
The first and most tangible benefit is seamless collaboration with retail chains. Major retailers and e-commerce platforms require their suppliers to use GS1 logistic labels and to send advance shipping notices (ASNs) quoting the SSCC. A certified WMS meets these requirements from day one – with no extra labelling software and no risk of a delivery being rejected at the dock.
The standard also has a direct impact on throughput. A single scan of an SSCC label registers an entire pallet, including its contents, batches and expiry dates. Instead of keying in data from paperwork, the warehouse operative confirms the delivery in seconds, and the dock is freed up sooner. Just as importantly, data captured from the barcode replaces manual entry – the main source of errors. GTIN-verified picking reduces mis-shipments, which means fewer returns, contractual penalties and claims-handling costs.
Full traceability is equally significant. The batch number and expiry date encoded in the GS1 barcode make it possible to establish within minutes where a product came from and where it went. This is critical in regulated sectors – food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics – and whenever a product recall has to be carried out quickly. The same data supports day-to-day date control: automatic capture of the expiry date allows goods to be issued on a FEFO (first expired, first out) basis, cutting losses from out-of-date stock.
Shared identifiers are also the foundation of electronic data interchange (EDI) and further automation. Orders, despatch advices and receiving confirmations can flow between partners’ systems without manual handling. And because GS1 standards are used in more than 100 countries, entering a new market, serving a foreign customer or switching logistics provider does not require warehouse processes to be redesigned.
Finally, choosing a system that complies with a global standard is a future-proof investment. The market is evolving – retail is gradually moving to 2D barcodes such as GS1 QR and GS1 DataMatrix – and cairo.WMS is ready to keep pace with these changes. It is a solution built to withstand shifting market requirements.
A standard that delivers results
“The GS1 certificate confirms the direction we have taken from the very beginning: cairo.WMS is meant to be a system that connects rather than isolates. Our customers work with dozens of partners, and every one of them expects data in the same global standard. Now they have official confirmation of that.”
— Marek Wróbel, COO, CAIRO-soft
Want to see how GS1 standards in cairo.WMS can streamline your warehouse operations? Get in touch – we’ll show you using your own processes as an example.
