Create a coupon number (GCN)

Do you want to create a coupon number GCN (Global Coupon Number) to give your coupons unique numbers? Here we will guide you to create your numbers and transfer them to a barcode.

Create GCN

GCN consists of up to 25 digits. You create GCN using a GS1 Company Prefix,a serial number, a check digit, and an optional serial number.

• GS1 Company prefix consists of 6-9 digits.
• The serial number consists of different numbers of numbers depending on the length of the company prefix. One recommendation is that you number the coupons so that the first coupon is numbered “… 001”, the second article is numbered “… 002”, and so on.
• The optional serial number can consist of up to 12 digits.

GS1 Company prefix, serial number and check digit together give an identity for a particular type of coupon. By adding a serial number to the identity of the coupon, individual coupons of the same variety can be separated.

To create GCN with a GS1 company prefix that has nine digits:

If the company prefix has fewer than nine digits, create the number in the same way as above, but the serial number will consist of more than three digits.

Transfer GCN to a barcode

GCN can be transmitted using any of the barcodes GS1-128 or GS1 DataMatrix.

GS1-128 and GS1 DataMatrix include so-called application identifiers (AI). They describe the type of information contained in the barcode. An application identifier consists of two to four digits and is printed in parentheses below the barcode along with the information it describes. The application identifier for GCN is 255.