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Tiffanie

Is there a way around the character limitation of 14

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We created a bunch of different-sized labels through Crystal Reports after we purchased the new fonts to get a lot of information packed into a datamatrix cube so that it will fit in a very small area. We later learned, after already labeling most of our products, that the identifier "01" has a character limit of only 14 characters and now our project is put on hold! We have used all of our resources and they all say that there is no way to work around the limit as it is a government standard.
Is there another way!? Is there a different kind of label we can use that will fit long product IDs and serial numbers in a small cube in a small space!?
Desperate for help!

Operating System: Windows

Application: Crystal Reports (printing through ACCtivate)

08-09-18 6.3 year(s) ago

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Tiffanie	Best Answer Thanks for the idea, but that doesn't work. It is still cutting off at the 14-character limit and our scanner says product 'AP-064-C-U-HC-' does not exist in the database. The product ID that I'm scanning is AP-064-C-U-HC-W-36. I think the UPC solution is the best workaround. Posted 6.3 year(s) ago (0) (0) Report Abuse

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Ben	To encode the FNC1 for Data Matrix Application Identifiers, you may use the characters ~1. The data should appear as: DataToEncode = ("~101" & {LotSerialInventory.ProductID} & ("21" & {LotSerialInventory.LotNumber})) Posted 6.3 year(s) ago (0) (0) Report Abuse

Tiffanie

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand.

Here is a product ID that will not scan with the code DataToEncode = ("(01)" & {LotSerialInventory.ProductID} & ("(21)" & {LotSerialInventory.LotNumber}))
Product ID: AU-032-C-U-HP-W-60-X2

Then we gave it a product ID-specific UPC number (2877) to use with the new formula and it will scan the product ID into our system. This works and corrected the character limit issue.
New code: DataToEncode = ("(01)" & {@UPC} & ("(21)" & {LotSerialInventory.LotNumber}))

But, you are saying that we can apply the product ID database field and the lot serial number field into the barcode without parentheses, and our mobile inventory gun will scan it into our system?

Posted 6.3 year(s) ago

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Ben

The 01 Application Identifier has a 14-character limit but only for its element string. It is no limit for the entire barcode. There can be multiple element strings in a barcode.

Here is an example:
(01)3456789012345717991231

It uses two element strings and has two AIs (01) and 17. The 17 does not require parentheses around it because the previous element string uses fixed data.

Posted 6.3 year(s) ago

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Tiffanie

Thanks, Ben. I'm not sure how to respond to your question through this forum so I'm commenting on my own question.

That is correct, we are using that specification. It's for scanning inventory and we are using Product ID and Lot/Serial data fields. It looks like the scanning system/our database system (ACCTivate) can only read the GTIN-14 GS1-128 and that identifier "01" unfortunately does have the 14-character limit in it. However, we did find a potential workaround by utilizing the UPC field for product IDs that are larger than 14 characters and this seems to be the best "workaround" solution to this problem.

Here is the old code that does not work for >14 characters:
DataToEncode = ("(01)" & {LotSerialInventory.ProductID} & ("(21)" & {LotSerialInventory.LotNumber}))

Here is the new UPC formula:
if isnull({Product.UPC}) or {Product.UPC}= '' then {LotSerialInventory.ProductID} else {Product.UPC}

Here is the new code for the barcode (datamatrix):
DataToEncode = ("(01)" & {@UPC} & ("(21)" & {LotSerialInventory.LotNumber}))

Unless you have something else that you think would work better as a "workaround" solution to the limitation, without changing our product IDs, then I think that is the best thing to do. Thanks!

Posted 6.3 year(s) ago

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Ben

What specification are you trying to follow for GS1-Code 128 and GS1-DataMatrix?

GTIN-14 specification that uses 01 allows up to 14 characters. I recommend reviewing your spec guide and then taking a look at your options using the IDAutomation Application Identifier Guide.

If you have additional questions, the appropriate contact is GS1.org

Posted 6.3 year(s) ago

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