Guides & extras

How to work through these guides

The guides above are easiest to use in the order a real compliance project unfolds, rather than alphabetically. Most retail and distribution programmes start with a trading partner's routing guide or supplier manual, and nearly everything else follows from it: which label format they expect, which EDI documents they require, and how quickly they want problems resolved.

A suggested reading path

1. Learn the building blocks. Start with barcode symbology so you know the difference between UPC-A, EAN-13, GS1-128 and 2D codes such as GS1 DataMatrix. The RFID comparison is useful at this stage if a partner has mentioned tagging requirements.
2. Get the label right. The GS1 label checklist covers the details that most often cause chargebacks: a valid SSCC, correct Application Identifiers, adequate quiet zones, print contrast and label placement on the carton.
3. Match the label to the data. The EDI 856 ASN guide explains how the shipment, order, pack and item hierarchy must mirror what is physically on the truck. An ASN that lists different SSCCs from the ones printed on the cartons is one of the most common reasons receiving docks reject or delay freight.
4. Equip the floor. Scanner setup matters once labels are live. Configuring prefixes, suffixes and symbology settings consistently saves a lot of troubleshooting later.
5. Measure and maintain. The SLA dashboard template, severity matrix and compliance audit worksheet help you track acknowledgement times, error rates and recurring faults after go-live.

Tips for getting the most out of them

• Keep your partner's own specification open alongside any checklist. Retailers often add requirements beyond the GS1 baseline, and theirs always takes precedence.
• Test with real cartons and real scanners before the first live shipment, not just with print previews on screen.
• Record every change you make to label templates or EDI maps so audits and support requests move faster.

If you want to see how these topics fit into wider programmes, the solutions overview and the resources section give more context. For questions about a specific issue, the support page explains how requests are handled.