Why Certification is Necessary?
Not All Software is Precise For Compliant Barcodes
Barcodes are essential tools for modern businesses, enabling smooth tracking and management of products through supply chains. To ensure barcodes work consistently across industries, GS1 standards have been developed as the global benchmark for quality and interoperability. For companies producing barcodes, using UCC/GS1 certified solutions is highly recommended to maintain accuracy and compliance.
What is GS1 (UCC/EAN) Certification?
The GS1 (EAN.UCC) Software Certification ensured that barcode generation software adheres to the strict GS1 General Specifications, guaranteeing accuracy, quality, and scannability. Previously managed under UCC/EAN, GS1’s global standards have become the foundation for accurate product identification across retail, supply chain, and logistics industries. These specifications provide the necessary framework on what software should be able to create and how it should it should build barcode images. Certified software solutions are designed to provide:
- Accuracy: Certified software guarantees compliance with quiet zones, X-dimensions, print compensation, and symbology specifications.
- Reliability: Avoid costly errors, product rejections, and supply chain disruptions.
- Global Compliance: Ensure seamless scanning for major retailers, distributors, and marketplaces, like Amazon.
By using certified software, companies can avoid issues such as failed scans, printing errors, and non-compliance with retailer requirements.
Types of Barcode Software
Barcodes are integrated to product packaging and labels different ways. For processes that involve wet ink and/or printing presses, precise high resolution vector based files are required. Alternatively, many companies utilize inhouse on-demand printers to generate tags and labels for their products and shipments. The product type and quantity commonly dictate how barcodes are going to be created.
Digital Barcode Artwork: High-resolution digital barcode images are required for package, coupon, and label design. These precise images must generated with advanced features such as bar width adjustment and resolution-based magnification programming.
In-House Barcode Label Printing: Certified solutions are also used to generate and print barcodes for operational needs, such as tags, point-of-sale and shipping labels. Certification ensure that the printed barcodes meet GS1 standards and perform reliably.
Digital Barcode Artwork
Before desktop publishing, original barcode artwork was called a “film master”, and was a high-resolution (2540 dpi ) image of a barcode provided on photographic film. Aside from exacting precision, the film master also include a compensation factor (BWA) . In today’s digital world, barcodes are provide in a vector (.eps) format and should still have the precision of the earlier “film master”. Section 5.12.4.2 Barcode master image production of the GS1 General Specifications provides the updated requirements.
Bar Width Adjustment (BWA)
Necessary compensation to account for ink spread or printing variations, ensuring scannability. Different printing processes require varying adjustments to account for the print gain.
In addition to the GS General Specifications, there are other international standard documents which define the intricacies of digital imaging (ISO/IEC 15419 Information Technology, Automatic Identification and Data Capture Techniques, Bar Code Digital Imaging and Printing Performance). If a vector barcode .eps file is generated without incorporating BWA and the framework specified in the global documents, it should NEVER be used an original barcode artwork. This is exactly why GS1 US established a certification program for barcode generation.
GS1 Certified Software Applications
The following applications are listed in order of their GS1 certification date:
1. PrecisionCode by Bar Code Graphics
- Certification Date: January 2005
- Background: Developed by Bar Code Graphics, one of the original film master manufacturers, PrecisionCode was the engine for their online SaaS barcode generation website (www.createbarcodes.com).
- Key Features:
- Fully supports GS1-128, UPC/EAN, GS1 Databar, and GS1 DataMatrix barcodes.
- Only software evaluated that provided corrected magnification and bar width adjustment, necessary for digital barcode images..
- High-resolution outputs in EPS, PDF, and EMF (Windows) vector formats for professional printing.
- Web-based engine is the backbone for many industry applications adhering to GS1 standards.
- EPS Validator is free utility used to check .eps barcode image encodation, dimensions and bar width adjustment.
- More Info: Bar Code Graphics PrecisionCode
2. BarTender by Seagull Scientific
- Certification Date: 2011
- Background: BarTender is a globally recognized barcode and label design software, known for its flexibility and enterprise-level scalability. Its GS1 certification ensures full compliance with GS1 symbology and data requirements.
- Key Features:
- Supports GS1-128, UPC/EAN, GS1 DataMatrix, and GS1 QR Code symbologies.
- Validates structured data, including GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs).
- Can export static images as EPS, PDF, and SVG formats, but does not incorporate bar width adjustment
- More Info: BarTender GS1 Solutions
3. CODESOFT by Teklynx
- Certification Date: 2012
- Background: CODESOFT is an advanced barcode and label design solution known for its accuracy and GS1-compliant capabilities. It caters to businesses requiring complex barcode solutions for their operations.
- Key Features:
- Fully supports GS1-128, UPC/EAN, and GS1 DataMatrix symbologies.
- Simplifies structured barcode data input with built-in support for GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs).
- Can export static images as EPS, PDF, and AI formats, but does not incorporate bar width adjustment
- More Info: CODESOFT Barcode Software
4. NiceLabel by Loftware
- Certification Date: 2015
- Background: NiceLabel focuses on simplifying the design and generation of GS1-compliant barcodes, offering an intuitive platform suitable for businesses of all sizes.
- Key Features:
- Supports GS1-128, UPC/EAN, and GS1 DataMatrix symbologies.
- Includes a GS1 Application Identifier wizard, ensuring accurate and compliant data encoding.
- Can export static images as EPS, and PDF formats, but does not incorporate bar width adjustment.
- More Info: NiceLabel GS1 Compliance
Selecting the Right GS1 Certified Software
Each of these GS1-certified applications is capable of producing accurate barcodes that meet GS1 specifications for compliance, print quality, and accuracy.
For companies printing labels/tags inhouse and generating high volumes of barcodes for retail, suppliers, 3PLs, or online marketplaces (like Amazon), applications like BarTender, NiceLabel, or CODESOFT are highly recommended for their advanced features, export precision, and GS1 compliance verification. In recent years, some of the labeling software, such as BarTender, has web based software for enterprise adaption.
The only GS1 software certified for producing print-ready digital barcode artwork is PrecisionCode. EPS files can be produced 24/7 from the application at www.createbarcodes.com
By selecting a GS1 certified barcode software application, businesses can ensure they meet global standards, minimize costly errors, and maintain smooth operations across the retail and supply chain landscape.
