Global Trade Identification Number

The Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN) is used for the unique identification of trade items worldwide.

A trade item is any item (product or service) upon which there is a need to retrieve pre-defined information and that may be priced or ordered or invoiced at any point in any supply chain. This includes individual items as well as all their different configurations in different types of packaging. The GTIN is defined as a 14-digit number to accommodate all the different structures.

Each of the following four data/numbering structures provide unique numbers when right justified in a 14-digit field.

-	EAN·UCC-8 Data Structure
-	UCC-12 Data Structure
-	EAN·UCC-13 Data Structure
-	EAN·UCC-14 Data Structure
	The above-mentioned data/numbering structures provide unique identification when processed in a 14-digit data field as shown below:
	Where,
	T -	represents the position of each individual digit in a computer file format;
	N -	epresents the position of each individual digit in a given data structure; and
	O -	represents a filler digit.
	Note: This format is used in business transactions, especially for Electronic Data Interchange (e.g., orders, invoices, price catalogues).