GLN – Global Location Number

 

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Global Location Numbers (GLNs) provide unique, globally valid and standardized way of identifying legal entities, physical or digital locations anywhere in the world. They are most commonly used to identify locations and trading partners within large retailers Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) sytems. Some retailers require these numbers as a prerequisite for trading with them. Your company may want to use a single GLN for identifying your business to your partners or you may use a unique GLN for every location you want to identify (e.g. storage facility, loading dock, ATM or vending machine, etc.).

The process of getting a GLN is easy:

  • Obtain a unique number from us (or from GS1)
  • Enter your GLN and the corresponding location information in the International Barcode Database (GS1 customers use the GEPIR database).

 

Please note:

Our numbers come from the freely tradable number range of the GS1 system. These numbers are no longer updated in the GS1 database and will show outdated information (the last GS1 license holder). Current information of our GLNs is available in the International Barcodes Database (https://barcodesdatabase.org). Please check with your trading partner prior to purchase to ensure they have no issues with our GLNs.

 

  • GLN – Global Location Number

     

    Item Description:
    • •  Globally unique 13-digit GLN barcode number (with GS1 prefix 07)
    • •  Does not include barcode images (can be ordered separately)
    • •  GLN certificate and proof of ownership
    • •  Free GLN registration
    Digital product:
    • • Free delivery to email
    • • Delivered immediately after payment is received

     

    Global location numbers
    (price without VAT)
    Amount    Price
    1 499,- CZK
    Add to cart

 

For smaller companies one GLN is enough. The 13-digit GLN number clearly identifies your company location. It replaces the older International Location Numbers (ILNs) as well as the need for writing out address details. If your company has several locations (stores, delivery locations, or even automated POS locations like vending machines) these can also be identified with a unique 13-digit GLN. Larger companies may even assign separate GLNs to specific warehouse locations or loading docks to make logistical processes faster and easier. 

Many stores require a GLN number, because their use reduces administrative effort and warehouse logistics enormously. If products and pallets are clearly labeled with barcodes, a single scan reveals all relevant information. The GLN number is usually a mandatory field in digital ERP systems. Using GLNs has several benefits:

  • globally unique identification of company location
  • less room for human errors
  • easily displayed and scanned as a barcode
  • suitable for processing in digital ERP systems
  • speeds up logistical processes

Besides these GLNs can benefit the end consumers too. A simple scan with a smartphone app will return company information stored in the corresponding barcode database.

 

Practical tip for startups

If your company has an ambition to sell your products through several distributors in the future, you may not know what requirements each of them will have. Some resellers may require that you provide a GLN. Here is how you can get ready for this eventuality. You can buy a block of 10 or 100 EAN-13 numbers from us, reserve the first number in the sequence as a GLN number and use the following as EAN numbers to label your products. If you do this, your location number and product numbers will share the same ‘company prefix.’
BTW, the only difference between GLN and EAN is how they are used. In a barcode database GLNs are paired with your company location data while EANs are paired with information about a specific product.