14-digit global trade item number & barcodes
Global Trade Item Number, a.k.a. a GTIN, is a 14-digit string used as a way to exchange chunks of data. Even though it's called a Global Trade Item Number a GTIN should be stored in your database or spreadsheet as a string. If you store a GTIN as a number you won't be able to use GTIN's with leading zeros. They'll be trimmed.
"GTIN barcode" don't exisit but GTIN numbers are often represented by a barcode. One can put a GTIN into a UPC bar code, EAN bar code, Code 128 bar code, or Interleaved 2 of 5 bar code. A GTIN is not a barcode but how data is stored. Think of a GTIN as a data bucket that can be poured into a barcode.
January 1, 2005 was the GTIN "sunrise date". Now all trading partners are expected to support Global Trade Item Numbers. It did not mean that a new barcode after 2005. The shipping and distribution industries were the most affected.
The globally unique GS1 System item number for products and services. A Global Trade Item Number is 14 digits long and can represented by a barcode. The important thing to remember is that there is no such thing as a "GTIN barcode". GTIN numbers can be represented by barcode but it's a 14 digit number not the container used to encode it.
As the name implies, the GTIN helps automate the trading process — basically buying and selling. GTINs are therefore assigned to any item (product or service) that may be priced, or ordered, or invoiced at any point in any supply chain. The GTIN is then used to retrieve pre-defined information about the item.
— from GS1 US
To learn more about GTIN, bar codes, and other auto ID nerdy stuff, please read this web page and our white paper on the topic.
GS1 US is an excellent online GTIN resource.
Yes, all of Azalea's fonts and software is GTIN-compliant.
