What Is a Global Location Number (GLN)?

By The SupplyPike Team, Retail Rockstars

Last Updated August 13, 2024

7 min read

Learn about:

What a Global Location Number Is
The Uses of a GLN
How to Get a GLN
Walmart's Requirements for GLNs

A Global Location Number or GLN is a unique identifier used to detect and identify locations and legal bodies within a business. It's created using three components: the GS1 Company Prefix, a Location Reference, and a Check Digit.

The Global Location Number (GLN) is created using three components: the GS1 Company Prefix, a Location Reference, and a Check Digit.

What is a GLN and Why is it Important?

GLNs serve as reference codes that link additional information about a company or its specific locations. GLNs are useful in place of the names and addresses of locations and more suitable when rendering operations automatic. This capability is especially helpful for operations that require speed and accuracy such as EDI, where GLNs are used to identify parties, including business partners and locations.

Related Reading: What Is EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)?

How to Get a Global Location Number

GS1, a nonprofit organization, configures GLNs and controls their allocation. It issues application guidelines, business instances, and maintenance.

Uses of a GLN

GLNs are used to identify parties for business transactions, functional groups in a business, or actual, tangible "locations" that may deliver, receive, manage, or retain inventories. Some examples of GLN usage are:

Legal entities: these could be entire companies, subsidiaries, or specific departments like healthcare divisions within a larger organization.
Operational entities: this includes specific divisions within a company, such as the finance department, purchasing teams, or hospital pharmacies.
Geographical locations: GLNs can identify physical sites such as production facilities, distribution centers, stores or even locations within a site, like dock doors or storage bins.
Digital sites: GLNs can also represent virtual locations, such as an EDI gateway or an ERP system.

The GLN is required to use the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) and different e-commerce proceedings. This worldwide identification system ensures that the information encoded in a GLN, whether in a barcode or an Electronic Product Code (EPC), matches the electronic documents shared between business partners.

Advantages of a Global Location Number

There are quite a few benefits of using Global Location Numbers to detect divisions, functional groups, and physical geographies:

The GLN is used all over the globe, and it does not require trading partners to allocate proprietary numbers to assure individuality.
Employing a GLN is both money and time-saving because the number moves fast and effectively through the supply chain.
GLNs are useful for fulfilling business requirements anywhere, ranging from the cargo area to government bases to circuit boards within a router.
Businesses may use a GLN for general divisions at one location and uncrewed stations (such as bank ATMs, automated dispensers, and others).
With the help of GLNs, companies can determine locations inside and outside their enterprise that is:
Straightforward: GLNs are a simple data type with a fairness check that makes it easy to process and transmit data.
Exclusive: No two GLNs are the same.
Cross-sector: With the help of GLN, it is easy to identify any site for any organization irrespective of its operations in any part of the world.

Coding for GLNs

Global Location Numbers (GLNs) can be encoded using different formats to be utilized in various technologies and systems:

1. GS1-128:

This is a type of barcode that can encode GLNs. It's often used in shipping labels to represent information about the products being transported, including details about the parties involved in the transaction, like the manufacturer, buyer, or supplier.

3. GS1 DataMatrix:

This is another type of barcode, but it's a 2D matrix (like a QR code) that can store a large amount of data in a small space. This type of coding is often used for smaller items where space is limited, and it can encode GLNs to help identify the product or its location.

5. EPC-empowered RFID tags:

EPC stands for Electronic Product Code, which is used in RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology. These tags are often used to track products throughout the supply chain. The GLN is embedded in the RFID tag, allowing systems to automatically identify the location or the party involved in the transaction, without the need for manual scanning.

GLNs in EPC Information Services (EPCIS)

EPCIS is a standard for sharing information about the movement and status of products as they travel through the supply chain. When GLNs are used in this system, they exclusively identify where specific events (like shipments, deliveries, or storage) happen. This ensures that there's global visibility and a consistent identity for locations in the supply chain. Essentially, GLNs serve as the "address" within EPCIS, telling you exactly where something happened in the supply chain, which is useful for tracking and traceability.

Global Location Numbers Versus an In-House System

Any business may develop a unique internal method and system of codification for every location that falls within its area of operation. However, though an in-house approach appears the simplest and quickest course of action, problems arise when information flows both ways between computers of different companies. These problems could range from:

Repetition: Multiple business partners might use the same location code for an internal site of their company, thus compromising uniqueness.
Complication: Internal codes can have different compositions and formats, making the application programming increasingly complicated and resulting in more expensive changes.
Significance: Location codes with information linked to the location in the code configuration itself will become hard to manage as the coding structure develops to add new value.

Are Global Location Numbers Permanent?

A GLN links to a location. If there is any change in the site, those in charge of the GLN must change the corresponding details on the linked records.

If a GLN is discontinued, it can be valid for a minimum of three years, after which a company may reassign it. Trading partners may use the three years to find all the old location number references and delete them from their files. GS1 must reissue the GLN for reuse.

Walmart Global Location Numbers

Walmart asks its supplier to input a Global Location Number (GLN) within the** N1 ST segment element 04** (along with the suitable qualifier in element 03) on all EDI 810s (Invoice) and all invoices without purchase orders.

This number is available within the N1 ST segment element 04, the N1 BY segment element 04, or the SDQ segment of the EDI 850 (Purchase Order). Additionally, suppliers may find the GLN numbers for all Walmart stores, warehouses, and clubs using AS2 in their GEM mailbox.

Related Reading: Explaining EDI: 800 Transaction Codes

If you want to apply for a GLN for your business, all you need to do is approach the GS1 organization. After getting your GLN, your business is ready to take on the world of EDI and make the best of the dematerialization of exchanges.

In the future, with the extensive use of GLNs, it will be easier for businesses to share information, make e-commerce simpler, and boost productivity.