Barcode Symbology

Used primarily by Retail Industry, in U.S.A. and Canada. One dimensional, continuous, four element widths and fixed length. Left 6-10 digits assigned by Uniform Code Council, rest to total of 11 digits is selected by you, 12th is check digit, calculated by mod 10 formula. Version A is 12 digits. Version E is 6 digits. A 2-digit add-on is used by periodicals and a 5-digit add-on is used on paper back books and greeting cards. On January 1, 2005 this symbology will look like EAN and it will be called GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)

Used primarily by Retail Industry, in Europe and the rest of the world and is a superset of U.P.C. One dimensional, continuous, four element widths and fixed length. Left 7-11 digits assigned by EAN governing body, rest to total of 12 digits is selected by you, 13th is check digit, calculated by mod 10 formula. EAN13 has 13 digits and EAN8 has 8 digits.

Used only by the book industry. It is an EAN-13 with 5-digit add-on. Based on ISBN assigned by R. R. Bowker. Starts with Country code of 978, followed by the left 9 digits of ISBN, 13th is check digit, calculated by mod 10 formula.
For add on, start with 5 for U.S. Dollars followed with price ($7.95 -> 50795) if no price, must put 90000 for the 5 digit add-on.
NEW! As of Jan. 1, 2007 all 10 digit ISBN's must become 13 digit ISBN's to fit into Global TGIN system. Addition of two lines of text above the code helps to address that. First line lists all thirteen digits (978 plus 10 digits), second line lists only the original 10 digits.

Data Matrix can encode a large amount of data in a relatively small space. A data matrix comes in square and rectangular versions and contains built-in error correction that adds to their reliability. Like a QR code, they can link to websites with product information.

It is a 2D barcode that is used in a variety of applications. GS1 Data Matrix is used extensively on medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and other healthcare products. Additionally, GS1 Data Matrix is used in fresh foods, construction, and other products that require more information beyond the standard barcode. 

This web-friendly URL data format allows a Data Matrix to connect users to online resources just like a QR Code does.

Used primarily by libraries, blood banks air parcel industry. Discrete, self-checking, variable length. Four different start/stop characters allow useful in formation to be encoded in these overhead characters.

First and the most popular alphanumeric bar code. Used by a wide range of industries. Discrete, self-checking, variable length. Mod 43 check digit is optional for security. Extended version will code lower case and ASCII. Readers must be programed to decode the extended format.

Newest of the popular bar codes, very high density, variable length, continuous, multiple widths, and has internal check digit. There are three sub sets, A, B & C. in Sub set C, 00 to 99 only, must have even number of digits.