Migrating to GS1 Digital Link standard on Datalogic Mobile devices: compatibility and interaction between features and settings

 

GS1 Digital Link is a new innovative standard that represents an evolution in product identification and information access, introducing a link between the physical product and its digital identity.

GS1 Digital Link allow for a single, standardized way to meet both supply chain needs and evolving consumer requirements, transforming traditional barcode capabilities into web-enabled identifiers. It standardizes how product identifiers (GTIN - Global Trade Item Number) can be encoded in a URI format, enabling direct connections to product information via the web, while maintaining backward compatibility with existing systems.

Similarly to a URL, GS1 Data Link enables consumers to instantly access to a wide variety of information as: product identification, traceability, expiring date, nutritional facts, warranty, recycling information, offers and fidelity cards, instructions, and many others.

A date has been set to make the transition to accepting 2D barcodes at point-of-sale (POS) or point-of-care (POC), by the end of 2027 (program called Ambition 2027), retailers would need to ensure their systems are equipped with devices capable of reading both traditional barcodes and GS1 Digital Link 2D barcodes.

As reported in the GS1 document Ambition 2027 for Retail, Datalogic Mobile Android products are ready to meet the criteria defined by GS1.

For more detail regarding the data structure and composition of GS1 Digital Link barcodes see following link: GS1 Digital Link Structure

GS1 Digital Link compatibility

To address compatibility in existing environments, Datalogic has introduced a comprehensive set of parameters that enable:

  • Recognition and validation of GS1 Digital Link barcodes
  • Conversion between GS1 Digital Link and traditional formats for backward and forward compatibility
  • Management of multiple barcodes on the same product
  • Standardized handling of product identification across different formats

GS1 Digital Link and GTIN

GS1 Digital Link relies on GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), which is the GS1 standard for unique product identification used globally in barcodes.

Today, GTIN can be encoded in different barcode formats, including UPC (Universal Product Code), EAN (European Article Number), GS1 DataBar, and GS1 DataMatrix.

In new GS1 Digital Link Data Matrix and GS1 Digital Link QR Code, the GTIN identifier will be included in the basic URI syntax.

During the transition to global GS1 Digital Link adoption, items may feature both the current EAN/UPC barcode and either a simple GS1 Datamatrix:

- A simple GS1 DataMatrix

- A QR Code with GS1 Digital Link URI syntax

- A Data Matrix with GS1 Digital Link URI syntax

Supporting the transition and maintaining backward compatibility requires converting barcodes to "GTIN-14", a 14-digit representation of the Global Trade Item Number. Devices must be configurable to transmit desired data (GTIN or GTIN plus additional data) from one or all retail-compliant GS1 barcodes (see Ambition 2027 for Retail).

Datalogic settings to manage compatibility between GS1 Digital Link and traditional formats.

 

Symbology-Specific:

QR Code and Data Matrix Recognition

The first step in working with GS1 Digital Link 2D barcode is enabling its recognition within supported symbologies. Two new parameters have been added:

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Symbologies / QR Code / GS1-DL-QR Code

  • GS1-DL-QR Code enables recognition of GS1 Digital Link in QR Code format

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Symbologies / Data Matrix / GS1-DL-Data Matrix

  • GS1-DL-Data Matrix enables recognition of GS1 Digital Link in Data Matrix format

These settings enable the scanner to recognize GS1 Digital Link barcodes as distinct barcode types from standard QR Codes or Data Matrix symbologies. Once identified, GS1 Digital Link codes can be converted to traditional barcode formats, ensuring compatibility with legacy applications.

UPC/EAN conversion to GTIN

UPC/EAN families support conversions between symbologies for standardized product identification.

This flexibility helps integrate systems expecting different formats while maintaining legacy barcode support. These are the conversions available in symbology settings:

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Symbologies / <UPC or EAN family> / Convert to…

  • UPC-E: Convert to UPC-A
  • UPC-A: Convert to EAN-13
  • EAN-8: Convert to EAN-13
  • EAN-13: Convert to GTIN

Since these conversions can work in cascade, it is possible to convert any UPC or EAN label (7-8-12-13-digit codes) up to 14-digit GTINs. For example, a UPC-E can convert through UPC-A and EAN-13 to GTIN if all conversions are enabled.

Standard Formatting Settings:

GS1 2D Conversion to GTIN

This feature addresses backward compatibility needs and enables integration between new GS1 Digital Link implementations and legacy systems.

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Formatting / Standard Formatting / GS1 2D Conversion

  • Disabled: No conversion (default)
  • GS1-128: Convert the barcode to GS1-128 format, preserving all GS1 application identifiers.
  • GTIN: Extract and convert only the GTIN portion.
  • UPCA/EAN13 Compatibility: Convert to the shortest option between GTIN, EAN13, and UPCA
  • Shortest UPC/EAN Compatibility: Convert to the shortest option between GTIN, EAN13, UPCA, EAN8, and UPCE

This option allows legacy applications to continue working reading GS1 Digital Link without modification on back end.

GTIN Format

This parameter allows to select the GTIN format in two scenarios:

- when UPC/EAN codes are promoted to GTINs (if enabled in the respective symbology settings)

- when a GS1 Digital Link label is reduced to its GTIN (if GS1 2D Conversion is enable and set to GTIN).

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Formatting / Standard Formatting / GTIN Format

  • GS1 DataBar 14: converts output to GS1 DataBar 14 format
  • GS1-128: converts output to GS1-128 format

This option allows new applications using GTIN format to handle traditional barcodes.

For more information and real Use Case examples see also the post How to: Configure GS1 2D Conversion and GTIN Format for reading GS1 Digital Link in legacy application.

GS1 Digital Link Label Set Management

Modern product packaging often includes multiple barcodes containing the same GTIN in different formats (e.g., an EAN-13 and a GS1 Digital Link QR code).

The Label Set Management features implement standardized scanning modes for handling these scenarios. Those standard modes have been defined by GS1 and represent a compatibility requirement (see 2D in Retail scanning modes).

GS1 Label Set Transmit Mode

When enabled, this parameter automatically allows to collect multiple barcodes while the trigger is held. Barcodes are grouped by GTIN and processed according to the selected mode:

enabled, this parameter automatically allows to collect multiple barcodes while the trigger is held. Barcodes are grouped by GTIN and processed according to the selected mode:

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Formatting / Standard Formatting / GS1 Label Set Transmit Mode):

  • Disabled: Process each barcode independently
  • First Label (Mode 1): Once the first GTIN is identified in a linear or 2D barcode, device promptly process and transmits the GTIN according to the defined formatting rules.
  • All Labels (Mode 3): Decode and transmit all GS1 compliant barcodes, linear or 2D.

NOTE: This mode send all labels with the same GTIN, adding a equal 8-digit incremental numeric identifier beforehand the codes belonging from the same set, so that multiple barcodes representing the same product can be correlated, even when they contain different supplementary data beyond the GTIN.

  • Prioritize 2D Label (Mode 2): Prioritize GS1 Digital Link format when available, falling back to 1D barcodes if necessary.

For Real-World Use Cases samples see also: GS1 Digital Link Label Set Management.

GS1 Label Set Prefix

When using "All Labels (Mode 3)" mode, the scanner automatically adds 8-digit set identifies identifier co to correlate multiple barcodes representing the same product. This parameter allows to customize the incremental identifier with a custom prefix

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Formatting / Standard Formatting / GS1 Label Set Prefix

  • The default value is "$n", but can be changed to any string or completely removed.

Enhanced Format Checking

The existing "Check GS1 Format" parameter has been extended to perform comprehensive validation of GS1 Digital Link syntax.

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Formatting / Standard Formatting / Check GS1 Format

When enabled, it ensures that scanned GS1 Digital Link barcodes comply with the official URI syntax specification.

ECI Policy Requirement

The Extended Channel Interpretation (ECI) protocol allows 2D barcodes to encode data using different character sets and enables the application software to receive additional information about the intended interpretation of the contained message and even details about the scan itself. The transmission of this information along with the code to the application is controlled by the parameter:

Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Formatting / Standard Formatting / ECI Policy

Remark: for proper GS1 Digital Link functionality, the "ECI Policy" parameter must be set to "Remove"

This setting ensures that any ECI protocol characters are stripped from the barcode data before GS1 Digital Link processing.

Scanner Option Settings:

When GS1 Label Set Transmit Mode is set to First Label (Mode 1), Prioritize 2D Label (Mode 2) or All Labels (Mode 3), the ScanEngine does not shut down immediately after the first code is read, but remains active until the user releases the trigger or the Decode Timeout expires (Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Scanner options / Decode Timeout, default 5 sec). In this mode and during this time, the ScanEngine can decode labels continuously. To prevent the same product label from being inadvertently read multiple times, an appropriate timeout can be set within which new codes can be decoded, but repeated reading of the same code is inhibited. Setting: Datalogic Settings / Scanner & decoder / Scanner options / Double read Timeout

The default value is 2 seconds and can be adjusted according to operational needs.

Firmware Device Support

The new GS1 Digital Link features are available on the following devices and firmware versions:

Product

Firmware Version

Memor 30/35

Android 13:

v1.03.002.20240415 or later

Joya Touch 22

Android 13:
Android 11:

v4.04.001.20240905 or later
v1.16.001.20240731s or later

Skorpio X5

Android 13:
Android 11:

v4.04.002.20240909 or later
v3.29.001.20240729s or later

Memor 20

Android 13:
Android 11:

v4.04.001.20240905 or later
v3.29.001.20240730s or later

Memor 11

Android 13:
Android 11:

v2.00.01.20240710 or later
v1.09.19.20241013 or later

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