GS1-128 Barcode Generator for Excel

The GS1-128 barcode is a subset of the Code 128 barcode symbology.

By agreement between AIM and GS1, use of the Function 1 Symbol Character (FNC1) in Code 128 symbols in the first symbol character position following the start character has been reserved exclusively for the GS1 system. This extremely flexible symbology encodes element strings using GS1 Application Identifiers.



As an efficient and convenient barcode generator, GS1-128 Barcode Excel Add-In is commonly used to insert GS1 128 barcode images in the Excel workbook. It is simple and easy to create required GS1 128 image for users who have no special programming skills.

You can view more detailed user guide to encode, print, customize 2d and linear barcodes in Microsoft Excel at
How to generate 1d and 2d barcodes in Microsoft Excel document without any font, VBA, formula, Macro programming?
How to create multiple (bulk) barcodes in Microsoft Excel sheet?
How to encode, print GS1 barcodes in Office Excel 365?
How to create barcodes in Word mail merge using data from Excel cells?
How to create and draw barcodes on the specified area (width and height) in Excel?

OnBarcode.com provides Barcode Generator (not font) Excel Add In for Excel as well as other professional & reliable 1D & 2D barcode add-ins for Excel and Word, including Code 39 excel add-in, Code 128 generator for excel, UPC-A barcode add-in for excel, QR Code generator for excel, Data Matrix for excel, etc.

Using Excel Barcode Generator Add-in, you can easily create, insert a GS1-128 barcode image on Excel cell. The following guides will show how to quickly create a GS1-128 in Excel, and customize it.

Open Excel file with Barcode Add-in

• Open an Excel document with GS1 business messages inserted.
  
  
  Column B contains GS1 SSCC data message. The SSCC is Serial Shipping Container Code, which is used to identify logistic units. In GS1 System, the GS1 Application Identifier for SSCC is (00).
  Column C contains GS1 GTIN data message. The GTIN is used to identify trade items. In GS1 System, the GS1 Application Identifier for GTIN is (01).
  Column D contains a complete GS1 business data message, which includes a SSCC data and a GTIN data.
  Here we will create, print GS1-128 barcodes on column E with column D cell values' encoded.


• Open Excel Barcode Add-in. Go to Excel Application toolbar Add-ins > OnBarcode.com. Click Create Barcode command to open Barcode Settings pane on the right side of the Excel document.
  

Create GS1-128 in Excel cell

1. Select cell E4 where you want to create GS1-128 barcode
2. Change Barcode Type list value to GS1 128 (UCC/EAN 128) in the "Barcode Settings" pane.
3. Change Data textbox value to =LINK(D4). Here the cell D4 contains the GS1-128 barcode text value.
4. Click Generate button
   
5. You can find a GS1-128 barcode image has been printed and inserted to cell E4, and the barcode data is using cell D4 value.
   

If you modify the cell D4 value, you will find that the GS1-128 image on cell E5 will be updated automatically.

However, if the cell data is modified when the Excel Barcode Add-in is closed, the GS1-128 barcode image will not be updated automatically. You need manually update it.

To manually update the GS1-128 with the latest text message, follow the steps bellow.

• Select the GS1-128 barcode you want to update
• Click Update button on the "Barcode Settings" pane
  

Sometimes, you need generate bulk of GS1-128 barcodes from list of cells' values in one Excel file. Using Excel Barcode Add-in, you can easily finish the multi-barcode generation task.

Here we will use the above sample Excel document which includes list of GS1 business data messages.

• Click and select the GS1-128 barcode generated in the above tutorial. Now you will find the following text message in "Barcode Settings" pane.
  
  
  Now you can start to create one or multiple GS1-128 barcodes, which will have same barcode options as the selected GS1-128 barcode on cell E4


• Select multiple cells from cell E5 to cell E8, click Duplicate All to insert GS1-128 barcodes on selected cells.
  
  


• You will find new four GS1-128 barcodes have been created and inserted on the selected cells.
  

If the Excel Barcode Generator add-in is open in Excel application, any cell values are changed, the barcode freeware will update all cells linked barcode image automatically.

However you may need update all barcodes manually, if the cell values are modified by other programs or applications.

To update all barcode images manually, see the steps below.

• Click "Update All" button on the "Barcode Settings" pane.
  

The GS1-128 barcode data message is a list of groups with GS1 Application Identifier (AI) code and its data.

All GS1 Application Identifier code and its data contain text characters from The GS1 subset of International Standard ISO/IEC 646

The GS1-128 barcode below includes one group of GS1 AI Code (00) and AI data (395123451234567895). Here AI (00) indicates that the followed data field contains an SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code).

A GS1-128 barcode contains at least one group of Application Identifier (AI) code and its data.

In a single GS1-128 barcode, the maximum number of data characters is 48.

GS1-128 barcode supports the following characters

• GS1-128 data message text is from the GS1 subset of International Standard ISO/IEC 646.
• Four non-data function characters. FNC1, FNC2, FNC3, FNC4. FNC2 and FNC4 are not used in GS1-128 barcodes.
• Four code set selection characters (including single character code set shift).
• Three start characters.
• One stop character.

Using Excel barcode generator freeware, you do not need encode function characters and start, stop characters to GS1-128 barcode.

You need provide GS1 data message only, and the barcode generator software will automatically insert the function chars into GS1-128 barcode symbology in Excel file.

GS1-128 barcode has one mandatory symbol check character. The check digit character will not be displayed in the HRI (human readable interpretation).



Using Excel barcode generator, the property "Add checksum char" is not applicable. The barcode encoder software will automatically add one check character before the stop character in every GS1-128 barcode symbol.

The GS1 data message includes one or multiple element strings, and each element string is the combination of a GS1 Application Identifier (AI) and its data field.

Here is a sample GS1 data message: (01)99012345678909(15)241015(21)abc. There are totally three element strings.

• 01 - GTIN (identification of a trade item). The AI Code will be followed by fixed 14 digits
• 15 - Best before date. The AI Code will be followed by fixed 6 digits in YYMMDD. The example date here is Oct 15, 2024
• 21 - Serial number. A serial number is assigned to an entity for its lifetime. When combined with a GTIN, a serial number uniquely identifies an individual item. A serial number is in a variable length from 1 to 20 alphanumeric chars.

When you encode GS1 data message in Excel, all the AI code are surrounded by parentheses, and followed by its data field. In Barcode Generator Excel "Barcode Settings" pane, you can directly key in the "(01)99012345678909(15)241015(21)abc" in Data property

Create and insert multiple GS1-128 barcodes into Excel cells is an easy job. Here we have prepared a sample Excel document with some GS1 numbers inside with one sample GS1-128 barcode created.


In the sample Excel document, column B contains all SSCC numbers, which AI code is 00. And column C contains GTIN numbers, and its AI Code is 01.

In column D, it contains all GS1-128 numbers which are based on column "B" and "C".

A GS1-128 barcode has been created and inserted on cell E4 If you need know details, please go to: How to create and print a barcode in Excel sheet?

Now let's create multiple GS1-128 barcodes in Excel for the rest of the GS1-128 numbers.

1. In Excel app toolbar Add-ins, choose command Batch Barcode, and open panel Batch Barcodes on the right side of the document.
   


2. Select the cells from D5 to D8, and click button Generate Batch Barcodes.
   


3. Choose the barcode image on cell E4, and all the GS1-128 barcode generated next will be the same barcode options as this one.
   
   Now the batch barcode generation guide will inform you to choose a cell to hold the first batch barcode.
   


4. Let's choose cell E5, and click button Generate Batch Barcodes
   


5. Now you will find that multiple GS1-128 barcodes are created and inserted from Excel cell E5 to E8
   

Now we have successfully generated multiple GS1-128 barcodes in few clicks on Excel document.