Create GS1 compatible DataMatrix barcodes in P-touch Editor by following these steps:
Insert the DataMatrix barcode
In P-Touch Editor, select Insert > Bar Code from the menu. Switch to the Protocol tab and select the DataMatrix protocol:
Add the Function 1 Symbolic Character (FNC1)
This special character is used to differentiate GS1 DataMatrix from other Data Matrix barcodes. Go to the Setup tab and check the Specify Industrial Protocol (FNC1) box:
Add the GS1 element strings
You must follow the GS1 rules when encoding data in a GS1 DataMatrix. I highly recommend that you review Chapter 2 (Encoding data) in the GS1 DataMatrix Guideline (PDF). P-touch editor won’t prevent you from making any mistakes!
As an example, I’m going to recreate the GS1 DataMatrix barcode found in TL A-0032 Part 1, Edition 7 (page 12).
It contains both a GTIN-13 (4012345000016) and a serial number (ABC17829). The corresponding GS1 DataMatrix Application Identifiers are 01 (GTIN-13) and 21 (serial no.). The GTIN-13 has to be padded with a leading 0 to match the expected length of 14 characters. Therefore, the concatenated string is 010401234500001621ABC17829:
The resulting barcode matches the example, though it seems that P-touch Editor cannot add the Human readable Interpretation (HRI):
You could, of course, add the HRI using the text tool.
For further information, please consult the GS1 DataMatrix Guideline (PDF)!
When you twist the Application Identifiers in your example you need a FNC1 delimeter. Did you know how to do this in the P-Touch software for DataMatrix?
In the Input tab, if you place the cursor at the position where you want to insert the delimiter and click on Control Code, you can insert the GS (group separator) control character. It won’t be visible in the text but will be included in the barcode.
Why doesn’t the Editor recognizes the 17 inside the example as “use by” application identifier?
010401234500001621ABC17829
I’m trying to find out how this works so I can add more than just GTIN and serial no.