What is the difference between GLN and GTIN?

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Q&A Pro › Category: eCommerce › What is the difference between GLN and GTIN?
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Joe Young asked 5 years ago
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Dani Avitz Staff answered 5 years ago
The GLN and GTIN are identification codes issued by the GS1, a non-profit organization that develops and maintains internationally recognized standards for business communication.  The GLN stands for Global Location Number and is a 13-digit code, used to identify the locations of parties involved in business transactions, such as, in purchase orders or invoices that were issued. These locations can represent
  • A physical location (e.g. warehouses, shelves)
  • A legal entity (e.g. a company)
  • A functional entity (within a legal entity, e.g. accounting departments)
Moreover, GLNs are widely used within barcodes on logistic labels and electronic commerce systems.  The GTIN stands for Global Trade Item Number and uniquely identifies products. The purpose of this key is to be able to match products from different databases. GTINs may be from 8-14 digits long and are used in barcodes scanned at retail POS, on the interior of packaging or cases and on pallets of products scanned in warehouses or distribution facilities. In addition, GTINs are used for the identification of products that are sold online.