GTIN
Colloquially, many know GTIN as a barcode, but technically, GTIN is the number found beneath the barcode symbol itself, and can therefore also be used for other technologies such as 2D barcodes and RFID tags.
Colloquially, many know GTIN as a barcode, but technically, GTIN is the number found beneath the barcode symbol itself, and can therefore also be used for other technologies such as 2D barcodes and RFID tags.
At Nestlé, quality must be top-notch. This applies to both the quality of our many well-known brands and the product information provided to customers and consumers. That is why we are now working with GS1 to further improve our master data.Trade Exact.
"Master data is an important part of a successful partnership, and at Nestlé, we believe it is in everyone's interest that master data reaches our customers as easily and consistently as possible. That is why we have been using GS1Trade Sync for exchanging master data for several years," says Kenneth Jørgensen, KAM Assistant at Nestlé Danmark A/S.
During his 9 years in the organization, he has worked with various parts of the machine that ensures products are ready on store shelves and online. In recent years, he has been responsible for ensuring that the cogwheel known as master data is also running smoothly.
This is one of Nestlé's KPIs, and when working with master data, it becomes crystal clear that internal collaboration within the organization is crucial for success. Together with two colleagues, Kenneth ensures that product information is collected from factories, Marketing, Quality Assurance, Supply Planning, and more:
"The launch process is quite complex. In my department, we have put effort into defining who needs to contribute which information and when. We visit other departments to go through the model with our colleagues so that we can build an understanding of each other's needs. It is important for me to explain that if I chase a colleague for master data, it is not to be annoying – it is because other processes and colleagues cannot move forward with their work until that data is in place."
This is closely linked to the overall purpose of product information:
"You should remind yourself once in a while why product master data is important – in other words, what the purpose is of spending time collecting, entering, and quality-assuring master data. There are two equal goals: We want to provide consumers with the correct information they want and are entitled to, and be a good partner for our retail customers. The concept of quality must therefore be expanded to include master data, and not just be perceived as something related to, for example, the taste of the product," Kenneth concludes.
Increasing customer demands for product data led Nestlé to use GS1 Denmark's new service, GS1Trade Exact, which verifies whether the information provided in GS1Trade Sync matches the physical packaging – both in terms of dimensions and label information, such as nutritional content.
"To put it mildly, we have a very varied product portfolio: from Nan to KitKat, Cheerios, and Nescafé. We also use a wide range of packaging types. This in itself presents a challenge, as bags, boxes, etc., must be measured in different ways. Furthermore, for each product type, there are different declaration requirements and fields that must be filled out in GS1Trade Sync," says Kenneth.
So far, Nestlé has had 50 products checked by GS1Trade Exact in Rødovre. This has challenged previous assumptions and provided valuable insights:
"It has been an eye-opener for us to see the validation reports from GS1Trade Exact. We have identified some errors that surprised us because we had never heard from our customers that anything was wrong. We engage in a dialogue with GS1Trade Exact when there are corrections we do not understand or disagree with. We can tell that this is also a learning process for GS1 Denmark. It is a journey we are taking together, and I am confident that we will reach our goal and that it will be a benefit to all parties when we work according to common standards," says Kenneth.
When retailers and suppliers represented on the GS1 Denmark board agreed that GS1 Denmark should be responsible for data quality checks, it put a focus on working according to standards. This also placed extra focus on GS1 Denmark's role in guiding members to understand the standards they must follow:
"We need more targeted and accessible guides. We aren't standards experts, so the communication needs to be spot on. We want to learn, because we always aim for 'first time right'," Kenneth emphasizes.
Developing and running a data quality check service is a new task for GS1 Denmark, and it is being done in collaboration with retailers and suppliers who participate in both the Steering Committee and the Working Group for GS1Trade Sync. For example, the Working Group is tasked with the important job of clarifying definitions of fields and packaging types to avoid misunderstandings.
When Kenneth became aware of the opportunity to donate the products Nestlé had sent to GS1 for checkingTrade Exact, it was an easy decision:
"It's a really great initiative that GS1 Denmark has taken to facilitate donations in this way. It supports a good cause and makes it very easy for us to contribute. We just have to check a box on our order form to donate our products to, for example, Projekt Hjemløs," says Kenneth.
Depending on the product type, GS1 Denmark distributes them after the check is completed to organizations such as Mødrehjælpen, Projekt Hjemløs, and Dyreværnet.
In the past, master data passed through many hands on its way through the supply chain. This provided an opportunity to correct errors. Unfortunately, it also led to repetitive workflows, such as products being measured by both the supplier and the customer:
"The way modern retail works, that's no longer a viable solution: Product information is pulled directly from GS1Trade Sync and out to, for example, webshops, meaning there is no 'human filter' to catch errors. That is why we need to get even better at delivering the correct master data from the start," Kenneth explains.
Fortunately, this is about more than just error correction. The more direct path from supplier to consumer is also an opportunity for suppliers to take control of how their products are presented in the way they believe is best.
Over the nine years Kenneth has been working closely with master data, he has seen a significant evolution:
”There is an increasing amount of data that needs to be exchanged with customers, and setting it up takes time. It’s much easier when there is only one facilitator. It’s quite smart: We submit data once in GS1Trade Sync, and then the customers have access to it. One source for all customers – that’s the way forward,” says Kenneth:
”We need to avoid repetitive, manual entries as much as possible – because let’s be honest: humans will make mistakes from time to time, and GS1Trade Sync helps reduce that.”
GS1Trade Image provides professional marketing and planogram images that meet retailers' requirements and imaging guidelines.
If you want to create your own product photos, we can also help you get certified.
GS1Trade Sync is a data pool for product data exchange that your trading partners can access.
GS1Trade Sync streamlines data exchange between trading partners because data only needs to be entered in one place. This increases the quality of product data and creates value for you - and the entire value chain.
GS1Trade Packaging is a packaging data system that gathers your packaging data in one place. The system ensures efficient collection, structuring, and declaration of packaging data, and makes it easy to exchange packaging data with other companies.
GS1Trade Exact ensures the quality of your product data. All physical products are checked against the data registered in GS1Trade Sync.
With this service, you get verified and quality-assured data that benefits the entire supply chain.
GS1Trade Transact handles the digital receipt of orders and the sending of documents to your customers. You can choose whether to integrate it with your financial system or access it online.
GTIN (also known as EAN) stands for “Global Trade Item Number” and is the number sequence shown beneath a barcode symbol.
GTIN (EAN) is a global standard used to uniquely identify digital and physical products, allowing the barcode to be scanned anywhere in the world throughout the supply chain.
A GLN (also known as EAN) allows you to uniquely identify physical, functional, legal, or digital entities. This can include the sender, receiver, buyer, seller, supplier, manufacturer, delivery location, billing location, store, or internal departments.
