Global Data Synchronization

 

Global Data Synchronization is an initiative created by the large grocery and retail firms – eg Wal-Mart, Kroger, Lowe’s, etc. – to ensure that they have correct information about products purchased from manufacturers/suppliers at all times.

 

Product information is provided by manufacturers/suppliers to one of several data pools throughout the world and is registered in the global GS1 registry which informs interested grocery/retail firms where the information is about any particular product.

 

Each product is identified by a three part code that consists of the Global Location Number (GLN), the Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN), and the Target Market Country code.

 

The Global Location Number (GLN) identifies the organization providing the product information.

 

The Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN) uniquely identifies the product by a combination of the Manufacturer’s Number issued by the Uniform Code Council (now called GS1) and the manufacturers 5-digit product number used specifically for the GTIN.

 

The Target Market Country code is the code issued by GS1 to identify the country into which the product will be sold.

 

Product information specified by GS1 must be provided by manufacturers/suppliers to the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) if required by their retail customers as a condition of carrying the product.

 

Sysmark provides consulting services in planning and implementing GDSN projects to include the review off existing UPC codes and vendor product identifiers; the development of a GTIN numbering system that best meets the requirements of the GDSN and the manufacturer/supplier; the selection of a strategy to develop, store and merge the new GS1 product information with existing product information and the implementation of the project to create new GTIN numbers and the product information required by GS1.

 

Sysmark also offers a Product Information System to extract existing GS1 product information from the in-house database, enter new GS1 product information into a merged database and upload the complete GS1 database to one of several GS1 datapools for publication to the retail marketplace.