Global Location Number

The Global Location Number (GLN) is a number from the GS1 system (formerly EAN system ), which enables the clear and non-overlapping identification of any kind of location .

It is awarded by the GS1 organizations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and was previously called the International Location Number (ILN).

General

GS1 provides a globally unique identification system and is widely used in business to identify goods, services, locations, transport units, etc. The GLN can serve as a database key that refers to location-specific information that is required repeatedly. The use of structured, globally unique identification numbers makes it possible to reduce input errors and increase efficiency.

Every company or organization can license a so-called GS1 base number from a GS1 member organization and assign GLNs for its locations and departments, etc.

The GS1 basic number is a unique sequence of four to twelve digits that is required to assign a GS1 identification key. The GS1 base numbers are assigned by GS1 member organizations. For Germany this is GS1 Germany, for Austria GS1 Austria, for Switzerland GS1 Switzerland.

The GLN consists of 13 digits. The key consists of the GS1 basic number, the location reference and the check digit .

GS1 base number ─────────────── ›	Location reference ‹───────────────	Check digit
N ₁ N ₂ N ₃ N ₄ N ₅ N ₆ N ₇ N ₈ N ₉ N ₁₀ N ₁₁ N ₁₂		N ₁₃

Areas of application of the GLN

The Global Location Number (GLN) ensures a clear and unique identification of:

Physical locations: A location (an area, a building or a group of buildings) or an area in this location where something was, is or will be. The identification of physical locations in the value chain is essential for transparency. A GLN that is assigned to a physical location always has a constant and identifiable geographical address, regardless of the roles that this location plays in the business processes.
Digital locations: A digital location is an electronic (non-physical) address that is used for communication between computers. Just as the exchange of physical goods is a business process between companies, the exchange of data is a business process between systems, for example the transmission of an invoice via EDI or email to a billing system.
Legal Entities: Any company, public agency, department, not-for-profit organization, one-person company, trade or institution that is legally recognized and also has the power to enter into contracts and sign agreements.
Functions: An organizational sub-department or department that has certain tasks to perform according to the assignment of the organization.

Use of the GLN

The GLN can be used to identify a physical location, shown in a data carrier at the corresponding location. Physical locations can be, for example, a room, a gate to a warehouse, an X-ray room in a hospital, or a checkpoint.

The location number can refer to the address to which a certain transport unit, which is marked with an SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code), is to be delivered. A transport unit can be marked with the GLN of its destination in the barcode. If this data element is scanned, the transmitted data can be used to call up the corresponding address and / or to sort the objects according to their destination.

In business processes, the location numbers are linked to the properties of the business relationships. These properties should be set as part of master data management.

EDI

The GLN plays a key role in electronic data interchange . EDI uses the GLN to identify the trading partners and physical locations involved. The GLN is also used to identify EDI mailboxes and network addresses of companies. The EDI standards (EANCOM ^® , GS1 XML) made available in the GS1 system use the GLN to simplify the automated delivery of business messages.

GDSN

In data pools, the mandatory specification of the GLNs is used to identify all those involved who put information into any data pool or call up information on products and locations.

EPCIS

Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) is a GS1 standard that defines a comprehensive data model for the collection and shared use of transparent data within a company and along the entire supply chain. EPCIS implementations use the GLN to identify read points and object locations. A reading point indicates a specific location at which an event took place and thus also indicates the temporary location of objects / objects at the time of the event. An object location indicates the exact location of the objects after a certain event.

GLN in the company register (Austria)

The Global Location Number (GLN) , which is established in the economy, has been used in administration since 2012 and was introduced in the business register (UR) as a unique identification for the data of the supplying source register (supplementary register, commercial register, register of associations, GISA, etc.) . The Statistics Austria , this identification to be the only awarding authority in the business register. The UR is the central register in the company service portal.

This GLN can be used by any company , be it in electronic data traffic, as a clear reference to the master data of a company or for identification in the electronic invoice.

With this GLN, no further identification number (GTIN, SSCC, GRAI, ...) can be generated from the GS1 system; a licensed GS1 basic number is required for this. The GLN of the public administration is used purely to identify the legal entity and can be used in electronic data traffic for continuous electronic procedure processing through the digitization of forms. This means that no hierarchies (e.g. branches, locations) can be identified.

The use of the GLN fits in with the government's approach to implementing the digital roadmap and the improvements in electronic government traffic. Every company should have the right to an electronic identity in data traffic and the digital world. Data from companies that are already known to an authority can be easily exchanged between the authorities. This is to relieve companies of bureaucratic burdens.

GLN in waste law (Austria)

The competent Austrian authorities in waste management use the GLN to identify all companies involved and their locations and plants. For this purpose, a register ("EDM register") was set up on the basis of the Waste Management Act 2002 (AWG 2002). The electronic data management EDM is a network system of internet applications and databases to support complex processes in environmental protection-related documentation, reporting and reporting obligations.

EDM offers companies a legally secure basis for fulfilling their extensive obligations. Authorities at all administrative levels enable the comprehensible and transparent presentation of the results, the efficient implementation of individual legal provisions and comprehensive evaluations create the basis for control measures in politics and administration.

In the past few years, the EDM was able to put many internet-based E-Gov applications into operation, the content of which ranges from "A" for old vehicles to "Z" for central radiation protection register. Despite all the differences in these regulations, the EDM with its central master data management provides the common basis for all applications.

Only the central administration of (legal) persons, locations and facilities enables the use of diverse synergies and offers companies, administrations and the public a transparent source of information on the type and extent of environmentally-related activities.

literature

ECR , Efficient Consumer Response; Standards, processes and implementations; with technical articles by Univ.-Prof. Dr. H. Kotzab, Dr. AC Steinbrecher, Univ.-Prof. Dr. P. Schnedlitz, Dr.Ch. Holweg; ECR - Efficient Consumer Response - is the collaboration of all companies involved in the value chain in order to meet the needs of consumers better, faster and more cost-effectively. 1st edition, publisher: GS1 Austria GmbH / ECR Austria

Web links

General GS1 specifications (German version)
General GS1 Specifications (English version)

References and comments

[1] GS1 Germany

[2] GS1 Austria

[3] GS1 Switzerland

[4] EDM register on edm.gv.at